The President and the Press [OPINION]

Ralph Cramden had Ed Norton. Fred Flintstone had Barney Rubble. Lucy had Ethel. Johnny Carson had Ed McMahon. Donald Trump has the press. And away we go.

Donald Trump might not have been president if it had not been for the press. His standing with his base and his ability to cross over and rob support from the Democrats and from independents can in part be attributed to the absurd way the press has covered Trump. Trump is the star and the press is his foil. These foolish-looking reporters and cable news network goons are Trump's second bananas. They are his stooges and they don't even realize that they are being used.

Trump, a public relations genius, realized early on in his short political career that he would never receive fair treatment from the agenda-driven press, so he declared it the enemy. Not that he wasn't justified in doing so, but other politicians have suffered the press while attempting to please it. Not Trump. He won't play that game.

Trump understood that his only chance was to take his message directly to the American people through social media. He turned the tables on the press corps by vilifying it even as it attempted to vilify him. By exposing the press for what it is – a bunch of lazy, self-righteous overpaid hypocrites – Trump has been able to win the support and respect of many people while showing the press corps for what it truly is.

The press has actually made Trump a sympathetic figure and its relentless attacks have helped him tremendously. There has never been a president as accessible as Trump because he enjoys going toe-to-toe with these wet noodles.

The problem for the press is that it has yet to figure out that each time it sends a slimy "fake news" reporter to take on Trump, he repels the attack by exposing the attacker. This is one of the reasons why his daily Coronavirus Task Force press briefings draw so many viewers. People love it!

Maybe someday the press will figure it out and things will change, but for now, at least, the greasy little gotcha gang is just too dumb to understand that Trump is their daddy and they just keep playing right into his hand.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.