Talking Points Memo

One thing we try to keep in mind around elections and transitions of power is that TPM is not in the prediction business. We're not here to look into a crystal ball and tell people definitively what is or is not going to happen. However, that doesn't mean we can't use our reporting to set expectations. What's the difference?, you might ask. Well, one is shooting from the hip based on feelings and intuition. The other involves trusting our own reporting and pointing toward what people say they plan on doing.
 

There was this catchy phrase you may remember from our first nation go-round with Trump: "The press takes him literally, but not seriously; his supporters take him seriously, but not literally." At TPM, we opt for a third path: we put what he and his entourage say into the context of the situation. Trump is not speaking into a contextless vacuum. When you have reporters who have covered the Supreme Court for years, reporters who have covered Congress for years, and editors who understand how policy is created and implemented, you can suss out what is real and what is bluster. This is how you get past (admittedly catchy) aphorisms and start doing meaningful journalism.

Holds up pretty well, no? But just as important as the specific executive orders is that Josh can explain what likely comes next: court fights and legal battles. And we've already seen the ACLU and a coalition of blue states file lawsuits against Trump's executive order that purports to end birthright citizenship.
 

Elsewhere on TPM, David Kurtz has signalled for months in the Morning Memo that January 6th 2021 was an event still in motion because the battle was ongoing over how, and whether, we remembered the actual facts of that day. If Trump took back the presidency, he could pardon all who participated — which happened immediately.
 

The point is this: A lot of journalism today is merely pundits making predictions based on vibes. It mimics the style of sports talking heads having debates for the sake of debates. It prioritizes incendiary takes over cogent analysis. At TPM, we believe that good, consistent reporting allows for prescient analysis that will better prepare our readers for what's to come. No need to be hysterical or over the top. The reporting speaks for itself. We hope you'll support this kind of journalism.