Popular Culture Review 30.2
The current POTUS has a short attention span , expressing himself in provocative blocks of speech . Both the Enquirer and the president ignore facts and indulge in outrageous self-promotion . Amy Peck , senior reporter for Huffington Post , stated that Trump ’ s campaign committee , White House staff , and the National Enquirer writers are remarkably similar in approach . They spent the time before and after his election “ sharing blatantly false articles with reckless abandon , knowing their audience had a high tolerance for half-truths and whole lies ” ( Peck 1 ).
Trump loved the weekly publication with national reach . The Enquirer printed positive stories like , “ Natural-born leader Donald Trump is a highly focused , driven and charismatic genius who thinks outside the box and is almost too smart for his own good ” ( Taylor Magzter 1 ). The editors of the Enquirer felt free to name-call and exploit resentments if it furthered Trump ’ s agenda . Trump wondered , “ Why didn ’ t the National Enquirer get the Pulitzer Prize for Edwards ?” ( Borcher Trump para . 4 ). He claimed that the publication was “ very respected ” and suggested Pecker would make a “ brilliant Choice ” for Time magazine CEO ( Eglash 1 ).
The Enquirer staff wrote a self-congratulatory piece after the election declaring , “ Only one magazine told the world all along how Americans REALLY were feeling about the 2016 election ! As the world of professional pollsters spend today in humiliation , we look back at the figures that showed Trump was winning over America ” ( November 9 , 2016 ). An online readership poll conducted on May 31 , 2016 , showed that 58 % favored Trump and 42 % favored Clinton . The tabloid crowed , “ Although the Enquirer polls did not follow the strict rules of statistical samples , one thing is certain : We had our finger on the pulse of the nation all along , and always will !” ( November 9 , 2016 ).
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