Toward the end of The Verdict, Paul Newman’s mentor first admonishes him, reminding him that he broke the first law of being a trial lawyer, which is: never asks a question unless they have the answer to it. He then tries to console him, saying “there’ll be other cases,” and Newman isn’t having it . “There are no other cases, this is the case. There are no other cases, this is the case. There are no other cases, this is the case.”
Yesterday, Kaitlin Collins, to her credit, tried to press Trump on his earlier promise that he’d abide the Supreme Court’s ruling (itself a tell, as he was expecting–and not without good reason–that the conservative justices would continue to roll out a MAGA-red carpet for the authoritarian designs which, to this point, he’s pursued with impunity), and he lashed out in familiar fashion:
“How long do we have to answer this question? Why don’t you just say, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that we’re keeping criminals out of our country’? Why can’t you just say that? Why do you go over and over — and that’s why nobody watches you anymore. You have no credibility.”
For reporters now, who have never especially distinguished themselves as profiles of integrity (courage? please), but have failed to respond in disappointingly direct proportion to the professional and moral obligations of the moment, they all, without a single exception, have a clear and unequivocal line. To be certain, there have already been myriad opportunities to make a statement, to do their jobs: for instance, they should all be walking out, en masse, every time Trump shuts down a reporter or refuses access. They should publicly stand in support of their profession, of the First Amendment. For themselves, for the country. They now have their Paul Newman moment.
Why isn’t Abrego Garcia already back, and when is he coming back?
This is the question. There are no other questions. This is the question. There are no other questions. This is the question. There are no other questions.
Every reporter should agree to ask that, and only that, over and over, and the longer Trump & Co. refuse to answer, the more damning their silence and obfuscation becomes, the easier it is to rally the public around this obvious and undeniable inflection point.
Variation on the answer to the question, with the question: Yes, we can get back to that once we’ve gotten a logical–and legal–explanation for why someone who—it’s been admitted, was illegally kidnapped—is sent back. Why isn’t he already back and when is he coming back?
This is the question. There are no other questions. This is the question. There are no other questions. This is the question. There are no other questions.
