In 1989, Ronald Reagan gave his farewell speech in the Oval Office. After the live coverage on ABC, then-White House reporter Sam Donaldson offered a Democratic rebuttal of sorts on the Reagan legacy. Later, on NBC, David Letterman asked Donaldson if presidents are required to talk to reporters.
Donaldson said no, but “it doesn’t do anyone any good if a President doesn’t let people know what he’s doing and thinking, assuming he is thinking…Before you know it he’ll go on to Bitburg, he’ll sell arms to the Ayatollah, he’ll do things that are nutty.”
It’s quite a contrast with the aftermath of President Biden’s farewell address. A fact-based reporter could have looked at this speech on the Biden legacy and pointed out the word “inflation” was nowhere in this 17-minute speech. Neither were the words “immigration,” “migration,” or “border.”…
