'Slow moving coup' — journalists need to do a better job than comedians

A gloomy sentence broke into the political discussion last week: "slow coup". And it didn't come from journalists - it was delivered by a late-night comedian.

That's not a good sign for the news media.

The label "Coup" drove an eight-minute monologue from HBOs Bill MaherWilliam (Bill) Maher 'Slow Coup' - Journalists Must Do Better Job Than Comedians The January 6 uprising Election distraction What is at stake if Trump wins in 2024? Authoritarian one-party rule MOREwho in detail the efforts of. sets out Donald TrumpDonald Trump: Robert Gates Says “Extreme Polarization” Is Biggest Threat To US Democracy Cassidy Says He Will Not Vote For Trump If He Is Running In 2024, Saying Schiff To Keep Bannon In Criminal Disdain “To Get People's Attention " MORE's allies in ousting the old guard of the GOP and lowering the polling barriers through a hundred small actions, from Capitol Hill to towns and counties beyond the bypass.

Maher's routine exploded on social media because it was a compelling story that rounded up scattered reports from across the country into one cohesive narrative. This is something the mainstream press couldn't do.

Journalism today works with constant deadlines, leaving reporters little time to breathe out and look at the bigger picture, especially one that is quietly "slow". This shortage of time also means journalists are forced to take the shortest route to cover a story - by calling Washington-based politicians, party leaders, and think-tank analysts. It's hard for the national media to break this pattern and find out what's going on outside the capital, across the country.

“Slow coup” may or may not fit what is happening, but it's about local journalists who clearly report significant changes in their regional political architecture - regardless of the name:

• In Michigan, a Republican party leader had to resign after blaming Trump for the 2020 election defeat.
• In Hood County, Texas, MAGA supporters forced the election officer to resign despite Trump landslide winning the county. Critics accused her of "harboring a secret liberal agenda".
• A dozen Georgia GOP leaders have been replaced with activists who are more supportive of Trump.
• Trump's allies in Horry County, SC, voted to blame the state's new GOP leader after defeating a Q-Anon supporter and lawyer who helped the former president litigate the 2020 election.
• In nearby Greenville County, Republican party leaders resigned in the face of "ongoing lawsuits ... intimidation, threats, bullying, disenfranchisement and character assassination" by the county's Trump faction.

Outside of local journalism, some larger organizations like ProPublica put their resources into this story. And in large national newspapers there are articles about changes in the law and power games in several countries.

But national mainstream journalism has to consistently do more to really make an impact.

These efforts begin by rethinking ongoing reporting on Trump himself. Yes, he's still a good copy and hands down a prominent piece of the power puzzle. But precious resources are being spent on every hint of the year 2024, threat or announcement about the GOP.

The media spotlight must now shift to how his political agenda is brought to life in dozens of meetings, confrontations and resignations in counties and congressional districts across the country.

The challenge for mainstream reporting is to create comprehensive and coordinated coverage of officials and apparatchiks at all levels working to drive significant changes in the electoral system - from electoral boards, local party leaders and state lawmakers to governors and members of the Congress.

Getting this story right requires intensive, focused and long-term reporting that is difficult to achieve in the current media environment. Yet news organizations have done just that for other topics. In the past few years, several news outlets have responded to social concerns and unrest by setting up gender, race and justice reporting teams. These persistent efforts have produced important journalism.

The threat to the political system and the potential for serious disruption in 2022 and 2024 deserve at least the same attention. The news media must form teams that focus exclusively on - and often report on - the groups, funders, and machines that are now fueling attempts to change the structure of the bourgeoisie.

All well and good that comic watchers like Bill Maher draw attention to an urgent game plan and give it a catchy name like “Slow Coup”.

But that's not enough. This isn't just a TV presenter job. This is a journalistic responsibility.

Joe Ferullo is an award-winning media manager, producer, and journalist and former executive vice president of programming for CBS Television Distribution. He was a news manager for NBC, writer and producer for Dateline NBC, and worked for ABC News. Follow him on Twitter @ ironworker1.

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