The DSR Network Words Matter: Surveying the Devastation of the Past Week of Business as Usual Under Trump
Feb 5, 2026
Norm Ornstein, political scientist known for sharp analyses of Congress and democratic institutions, joins to dissect recent attacks on American norms. They discuss Trump's Kennedy Center plans and symbolic vandalism of Washington landmarks. Conversation covers the decline of mainstream journalism, right-wing media strategies, and threats to election integrity and voting access.
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Monumental Remodel As Political Vanity
- The Kennedy Center renovation is being used as a face-saving cover to remold it into a Trump-centric monument.
- Norm Ornstein argues this move is illegal and driven by malignant narcissism and political capture.
Washington Post's Institutional Decline
- The Washington Post cut 300 jobs and eliminated key foreign bureaus, signaling a collapse in institutional journalism.
- David Rothkopf warns Jeff Bezos's choices risk turning the Post into a pale shadow of its former self.
Media Landscape Tilted Right
- The U.S. media ecosystem has shifted right as legacy outlets weakened or changed stance.
- Rothkopf and Ornstein see only a few remaining national papers preserving serious reporting.