Dan Rather blasts Trump's attack on the press as 'a deep betrayal

WILLIAM STEAKIN,     AOL.COM           February  18th 2017 Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather took to Facebook on Saturday and called President Donald Trump's recent attacks on the press a "deep betrayal of our national history."

"I have resisted commenting on President Trump's outrageous attack on the press," said Rather, who felt the need to speak out following Trump's recent tweet claiming the media was "the enemy of the American people."

Rather, however, refused to address Trump's claim directly, instead focusing his attention toward Republicans he deemed as Trump's "enablers." "By their silence on this travesty normalize a behavior that is antithetical to our Constitutional principles," he continued.

"Future generations will not look kindly on profiles in cowardice."

The former anchor's statement follows President Trump's unprecedented Thursday press conference, that MSNBC host and former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough called "one of the most chaotic, rambling press conferences anybody has ever seen."

Following the media's negative response to the presser, and multiple polls from Pew, Gallup, and FOX News showing Trump's approval rating at historically low levels, the president tweeted out "The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!"

Trump then used conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh's praise of the controversial press conference as evidence that any critiques of the presser are "fake news" and "dishonest."

"One of the most effective press conferences I've ever seen!" says Rush Limbaugh. Many agree.Yet FAKE MEDIA calls it differently! Dishonest," Trump tweeted.

Rather wrapped up his Facebook post with a message to his colleagues in the media. "To my fellow journalists, I know you will not be bullied or intimidated. Keep doing your job. Your country depends on your service. Courage."

https://www.facebook.com/theDanRather/?ref=nf
Dan Rather on Saturday
I have resisted commenting on President Trump's outrageous attack on the press with his tweet calling the media "the enemy of the American people." It is a sentiment that is a deep betrayal of our national history. The evidence to the contrary is so overwhelming that to choose any one example is to play into the alternate reality Mr. Trump is seeking to exploit for his cynical political purposes.
My message is not for he who will not listen. Instead I wish to address his enablers, specifically those in the Republican Party who by their silence on this travesty normalize a behaviour that is antithetical to our Constitutional principles. Future generations will not look kindly on profiles in cowardice.
And to my fellow journalists, I know you will not be bullied or intimidated. Keep doing your job. Your country depends on your service. Courage.