--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is hard for the media to outright…" description: "\"It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting president a white supremacist, or even a garden variety racist. If Trump was still a private citiz..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg" --- # It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting… ![“It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting president a white supremacist, or even a garden variety racist. If Trump was still a private citizen, this would be easier.” quote by Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg) > “It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting president a white supremacist, or even a garden variety racist. If Trump was still a private citizen, this would be easier.” [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Media often avoids labeling powerful figures due to fear of backlash, making criticism of a sitting president harder than of a private individual. **In simple terms:** Media hesitates to label powerful people. Key Takeaway Recognize bias and speak truth despite risk. Themes media politics ethics power speech Mood cautious critical reflective Type analytical opinion When to use this quote - journalistic analysis - media criticism - public discourse Key Concepts public opinion responsibility accountability free press political labeling Questions to Reflect On - How does power affect media honesty? - What responsibilities do journalists have when labeling? A Different Perspective Media may self‑censor, limiting accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Private Citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/private-citizen-613673/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racist Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist-trump-4645036/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Private](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-private-4645037/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/) [White Supremacist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-supremacist/) ## Related quotes > [I like the fact that Donald Trump has been in the private sector. I like that he's had to make a payroll. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/i-like-the-fact-that-donald-trump-has-been-in-the-private-sector-i/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [At the very least, Donald Trump and his most rabid followers have been objective allies of the white supremacist movement, even if they thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/at-the-very-least-donald-trump-and-his-most-rabid-followers-have-been/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [A lot has already been written about this. Criticism has been ferocious. Still, most in the mainstream media have stopped short of saying outright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/a-lot-has-already-been-written-about-this-criticism-has-been/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [In a case involving his private conduct, a President should be treated like any private citizen. The rule of law requires no more -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-t-conway-iii/in-a-case-involving-his-private-conduct-a-president-should-be-treated/) [George T. Conway III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-t-conway-iii/) > [I really enjoy the lattitude I have with being a private citizen. I can get a lot done. I am good with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-really-enjoy-the-lattitude-i-have-with-being-a-private-citizen-i/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“What I have desired to do is to make the people of Boston realize that the most important office, and the one which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-brandeis/what-i-have-desired-to-do-is-to-make-the-people-of-boston-realize-2/) [Louis Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-brandeis/) > [The most important office... that of private citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/the-most-important-office-that-of-private-citizen/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [“The most important political office is that of private citizen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-brandeis/the-most-important-political-office-is-that-of-private-citizen/) [Louis Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-brandeis/) > [If, in my retirement to the humble station of a private citizen, I am accompanied with the esteem and approbation of my fellow citizens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/if-in-my-retirement-to-the-humble-station-of-a-private-citizen-i-am/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The biggest corporation, like the humblest private citizen, must be held to strict compliance with the will of the people as expressed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-biggest-corporation-like-the-humblest-private-citizen-must-be/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [What I have desired to do is to make the people of Boston realize that the most important office, and the one which all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-d-brandeis/what-i-have-desired-to-do-is-to-make-the-people-of-boston-realize/) [Louis D. Brandeis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-d-brandeis/) > [But always I was a private citizen whose activities in government or political party were appointive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-byrne/but-always-i-was-a-private-citizen-whose-activities-in-government-or/) [Jane Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-byrne/) > [“In one of our government departments... but perhaps I had better not say exactly which one. For no one's more touchy than people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/in-one-of-our-government-departments-but-perhaps-i-had-better-not-say/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [Enough is enough. Six years you serve the countries. You been working hard. You sacrifice your time even your life. And, even your family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaksin-shinawatra/enough-is-enough-six-years-you-serve-the-countries-you-been-working/) [Thaksin Shinawatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaksin-shinawatra/) > [I separate the performer from the private citizen because it works for me. That gives the surprise element to my show. It doesn't change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liberace/i-separate-the-performer-from-the-private-citizen-because-it-works/) [Liberace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liberace/) ## More by Neil Macdonald > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Elizabeth Warren fully intends to change the system, and says so. When she said how good it felt to be with working people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/elizabeth-warren-fully-intends-to-change-the-system-and-says-so-when/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [In fact, American presidents never apologize for what America does in war, because in the American mind, all its wars are defensive, always fought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/in-fact-american-presidents-never-apologize-for-what-america-does-in/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Resist, however peacefully and even in your own home, and heaven help you, no matter what your skin color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/resist-however-peacefully-and-even-in-your-own-home-and-heaven-help/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [The fact is, no modern president, Democrat or Republican, has shown the level of contempt for taking questions from the media that Stephen Harper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/the-fact-is-no-modern-president-democrat-or-republican-has-shown-the/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Some economists seem to think that only a credentialed economist has the right to be utterly wrong about an issue of economics. Their contempt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/some-economists-seem-to-think-that-only-a-credentialed-economist-has/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Trump is the white evangelicals' version of V.I. Lenin's 'useful idiot,' a character who is helping achieve their apocalyptic fever dreams, but who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/trump-is-the-white-evangelicals-version-of-v-i-lenin-s-useful-idiot-a/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [France has long been regarded as the most adept at stealing trade secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/france-has-long-been-regarded-as-the-most-adept-at-stealing-trade/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [White nationalism is about keeping power white. Yes, yes, there are minority groups represented among Justin Trudeau's ministers, but they were all given jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/white-nationalism-is-about-keeping-power-white-yes-yes-there-are/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [I am delighted to see the government spending more money to improve Indigenous life, and I would be happy to see even more spent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/i-am-delighted-to-see-the-government-spending-more-money-to-improve/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Canada needs to be flood-proofed, and somebody has to pay for it. Yes, there are other threats, too - fire, hail, wind, snow load,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/canada-needs-to-be-flood-proofed-and-somebody-has-to-pay-for-it-yes/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Canada has treated abortion as just another medical procedure since 1988, when the Supreme Court struck down the old criminal law. Most Canadians seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/canada-has-treated-abortion-as-just-another-medical-procedure-since/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Quibbling over the definition of genocide does nothing but help obscure the long history of vicious racism and undeniable suffering of Indigenous people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/quibbling-over-the-definition-of-genocide-does-nothing-but-help/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Maybe the Tea Party dream is coming true, and the next Republican presidential nominee will be a blunt-object, red-meat down-the-line rightie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/maybe-the-tea-party-dream-is-coming-true-and-the-next-republican/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [Quietly, without much public fuss or discussion, a new ruling class has risen in the richer nations. These men and women are unelected and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/quietly-without-much-public-fuss-or-discussion-a-new-ruling-class-has/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) [Explore all 100 Neil Macdonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) ## More Garden quotes > [Possessions can possess you. Even a lawn can possess you. It makes you buy a garden hose. Which makes you water. Which cuts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/possessions-can-possess-you-even-a-lawn-can-possess-you-it-makes-you/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [A garden has a curious innocent way of consuming cash while all the time you are under the illusion that you are spending nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-meynell/a-garden-has-a-curious-innocent-way-of-consuming-cash-while-all-the/) [Esther Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-meynell/) > [“In the same way that the picturesque designers were always careful to include some reminder of our mortality in their gardens -- a ruin,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/in-the-same-way-that-the-picturesque-designers-were-always-careful-to/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [When you're the director and the writer, you never have to remember your lines, and there's no one to call you on it. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-you-re-the-director-and-the-writer-you-never-have-to-remember/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Plant flowers in others' gardens and your life becomes a bouquet! Submitted by Lisa Letto, Coordinator, Nutrition Resource and Volunteer Centre, College of Pharmacy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/plant-flowers-in-others-gardens-and-your-life-becomes-a-bouquet/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [There is usually no dreamer so unworldly as the anthologist. He wanders in a vast garden, lost in wonder, unable to decide often between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-webb/there-is-usually-no-dreamer-so-unworldly-as-the-anthologist-he/) [Mary Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-webb/) > [Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most important events in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-berry/teaching-children-about-the-natural-world-should-be-seen-as-one-of/) [Thomas Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-berry/) > [If writing novels is like planting a forest, then writing short stories is more like planting a garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/if-writing-novels-is-like-planting-a-forest-then-writing-short/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Life on a small farm might seem primitive, but by living such a life we become able to discover the Great Path. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masanobu-fukuoka/life-on-a-small-farm-might-seem-primitive-but-by-living-such-a-life/) [Masanobu Fukuoka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masanobu-fukuoka/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) [Browse all 3,441 Garden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting president a white supremacist, or even a garden variety racist. If Trump was still a private citizen, this would be easier.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Neil Macdonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-label-a-sitting-president-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Garden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-label-a-sitting-president-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/080/neil-macdonald-5908_garden_it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-lab_1358949.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is hard for the media to outright label a sitting president a white supremacist, or even a garden variety…” — Neil Macdonald", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Neil Macdonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is hard for the media...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-label-a-sitting-president-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-is-hard-for-the-media-to-outright-label-a-sitting-president-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```