Our Dishonest President

by Los Angeles Times, Davan Maharaj (Introduction), Nicholas Goldberg (Introduction)

Weeks before Donald J. Trump reached his first hundred days in office, the Los Angeles Times’s Editorial Board published the first of six consecutive denunciations calling him “Our Dishonest President.” The paper’s condemnation of Trump’s lies, his authoritarian temperament, his war on journalism, and his obsession with conspiracies was as bold as it was unprecedented, as was its call to Californians to oppose the brazen acts of a man patently unfit to preside over the republic. It prompted a tremendous response: within days, the series garnered seven million page views.

Just in time for Independence Day, Heyday is proud to present a paperback of the six editorials, brought up to date with an introduction by Davan Maharaj, the Times’s publisher and editor-in-chief, and by Nicholas Goldberg, the paper’s editor of the editorial pages. When read in sequence the arguments gain force and momentum, delivering a formidable and indispensable critique by one of America’s most important newspapers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Our Dishonest President
Why Trump Lies
Trump’s Authoritarian Vision
Trump’s War on Journalism
Conspiracy Theorist in Chief
California Fights Back

Genres: Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

Published July 4, 2017

Reviews

[Nancy Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cogent set of editorials from the LA Times. Nothing I didn't know before, but well laid out and expressed, with special attention to Trump's effects on California.

[Lorianne DiSabato · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's nothing new in this slim collection of previously published editorials from the Los Angeles Times; if anything, President Trump has gotten more unhinged and scary than when this book was published in July, 2017. But it is good to occasionally remind oneself of how deeply troubling Trump's presidency is, less we normalize it out of sheer fatigue. Just as the Declaration of Independence listed the reasons to revolt against the British monarchy, these editorials enumerate why our dishonest President is a danger to democracy: namely, his lack of regard for democratic institutions and the rule of law, his complete disregard for the truth, and his willingness to spread paranoid, unfounded, and often racist conspiracy theories. Nowhere do these editorials mention the President's Russia problem: published before recent indictments and witness-flips, these editorials hearken back to a simpler time when the President's own temperament was our biggest worry, not possible entanglements with Russian operatives and oligarchs. If nothing else, this book serves as an artifact for future generations: let the record show we didn't let democracy die without a fight.

[Lauren Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Received as a Goodreads Giveaway* "Our Dishonest President" is a quick read that easily lays out the most common objections, problems, and fears related to President Trump. Anyone who enjoys John Oliver, Samantha Bee, or Trevor Noah would enjoy this book and agree with it. Unfortunately, anyone who supports Trump wouldn't give this book the time of day. "Our Dishonest President" is a rallying cry for Americans to stay aware and engaged with our government. However, it doesn't present any new information for people who have been engaged all along.

[Marcia King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short from previous editorials (which I had already read earlier when published). Does a nice job of putting. Info in one place but nothing new added.

[Pan Ellington · Rating 4 out of 5]

published in 2017. an eerie omen of our current moment...