A local TV station’s decision to describe a thwarted plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as “domestic terrorism” revived a long-running debate in journalism circles about how such acts are labeled. “After much discussion in our newsroom, we’ve decided that moving forward, we will be using the term ‘domestic terrorism’ or ‘domestic terrorist,’ rather…
Everyone knows the famous line. It’s screamed on TV and in the movies by breathless editors who have news that will change the world. “Stop the presses!” We felt that drama 20 years ago in the Miami Herald newsroom. Bush vs. Gore. Election Night 2000. Florida. But first, we had to stop the trucks. They…
When the annals of the 2020 presidential nominations process and general election are written, the role of the Illinois Primary, along with its counterparts in Florida and Arizona on the same day, will be marked as uniquely important turning points in the long and chaotic road to the White House. Understanding that role depends on…
The 2020 election and Trump presidency are stress tests for American democracy and its first principles of freedom, equality and democratic elections. In our democracy, an enlightened citizenry, informed by a free press, renders its judgment and a losing incumbent peacefully transfers power to a new president. The transfer of power has happened so many…
The year 2020 — one of massive Black Lives Matter rallies, high fatality rates in black and brown communities from Covid-19 and greater attention to income inequality as many Americans lost lives or livelihoods during the pandemic — seems an odd moment to close The Chicago Reporter, a non-profit covering issues of race and poverty…