The historical parallels in Good Night, and Good Luck are extraordinary, some might even say eerily relevant today. As the play makes its Broadway debut, viewers will be transported back to the 1950s but will find its themes of political power, corporate timidity, and journalistic integrity strikingly pertinent to the 2020s.
The Play’s Parallels to Trump’s Era:
- The CBS Legacy: The play recounts real-life events at CBS during the Cold War, a time when Senator Joseph McCarthy’s accusations of communist infiltration led to widespread fear and blacklisting. At the time, CBS anchor Edward R. Murrow and his producing partner Fred Friendly challenged McCarthy’s tactics, leading to a public backlash against the senator. Today, Trump is similarly accused of using political power to intimidate the press and suppress dissent.
- McCarthyism and Trumpism: Murrow’s brave resistance to McCarthyism echoes today’s media challenges under Trump’s administration. Murrow, famed for his investigative reporting on McCarthy, is portrayed by George Clooney in the play. His fearless reporting highlighted the fine line between investigating and persecuting, a sentiment that resonates with those who criticize Trump’s retribution campaigns. Murrow once said, “The line between investigating and persecuting is a very fine one,” words that seem tailored to describe Trump’s actions against journalists and media outlets that oppose him.
Clooney and the Ongoing Battle:
- Clooney’s Advocacy: Clooney not only stars as Murrow in the play but has also drawn direct comparisons between McCarthy’s era and the present political climate. In a segment on 60 Minutes, Clooney discussed how Trump’s lawsuits against CBS resemble the efforts of McCarthy to intimidate the press. “We’re seeing this idea of using government to scare or fine or use corporations to make journalists smaller,” Clooney said, emphasizing the timelessness of Murrow’s fight against the misuse of power.
The Present-Day Parallel:
- Corporate Pressure on Journalism: Similar to Murrow’s time, today’s corporate media outlets, like CBS, are under pressure from the government and large corporations. The recent lawsuit Trump filed against CBS over its reporting has sparked concern that the Trump administration’s tactics are intended to stifle independent journalism and limit press freedom.
- Murrow’s Vision: Murrow’s warnings about the role of media and journalism in shaping public understanding remain relevant today. As Murrow once pondered, “Who decides what’s true?”—a question that still haunts the media landscape today.
