23 September—President Ronald Reagan told a group of journalists on 18 April 1985, “One of the first institutions to be attacked by tyrants, whether they’re dictators of the left or the right, is the press.” Not that it matters, but the statement had been drafted by Reagan speechwriters Dana Rohrabacher and Ben White.

Sure, Reagan’s relationship with the press and comments for public consumption were carefully, skillfully—and, with few exceptions, successfully—managed, largely due to his personal charm and acting skill. And what else could he tell the press anyway? In all events, the observation is absolutely true.

We were reminded of that truth the other day by Donald Trump’s latest illegal, tyrannical attack on the press, depicted in a cartoon by Paul Duginski. One half of the panel depicts a typically affable, smiling Reagan. The other half depicts a typically petulant, dyspeptic Trump. This is the other half:

But Trump finally appeared to be on the right track to a Nobel Peace Prize when he boasted to the United Nations General Assembly yesterday about his war with Iran, “We’re going to have a tremendous relationship, a secure relationship, and we look forward to it.” After wondering out loud, “Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?”

Only 850 days until 20 January 2029 . . .