Bill Moyers and Rep. John Lewis at the Lincoln Memorial in 2013.
(Photo: Peter Nelson)
Jan 16, 2017
High from his gilded throne room in midtown Manhattan -- like Zeus from Mt. Olympus -- Donald Trump has been hurling tweeted spitballs at Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. He's a man of "no action," typed Trump with his tiny (manicured) fingers, of one of America's true heroes of the modern age -- a man so brutally assaulted by state troopers during the l965 march from Selma to Montgomery that he nearly died from a fractured skull.
Time and again Lewis was on the front line of the fight for civil rights, spat upon, insulted and vilified, while far to the north, Donald Trump was using the fortune handed him by his father to launch a real estate empire without ever getting his fingernails dirty.
Now, for daring to say that Trump cannot be "a legitimate president" because of Russia's help in electing him, John Lewis is #1 on Trump's hit list. Yes, Donald Trump -- whose political career took off with a campaign of lies about Barack Obama's birthplace with the intent of denying the president his legitimacy.
John Lewis needn't be worried about what Donald Trump thinks of him; he's faced down bullies and bigots before, tough guys with billy clubs and water hoses in the streets instead of a wannabe tinpot of no class glowering from his penthouse lair and showering loutish insults at his betters below; Trump isn't fit to be a carbuncle on John Lewis's posterior. Take a look at a real hero in this profile we produced of Lewis on the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King and other giants of the time, John Lewis walked right into the history books.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers (1934-2025) was a celebrated journalist, broadcaster, and author. Former managing editor of Moyers & Company and BillMoyers.com, his previous shows on PBS included NOW with Bill Moyers and Bill Moyers Journal. Over four decades, he became an icon of American journalism and was the author of many books, including "Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues," "Moyers on Democracy," and "Healing and the Mind." He was one of the organizers of the Peace Corps, a special assistant for Lyndon B. Johnson, a publisher of Newsday, senior correspondent for CBS News, and a producer of many groundbreaking series on public television. He won more than 30 Emmys, nine Peabodys, and three George Polk awards.
High from his gilded throne room in midtown Manhattan -- like Zeus from Mt. Olympus -- Donald Trump has been hurling tweeted spitballs at Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. He's a man of "no action," typed Trump with his tiny (manicured) fingers, of one of America's true heroes of the modern age -- a man so brutally assaulted by state troopers during the l965 march from Selma to Montgomery that he nearly died from a fractured skull.
Time and again Lewis was on the front line of the fight for civil rights, spat upon, insulted and vilified, while far to the north, Donald Trump was using the fortune handed him by his father to launch a real estate empire without ever getting his fingernails dirty.
Now, for daring to say that Trump cannot be "a legitimate president" because of Russia's help in electing him, John Lewis is #1 on Trump's hit list. Yes, Donald Trump -- whose political career took off with a campaign of lies about Barack Obama's birthplace with the intent of denying the president his legitimacy.
John Lewis needn't be worried about what Donald Trump thinks of him; he's faced down bullies and bigots before, tough guys with billy clubs and water hoses in the streets instead of a wannabe tinpot of no class glowering from his penthouse lair and showering loutish insults at his betters below; Trump isn't fit to be a carbuncle on John Lewis's posterior. Take a look at a real hero in this profile we produced of Lewis on the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King and other giants of the time, John Lewis walked right into the history books.
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers (1934-2025) was a celebrated journalist, broadcaster, and author. Former managing editor of Moyers & Company and BillMoyers.com, his previous shows on PBS included NOW with Bill Moyers and Bill Moyers Journal. Over four decades, he became an icon of American journalism and was the author of many books, including "Bill Moyers Journal: The Conversation Continues," "Moyers on Democracy," and "Healing and the Mind." He was one of the organizers of the Peace Corps, a special assistant for Lyndon B. Johnson, a publisher of Newsday, senior correspondent for CBS News, and a producer of many groundbreaking series on public television. He won more than 30 Emmys, nine Peabodys, and three George Polk awards.
High from his gilded throne room in midtown Manhattan -- like Zeus from Mt. Olympus -- Donald Trump has been hurling tweeted spitballs at Rep. John Lewis of Georgia. He's a man of "no action," typed Trump with his tiny (manicured) fingers, of one of America's true heroes of the modern age -- a man so brutally assaulted by state troopers during the l965 march from Selma to Montgomery that he nearly died from a fractured skull.
Time and again Lewis was on the front line of the fight for civil rights, spat upon, insulted and vilified, while far to the north, Donald Trump was using the fortune handed him by his father to launch a real estate empire without ever getting his fingernails dirty.
Now, for daring to say that Trump cannot be "a legitimate president" because of Russia's help in electing him, John Lewis is #1 on Trump's hit list. Yes, Donald Trump -- whose political career took off with a campaign of lies about Barack Obama's birthplace with the intent of denying the president his legitimacy.
John Lewis needn't be worried about what Donald Trump thinks of him; he's faced down bullies and bigots before, tough guys with billy clubs and water hoses in the streets instead of a wannabe tinpot of no class glowering from his penthouse lair and showering loutish insults at his betters below; Trump isn't fit to be a carbuncle on John Lewis's posterior. Take a look at a real hero in this profile we produced of Lewis on the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Arm-in-arm with Martin Luther King and other giants of the time, John Lewis walked right into the history books.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.