This morning’s Wheeling Intelligencer editorial, “Credit Trump With Diplomacy,” supports Donald Trump’s statements following the president’s meeting with Putin. The editorial says nothing about Trump’s dismissal of the conclusions from America’s intelligence agencies nor does it mention the recent indictments of Russians by the Mueller investigation. It also makes a totally unproven statement that gives the president far more credit than he deserves:

But Trump understands as well as anyone that the Kremlin meddled in U.S. politics and continues to use social media and other means to sow discord in our country.

He understands? I need some proof.

What about the president’s usual supporters?

Even at Fox News, there was some criticism of the president as The Atlantic reported:

“Trump is unable to see past himself,” tweeted Brit Hume, a senior political analyst on the network.

“There is an avalanche of you-know-what rolling downhill at warp speed toward @realDonaldTrump over this summit. Republicans—even the DNI are throwing bucketsful at him,” tweeted Fox’s chief White House correspondent John Roberts.

TPM headlined:

Fox & Friends Hosts Gently Criticize Trump, Urge Him To Retract Comments

Fox sanity eventually reigned as Sean Hannity (and a few others) later came to the president’s defense.

Speaking of Murdoch-owned media sources, here’s the cover from the New York Post:

Even the New York Post is ripping into Trump for #HELSINKI2018 pic.twitter.com/zFOcokiGCx

— Nick Bryant (@NickBryantNY) July 17, 2018

It appears that the Intelligencer will go to any lengths to try to hold Trump’s base of support. To that end, today’s editorial figured out a way of working in a cheap shot at former president Obama. After quoting Obama’s CIA chief, the editorial opined:

That sort of rhetoric seems strange, given Obama’s record of toadying to Putin and other foes, including Iran.

I’m sure a future editorial will instruct us on how it was Obama, Democrats or, most likely, Hillary who is ultimately responsible for Russian interference in the election process. Benghazi? Emails? Hillary’s supposed affair with a space alien? I'm sure they will find something to distract us from the obvious – that we now have a president who believes Putin over our own intelligence agencies.

Afternoon Update

The afternoon Wheeling News-Register continues the attacks on those who question the president's actions toward Putin with another editorial,* "Trump Critics Show Signs of Derangement." (Actually, the editorial quotes Senator Rand Paul calling it "Trump derangement syndrome.")

I wonder how the locals would have responded had Obama done this instead of Trump?

*Note -- no link, editorial is not online.