In one of his recent angry, lengthy weekend Twitter rants, Donald Trump expressed his anger with the “Noble Prize” committee and their choices of recipients for awards in journalism. Two things here. One: It’s spelled “Nobel.” Two: There is no Nobel Prize for journalism. The equivalent (in America) is the Pulitzer and it’s not clear why Trump had those awards on his mind since the winners hadn’t been announced yet.
Those awards—long with the finalists, which are named at the same time as the winners—were announced Monday, though, and there were a lot of really exciting results for journalism nerds to revel in.
Congratulations to the family of the late #IdaBWells, including @MichelleDuster. #Pulitzer pic.twitter.com/mwraSup4lo
— The Pulitzer Prizes (@PulitzerPrizes) May 4, 2020
Predictably, there were also a lot of announcements that are likely to make Trump and his base angry—or will make him angry, if Fox & Friends ever covers the results.
The anger about the 1619 Project is such an obvious example of people telling on themselves.
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) May 5, 2020
Here are the five winners most likely to make Trump the angriest:
5. Music – The Central Park Five by Anthony Davis
I haven’t seen this opera but according to NPR, Trump is a character in it. To this day, he has refused to admit that he was wrong and racist in the public comments he made in 1989 when he took out full-page newspaper ads tacitly calling for the death penalty for the five boys wrongly convicted of rape.
Davis himself has said that those ads were where Trump’s political career began. So he was campaigning on fear and racism and lies from the very start.
4. Explanatory Reporting – The Washington Post on climate change
In the past, Trump has called climate change a “hoax”—a view he’s walked back in recent years, but not to the point where he’ll actually say he believes it’s real or manmade. Earlier this year, he called climate activists “prophets of doom.” So I doubt he’d be too happy about the staff of the Washington Post being celebrated for their “groundbreaking series” on the issue. Fake News, I’m sure.
3. International Reporting – The New York Times on Vladimir Putin’s regime.
The Times was awarded a Pulitzer for “a set of enthralling stories, reported at great risk, exposing the predations of Vladimir Putin’s regime.” Given that Trump has stood by Putin through the assassinations of journalists, the many war crimes, and the interference in our elections, so I’m guessing he’d be pretty angry about this award.
2. Audio Reporting – This American Life on the Trump Administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy
This is the first time an award has been given for audio reporting and it went to TAL’s three-part series on the harm being caused by Trump’s war on refugees. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.
1. Editorial Cartooning – Barry Blitt, The New Yorker
Blitt won this award for “work that skewers the personalities and policies emanating from the Trump White House with deceptively sweet watercolor style and seemingly gentle caricatures.” It’s … not exactly flattering.
Barry Blitt has won a #Pulitzer Prize in the editorial-cartooning category, for a collection of his New Yorker covers and cartoons. Since 1992, Blitt has contributed illustrations and more than 100 covers to The New Yorker. https://t.co/UQFLvG1rzk pic.twitter.com/EON51fJzbR
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) May 4, 2020
Blitt’s cover for the June 3, 2019, issue features Lindsey Graham, William Barr, and Mitch McConnell. “Assembling an image with the President’s enablers presented a problem: Who to include, who to leave out?” Blitt said. https://t.co/ethNvRGadp pic.twitter.com/Ws818qHh56
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) May 4, 2020
For the release of the Mueller report, Barry Blitt drew this companion piece: a “redacted cover.” https://t.co/5P9SurfZr0 pic.twitter.com/BcYnXorVpE
— The New Yorker (@NewYorker) May 4, 2020
Of course, these awards aren’t really about Trump, they’re about celebrating incredible feats of writing. Imagining him fuming is just a bonus.
(image: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)
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