President-elect Trump hires put premium on TV prowess

For all Donald Trump's attacks on the media, a TV career seems to help the chances of anyone hoping to get a job in his Administration. In recent days, President-elect Trump has appointed KT McFarland, a Fox News contributor, as his deputy national security advisor, and met with Sheriff David Clarke, a more controversial figure who frequently appears on the same network. The TV prowess of Trump’s campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, has been widely reported to boost her standing with her boss. Meanwhile, President-elect Trump’s national security advisor, retired Gen Mike Flynn, is a frequent presence on Fox, as are several politicians apparently under consideration for positions, including former UN ambassador John Bolton and former Arkansas Gov and two-time presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

The focus on TV commentators is beginning to attract attention of its own. The Washington Post noted the trend and suggested that Trump was in the business of “stocking the federal government with … people that he’s seen on TV and likes.” It could be as simple as that. But it could also be that Trump — who has taken the use of social media to an art form, albeit a deeply controversial one — has a keener eye than most for the importance of effective TV communication.