I first became aware of Warner Wolf in September 1971 when I started graduate school in Baltimore, Maryland.  Wolf was the play-by-play announcer for the then Washington Senators baseball team, soon to be relocated in Arlington, Texas.  He was also the sports anchor for WTOP television in Washington, DC.  He became famous for his trademark catchphrase, “Let’s go to the videotape.”  He would invoke these five words to complement his description of a specific play or his opinion.  Wolf was modest enough not to expect viewers would take everything he said at face value.  Instead, he would encourage followers to “see for yourself.”

I have been thinking a lot about Warner Wolf in the last 48 hours.  Although he is now 79 years old and largely retired from broadcasting, Wolf is exactly what we need to remind us there is still irony in the question, “Are you going to believe me or your lying eyes?”  As the incoming president regularly tries to disassociate himself from his own words and behavior, we need someone who will remind us there is evidence to the contrary.  “Let’s go to the videotape” should be a clarion call to every individual who calls himself/herself a journalist for the next four years.

Yes, the technology has changed.  “Let’s go to the 1080i HD digital video” might be more appropriate.  But you get the point.  There are multiple sources of physical evidence available to affirm or refute Trump’s declarations.  These include video of appearances, audio recordings of radio interviews and posts on social media.  “Let’s go to the videotape” just has a certain cadence which rolls off the tongue.

Following are just two examples in the last 48 hours which triggered this post.  First is Trump’s January 9 tweet in response to Meryl Streep’s remarks at the Golden Globes awards ceremony.

For the 100th time, I never “mocked” a disabled reporter (would never do that) but simply showed him “groveling” when he totally changed a 16 year old story that he had written in order to make me look bad.

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE.  In this case the “videotape” consists of  the infamous clip of Trump at the South Carolina rally on November 25, 2015.  It also includes NY Times reporter’s Serge Kovaleski’s articles which also refute the charge he had changed his story.

At 4:31 AM this morning, Trump responded on Twitter to breaking news of potentially compromising information concerning his finances and behavior. (Yes, 4:31 AM.  Seems PEOTUS is having a hard time getting to sleep.)

Russia has never tried to use leverage over me.   I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RUSSIA — NO DEALS, NO LOANS, NO NOTHING.

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE.  CLIP #1. Trump hosting the Miss Universe Pageant in Moscow on November 9, 2013.  June 18, 2013 tweet, “A big deal that will bring our countries together..  A second tweet, later the same day, “Do you think Putin will be going to the The Miss Universe Pageant.  If so, will he become my new best friend?”

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE. CLIP #2. Eric Trump, Jr, at the September 2008 Bridging US and Emerging Real Estate Markets Conference sponsored by Cityscape USA, said, ” The emerging world in general attributes such brand premium to real estate that we are looking all over the place, primarily Russia.”  In the same same presentation, in what appears to contradict Trump’s ABSOLUTE denial of any Russian business ties, Don Jr. states, “Russians make up a pretty disproportionate cross-section of a lot of our assets.”

Trump supporters argue, even if there are business transactions with private individuals, that does not imply dealings with the Russian government.

LET’S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE. CLIP #3. At the same conference Don, Jr. is asked if the Russian government complicates business opportunities.  He replies, “It’s so transparent–everything is so interconnected that it really does not matter what is supposed to happen as what it is they want to happen is ultimately what happens.”

Dust off your VCR or BETAMAX.  No doubt there will be many more “videotape” moments in the coming year (or should I say in Trump’s case, the coming hours).

For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP