The relationship between press and politician - protected by the

Hear the grave and discerning words of Roger Mudd, who speaks of the eternal dance between power and truth: “The relationship between press and politician — protected by the Constitution and designed to be happily adversarial — becomes sour, raw, and confrontational.” These words reveal a delicate balance meant to preserve liberty, and how easily that balance can be disrupted when trust falters and purpose is forgotten.

From the founding of nations, the press was given the sacred duty of watching over rulers, shining light into the dark chambers of power. The Constitution itself enshrines this freedom, knowing that unchecked authority breeds tyranny. Thus, the bond between press and politician was never meant to be one of harmony, but of constructive tension — a happily adversarial exchange where questions are asked, answers demanded, and the people safeguarded through transparency.

Yet Mudd warns that this noble design can decay. When pride, deceit, or partisanship enter the arena, the dialogue shifts from purposeful challenge to bitter strife. The relationship, meant to serve the public good, grows sour and raw, its discourse marred by hostility. In such times, the quest for truth is overshadowed by personal vendettas and political games, and the very foundation of democracy begins to tremble.

This struggle is not new. In every age, storytellers and rulers have clashed: the chroniclers of ancient kingdoms who dared to speak of a king’s failings, the town criers who spread unpopular truths, the scribes who recorded both glory and shame. History teaches us that without this sacred conflict, freedom withers; but without restraint, the clash may consume the very society it seeks to protect.

Let future generations take heed: the press and the politician are like two mighty rivers, each shaping the land in its own way. They must oppose each other, yet never destroy one another. Only when this adversarial relationship remains guided by integrity and mutual responsibility can a people remain free, and the vision of the Constitution endure through the storms of time.