At one point, Barry told the paper’s publisher, Katharine Graham, he wanted her to hire more black reporters but “not like Juan Williams.”

Those bad days from the 1980s come to mind because of President Trump’s current thuggish efforts to intimidate reporters. He reminds me of Marion Barry.

In many ways, Trump is the white Marion Barry.

They share a willingness to play racial politics, an authoritarian bent, and an open hostility towards journalists. There is one important difference: Trump is doing his damage at the national level.