"It is the press, above all, which wages a positively fanatical and slanderous struggle, tearing down everything which can be regarded as a support of ... the economic independence of the nation."***
March 25, 2020
CBS reporter Paula Reid: Mr. President, you tweeted earlier, linking the closing of the country to your election success in November. Is this Easter timeline based on your political interests?
President Donald Trump: Connected to my election success? No.
[He's lying. His tweet states the media is "trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success".]
Reid: You tweeted, you said the media wants the country to remain closed to hurt your election --The LameStream Media is the dominant force in trying to get me to keep our Country closed as long as possible in the hope that it will be detrimental to my election success. The real people want to get back to work ASAP. We will be stronger than ever before!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2020
Trump: No. [Another lie, before he admits it (several times).] I think the media would like to see me do poorly in the election. I think -
Reid: Sir, lawmakers and [economists] on both sides of the aisle have said that reopening the country by Easter is not a good idea. What is that plan based on?
Trump: Just so you understand. [Bending down and forward, as if explaining himself to a child] You ready? I think there are certain people who would like it not to open so quickly. And I think there are certain people who would like it [the economy] to do financially poorly because they think that would be very good as far as defeating me at the polls. And I don't know if that's so — but I do think it's so that there are people in your profession that would like that to happen.
Reid: Your own medical experts do not endorse that plan.
Trump: I think it's very clear — I think it's very clear that there are people in your profession that write fake news. You do [pointing at Reid]. She does [pointing at another reporter]. There are people in your profession that write fake news. They would love to see me, for whatever reason — because we've done one hell of a job. Nobody's done the job that we've done. And it's lucky that you have this group here right here for this problem, or you wouldn't even have a country left. Okay? ... Go ahead, in the back.
***
It seems like Trump wants the opportunity to broadcast his opinions to members of his cult, but he doesn't want anyone else to know the things he's saying. Trump hears his exact words (from only a few hours before) repeated back to him, and he denies writing them and attacks the reporter for lying (while also repeating exactly what he said in the tweet at least four additional times).
So here's a new definition of "fake news":
repeating Trump's tweets verbatim, when done by a non-worshipper of TrumpSo ... Trump tweeted that the media wants the country to remain closed to hurt his election chances. First he denies he said it. Then he says three times, says he doesn't know if it's true, and says it two more times. ("I don't know if that's so — but I do think it's so")
Aaron Rupar, Vox:
Reid's question referenced a tweet Trump posted shortly before the press conference in which he bashed the "LameStream Media" for purportedly being the "dominant force" in trying to persuade him "to keep our Country closed as long as possible" because it might be "detrimental to my election success." But as Reid alluded to, that assertion is at odds with the reality that not a single public health expert, including ones on his White House coronavirus task force, has endorsed his push to relax social distancing guidelines in time for churches to be packed on Easter.
"The real people want to get back to work ASAP," Trump tweeted, even though polling released on March 25 indicates 74 percent of registered voters either somewhat or strongly support the imposition of even more stringent distancing measures than the ones currently prevailing in most states.
Trump rejects proposals to proactively test almost all Americans for coronavirus: "I don't want to test 350 million people." pic.twitter.com/BUUSpfMUkM— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 25, 2020
And there you have it, folks.— Rae Wall 🌊 (@Pixie_Ray) March 25, 2020
In the face of a global pandemic, thousands of deaths, and economic destruction, @realDonaldTrump is MOST concerned about his re-election, and is melting down because he can’t hold his adoration rallies.#VoteBlueNoMatterWho #DemCast #TrumpMadness pic.twitter.com/oq6q6hdEyE
He just can't help revealing his true feelings: the virus is nothing but a plot to take him down.— digby (@digby56) March 25, 2020
A worldwide plot that includes tens of thousands of people sacrificing themselves to get the job done.
This tweet is real."It's hard not to be happy with the job we're doing, that I can tell you" -- Trump on the coronavirus response pic.twitter.com/5EKnITGVss— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 25, 2020
P.S.: The quote at the top is from Adolf Hitler.This is really great news! I am so happy I can barely speak. He may have been a terrible presidential candidate and an even worse U.S. Senator, but he is a RINO, and I like him a lot! https://t.co/42zpWW9vzy— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 25, 2020
It really wouldn't surprise me if someone had a pop at The Flump soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope not as the very public meltdown would stop.
The Jim Jones comparison is spot on , they are cut from the same cloth.
I watched a documentary about him recently as I'm a bit young to have seen it unfold at the time.
I fully expect a press conference soon where The Flump waves his hand and cures someone of Covid-19.