Fox Business host and Trump toady extraordinaire Lou Dobbs visited the White House and, after a likely enthusiastic reception, concluded he knows more about its morale than the White House correspondents who actually work there.
For years, there have been reports about how people dislike working in the Trump White House. In February, Gabriel Sherman wrote that Trump is reportedly "hated by everyone in the White House” and that acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and economic adviser Larry Kudlow want to leave. In April, Politico’s White House reporter, Nancy Cook, wrote about the still-on-the-job Mulvaney’s efforts to boost morale with happy hours and popcorn. In May, Quartz reported that the Executive Office of the President shelled out $18,000 (of taxpayer money) for a coaching firm that says it works to “improve teamwork, retention, service, innovation, and morale.”
Putting all that aside, you only need to take one look at Trump’s face to see what a deeply miserable person he is. The idea that he would create a happy, high-functioning workplace when he can’t even keep it staffed is ludicrous.
That is, unless you are lickspittle Dobbs. He does not work at the White House (though he does act as an informal adviser) but after one visit where the staff was undoubtedly glad to see the kind of friendly TV host that Kim Jong-un would envy, put forth the kind of “reporting” Kim might kill for.
The jaw-dropping propaganda began after Dobbs claimed the “acrimonious” White House press corps “will never see what the atmospherics truly are in the White House.” Media Matters has the transcript (my emphases added):
DOBBS: A lot is happening in Washington and all across this great country of ours, and it's because we have a president who is a true leader, in my opinion. One I happen to believe will be regarded as one of this country's greatest presidents, indeed, our greatest.
I spent some time in the White House yesterday, and I want to give you an unauthorized quick update on the atmosphere that I witnessed in the White House.
The demeanor of the folks working for this president, for the people, it couldn't be more positive. The mood in that White House couldn't be more high energy.
I have seen a number of White Houses. I happened to have seen this one in its early days, and I have seen it now.
And I want you to know the joint is hopping.
At every level, on every floor, this White house is energized. There's sunshine beaming throughout the place, and on almost every face.
It's winner, and winning center, and our White House, our president, is at the top of his game.
Well, if you say so, Lou.
Watch Kim Jong-Dobbs below, from the September 12, 2019 Lou Dobbs Tonight, via Media Matters.
I wasn’t the first manager out the door but found another job in about a year – seemed like an eternity. Nor was I the last. In the end only one of the original managers stayed (and she’s her own mental health case study).
So when Trump became pre^dent I knew the White House would be a revolving door. Because that’s what happened there. People came and went like the tides.
