Donald Trump used his COVID-19 press briefing today to line his pockets by wearing a cap that just happens to be for sale on his campaign website*. Fox News not only failed to notice that but suggested that Trump may have adopted a new spirit of bipartisanship.
There’s something especially galling about a guy using a press briefing during a pandemic for his own political and monetary profit. Even if the pandemic, collapse of tourism and the stock market crash have all put a crimp in Trump’s fortunes. But it’s just as galling for a supposedly straight news program to ignore the corruption and how Trump literally put his personal well-being front and center when he was supposed to have everyone else top of mind. This is not the first time, either.
After the briefing, America’s News HQ hosted Reuters White House reporter Jeff Mason to discuss it. Anchor Eric Shawn said that some of the “divisiveness” in Washington seems to have disappeared with the negotiation of a coronavirus relief bill by the White House and the House of Representatives. “Here’s the vice president, talking about the new bipartisanship,” Shawn said. We saw a clip of Mike Pence thanking Republicans and Democrats who “pulled together to pass legislation that’s meeting this moment in the bipartisan, health-first spirit that the American people would expect.”
“Do you think something, this has caused something now to change in Washington?” Shawn asked.
Mason sounded skeptical. He called it “a great question” that “time will tell.” He added, “It certainly hasn’t necessarily been that way the last few weeks.” Mason pointed out that while Trump has called for bipartisanship, he has “also been very critical” of both Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama. “We’ll see if his rhetoric changes,” Mason said. With a note of hope, he highlighted how Trump talked today about “habits changing” and acknowledged he shouldn’t have been shaking hands with CEOs at yesterday’s briefing, after getting “a little bit of criticism” for it.
“Whether those habits apply just to that kind of interpersonal reaction but also to tweeting and attitudes, not just from the White House, from Democrats as well, is something that we’ll just have to watch in the coming days and weeks,” Mason continued.
If we didn’t already know that Trump hasn’t changed a single stripe, the cap should certainly make that crystal clear.
You can watch Fox ignore Trump’s self-dealing in the middle of a public health crisis below, from the March 14, 2020 America’s News HQ.
*I refuse to link to Trump's campaign store but if you don't believe me the hat is for sale there, you can Google the site and look for yourself.
Bemused commented
2020-03-16 12:43:29 -0400
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Methinks I’ll be borrowing that sentence.
Anonymous commented
2020-03-16 01:05:23 -0400
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https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/03/13/trump-coronavirus-press-conference-pbs-yamiche-alcindor-question-sot-vpx.cnn
In the above video Trump, in his panic to dodge responsibility, makes a chump out of Fauci. One knows it was panic because Yamiche’s microphone was shut off. As seems inevitable with anyone who is associated with Trump, Fauci has not exactly covered himself with glory in this whole pandemic, though at least he admitted to shortcomings (to put it mildly) regarding testing.
Lack of leadership at the top tends to befoul leadership lower down. Look at the game of musical chairs of who’s in charge: is it Pence? Fauci? Trump? Azar, on rainy days? It might as well be Jared Kushner.
Bolton is defending the disbanding as a “streamlining” which didn’t affect anything; much, I suppose, as the 2003 war in Iraq that Bolton championed didn’t affect anything. The only way in which Bolton’s point may be true is if Bolton knew Trump did not trust. understand, endorse. or care about the efforts of potential deep staters and Never Trumper globalists in the pandemic group anyway.
It’s interesting that Trump passed on the opportunity to blame Bolton for the disbanding. Trump variously blamed, forgave, and then re-blamed Bolton for 2003. Perhaps Trump feels some debt to Bolton for Bolton’s relative silence during the impeachment process (and still continuing). Also, blaming Bolton might detract from blaming other countries and Obama/dems. Lastly, it’s hard to blame a subordinate without implicitly admitting having been wrong in appointing the subordinate and keeping them on after their mistake. Better to incoherently deny the whole thing.
truman commented
2020-03-15 13:54:54 -0400
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1. It’s China’s fault.
2. It’s Obama’s fault.
3. See 1 and 2 above.
4. If it’s good news, thank me.
5. If it’s bad news, I have no responsibility.
Personally, i am really looking forward to having a real President once again starting in January.
Bemused commented
2020-03-15 13:46:00 -0400
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It was galling to say the least to hear him refuse to accept any responsibility for America’s massive delay in getting its act together. As usual, the crisis is somebody else’s fault.
John McKee commented
2020-03-15 03:02:32 -0400
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John McKee commented
2020-03-14 19:26:03 -0400
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