A report by media company Axios, detailing President Trump’s “shrinking” work schedule was the highlight of cable news’ mockery Monday morning.
According to documents leaked to Axios, which was founded in 2016 by Politico’s co-founder and former staff, Trump works from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days, and has hours set aside for alone time in his Oval Office, called “executive time.”
The press, of course, had a field day with this news.
On CNN’s New Day this morning, anchor Alisyn Camerota gushed that this report was not what was “released to the public” but was actually leaked information. She asked guest analyst John Avlon, editor of the Daily Beast, what his take was on Trump’s “significantly shortened schedule.”
“I, first of all, say I love the new euphemism for TV watching as executive time. I expect this to take on like wildfire across the country, people. I can't. I'm sorry. I've got executive time,” Avlon joked.
He continued, comparing Trump to George W. Bush and Barack Obama, saying they worked longer hours:
That said, this is serious business. Going to work at 11:00 A.M. when you're president of the United States? Just contrast that with George W. Bush, who admittedly is an early riser, often showed up at the Oval at 6:45. President Obama showed up a little bit later, often went to the gym, came in between 9:00 and 10:00, but he worked exceptionally late. An 11 to 6 workday isn’t even a full 8 hour workday.
A flabbergasted Camerota gushed, “I guess being president is easier than we thought. I don’t even know how you can be president and work that truncated time!” she remarked.
Avlon went on to concede that it’s clear that Trump “works the phones a lot” during that time. “That has always been apart of his executive style,and that’s presumably what he’s doing part of this time,” he added.
Co-anchor Chris Cuomo added, “I’m sure the guy works hard, he’s always been known to work hard.” But,“[I]t’s about priorities,” he slammed, saying Trump was “obsessed” with the media’s criticism of his presidency.
Over on MSNBC, anchor Stephanie Ruhle also mocked the president for “eating cheeseburgers in bed” while watching too much television. “I’d love a schedule like that!” Ruhle joked to MSNBC political analyst Philip Rucker.
“Axios is reporting that there has been some changes. First of all, I'd like to say, I'd love a schedule like that,” Ruhle pointed out to Rucker.
“I’d like that too, Steph,” he agreed.
“Now sounds more like he's going to be starting around 11:00 A.M. He's going to have some alone time, where he spends it with Twitter and watching cable news. What's your take on all of this?” Ruhle asked.
Rucker called the report “extraordinary,” blasting Trump for campaigning on “working hard” but devoting so many hours to “watching cable news” “tweeting” and “calling his friends on the phone:”
It's pretty extraordinary that the presidential schedule has so many hours of what they're calling “executive time.” Which is time for the president to be by himself in front of a television screen watching cable news shows, calling his friends on the phone, tweeting what he chooses. The report in Axios which reviewed copies of the president's actual schedule showed that he often doesn't get to the Oval Office until 11:00 A.M. And then he's back home by about 6:00 P.M. So that's a pretty short work day for a president who campaigned as someone who was going to work harder than anybody else.
The MSNBC anchor again pointed out that she would “love” to be able to come in to work late, and eat cheeseburgers in bed while “shouting” at the T.V.
“I just want to point out, I would love---that between last week, cheeseburgers in bed at 6:30, shouting at two t.v. screens, and then getting to get in to work at 11 A.M.? I would love to get a little bit of that in my 2018!” she joked.
Rucker remarked, “I think it’s actually three screens,” to which Ruhle replied, “See? I’d love that in 2018,” before changing topics.
Despite the media hype, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders noted that Trump does actual work during these “executive hours,” saying in response:
The time in the morning is a mix of residence time and Oval Office time but he always has calls with staff, Hill members, cabinet members and foreign leaders during this time. The President is one of the hardest workers I've ever seen and puts in long hours and long days nearly every day of the week all year long. It has been noted by reporters many times that they wish he would slow down because they sometimes have trouble keeping up with him.
