President Donald Trump addressed reporters at the White House during the second break in Friday’s impeachment hearing and, unfortunately for America, American Urban Radio Networks correspondent, CNN political analyst, and showboater April Ryan briefly tangled with Trump over his tweet disparaging longtime U.S. diplomat Marie Yovanovitch.
Speaking in the Roosevelt Room, Trump ripped into the impeachment process laid out by House Intel Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) (click “expand”):
What they are doing in Washington with that hearing, and by the way, it is a political process. It is not a legal process. So, if I have somebody saying I'm allowed to speak up, if somebody says about me, we’re not allowed to have any kind of representation. We are not allowed to have almost anything and nobody has seen anything like it. In the history of our country, there has never been a disgrace like what’s going on right now. So you know what? I — I have the right to speak. I have freedom of speech just as other people do, but they’ve taken away the Republicans’ rights and I watched today as certain very talented people wanted to ask questions and they weren’t even allowed to ask questions. Republicans. They were not allowed to ask questions. It’s a very sad day.
Trump then called on Ryan, who asked: “Sir, with your freedom — sir, with your freedom — sir, with your freedom, were you trying to intimidate Ambassador Yovanovitch?”
The President replied that he just “want[s] freedom of speech” during this “political process” seeing as how “Republicans have been treated very badly” in what many believe to have been an allusion to Schiff’s interruptions of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY).
Ryan tried to ask a follow-up and, needless to say, it didn’t go well (click “expand”):
RYAN: Do your believe you tweets and your words can be intimidating, sir? Sir, do you believe tweets or words can be intimidating?
TRUMP: Quiet! Quiet!
RYAN: Sir! Sir, do you believe your tweets or words —
TRUMP [TO OTHER REPORTER]: Please.
RYAN: — can be intimidating?
TRUMP: I don't think so at all.
A few minutes later before he left the room, the President claimed the approval ratings for journalists are at the “the worst they have ever been in the history of country,” though its unclear what poll he was referring to (though it could either be this or this).
With that said, Trump deciphered that they could decide to try and improve their standing, “but there aren't enough of them. There is a lot of dishonesty, many of you I just consider members of the Democrats and it's a shame.”
To see the relevant transcript from the President’s White House remarks on November 15, click “expand.”
FNC Impeachment Hearings
November 15, 2019
2:43 p.m. EasternPRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: What they are doing in Washington with that hearing, and by the way, it is a political process. It is not a legal process. So, if I have somebody saying I'm allowed to speak up, if somebody says about me, we’re not allowed to have any kind of representation. We are not allowed to have almost anything and nobody has seen anything like it. In the history of our country, there has never been a disgrace like what’s going on right now. So you know what? I — I have the right to speak. I have freedom of speech just as other people do, but they’ve taken away the Republicans’ rights and I watched today as certain very talented people wanted to ask questions and they weren’t even allowed to ask questions. Republicans. They were not allowed to ask questions. It’s a very sad day. Go ahead.
APRIL RYAN: Sir, with your freedom — sir, with your freedom — sir, with your freedom, were you trying to intimidate Ambassador Yovanovitch?
TRUMP: I just want a total — I want freedom of speech. That’s a political process. The Republicans have been treated very badly and I watched a little bit today. I wasn’t able to yesterday because we had the president of Turkey here and I wasn’t able to watch much. I watch some of it this morning. I thought it was a disgrace. When we have great Republican representatives, people elected by the people, and they’re not allowed to even ask a question. They’re not allowed to make a statement, we’re not allowed to have witnesses. We’re not allowed to have legal counsel, White House counsel. It’s a disgrace and an embarrassment to her nation.
RYAN: Do your believe you tweets and your words can be intimidating, sir? Sir, do you believe tweets or words can be intimidating?
TRUMP: Quiet! Quiet!
RYAN: Sir! Sir, do you believe your tweets or words —
TRUMP [TO OTHER REPORTER]: Please.
RYAN: — can be intimidating?
TRUMP: I don't think so at all.
(....)
2:46 p.m. Eastern
TRUMP: Look if we had an honest press in this country, we would be so well served and you know what? When I look at your approval numbers, they're the worst they have ever been in the history of our country, the media, approval numbers. They’re horrible and you ought to get yourself back and put yourself back in a position where people respect the media again and I know some great journalists. I know some great people in the media, but there aren't enough of them. There is a lot of dishonesty, many of you I just consider members of the Democrats and it's a shame.
