President Trump’s late Monday morning press conference was originally to discuss the new trade agreement between Canada, Mexico, and the United States (USMCA), but many in the liberal media on hand dismissed its significance in favor of destroying Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.
And thus the event quickly devolved into a fight over the FBI investigation concerning Kavanaugh because, for the media, that’s the only story worth talking about on TV to any significance.
Not surprisingly, the network that drew the most fireworks was CNN and their White House correspondent on duty. Monday, that was Kaitlan Collins, as Trump repeatedly interrupted to take issue with her questions and inform her at numerous occasions that he’d “had enough” with her.
Early on in the press conference, Collins was called on and she stated that “Now that you have answered several questions on trade I would like to turn to Judge Kavanagh” and Trump responded: “No, don’t do that. Don’t do. Do you have — do you have — excuse me, do you have a question on trade? We'll do one or two more questions on trade.”
Collins insisted on flipping the script and Trump in kind told her “[t]hat’s not nice” and when he gave her a chance to ask a trade question (insisting he’d move to Kavanaugh later, which he did), Collins declined, so Trump moved on.
As promised, Trump went back to his Supreme Court nominee and Collins got her chance, first opining that “There are now concerns that he may have lied and mischaracterized his drinking while testified” and thus “[i]f he did, do you think that bars him from being your Supreme Court nominee?”
Trump was in rare form as he lambasted Democratic Senators Richard Blumenthal (CT) and Corey Booker (NJ) for their inability to be truthful about themselves. Another eyebrow-raising moment came when he shifted to calling out the media as being members of the Democratic Party (click “expand”):
But more importantly in a sense, for her to have waited that period of time, and now for you Democrats, and I guess I'm including you too, the media, right? I consider you a part of the Democrat Party. But for you, for the Democrats, to be talking about we want more time to the FBI, if you wanted more time for the FBI, why didn't Dianne Feinstein bring this up? Now, you know that she showed this to other Democrats. She's not the other one. She showed this to other Democrats. There were more than just her that knew about this big confidential thing. It was confidential until the hearing was over. After the hearing was over, they went public. Why didn't they do it during the hearing? And we could have had all the time in the world? You know why? Because they're dishonest people. Okay, yes, please.
Collins hit back twice that “[y]ou didn't answer my question, Mr. President” and wondered if Kavanaugh “did lie about his drinking, does that mean you'll pull his nomination.”
Trump replied, in part, with a bit humor (click “expand”):
I don’t think he did. Look, here’s what — I’m just saying, I’m not a drinker. I can honestly say I never had a beer in my life. It's one of my only good traits. I don't drink. Whenever they're looking for something, I’m going to say I’ve never had a glass of alcohol. I have never had alcohol. You know, for whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had, what a mess I would be? I would be the world's worst, but I never drank. I never drank, okay? But I can tell you I watched that hearing, and I watched a man saying that he did have difficulty as a young man with drink. The one question I didn't ask is how about the last 20 years, have you had difficulty the last 20 years? Because nobody said anything bad about him in many, many years. They go back to high school.
CNN’s latest attempt to puff its chest ended with this exchange between Collins and Trump (click “expand”):
COLLINS: Okay, so, just to wrap up.
TRUMP [TO OTHER REPORTER]: Yes, go ahead, please.
COLLINS: Just to wrap up, can you promise —
TRUMP: You know what?
COLLINS: — to release —
TRUMP: You have had enough.
COLLINS: — the FBI’s report.
TRUMP [TO LISA DESJARDINS]: You’ve had enough. Go ahead, please.
LISA DESJARDINS [PBS]: Thanks, Mr. President. Judge Kavanagh said he was being targeted by Democrats. Has he made the process overly political and how can you assure the American people that he'll be able to deliver impartial decisions.
Earlier portions of the presser featured ABC’s Cecilia Vega, who first triggered Trump’s ire with the press shifting from trade to Kavanaugh. Trump was exasperated, wondering “[w]hat does that have to do with trade” even though “I don't mind answering the question, but, you know, I would like to answer the trade questions.”
Vega insisted that it concerned “the other headline in the news,” which boiled down to the only issue the media actually give a rip about.
NBC’s Peter Alexander was another reporter who tried to shift topics, so Trump called on him later and at the tail end of Alexander’s over-half-dozen questions, the President uncorked this doozy (click “expand”):
ALEXANDER: You said this crap when you referred to I’ve been dealing with this crap for years, what did you mean by that?
TRUMP: I think the press has treated me unbelievably unfairly. In fact when I won, I said the good thing the press now finally gets it. Now, they'll finally treat me fairly. They got worse. They're worse now than ever. They're loco, but that's okay. I put up with it. Go ahead. I used that word because of the fact that we made a deal with Mexico. No, no, please, sit down.
To see the relevant transcript from the Trump press conference on October 1, click “expand.”
Trump press conference
October 1, 2018
11:55 a.m. EasternPRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Okay, question. Yeah, go ahead. Sure. She's shocked that I picked her. She's in state of shock.
CECILIA VEGA: I'm not thinking, Mr. President.
TRUMP: That’s okay. I know you're not thinking. You never do.
VEGA: I'm sorry?
TRUMP: No, go ahead. Go ahead.
VEGA: In a tweet this week, Mr. President, you said it's incorrect to say you're limiting the scope of the FBI investigation.
TRUMP: What does that have to do with trade? I don't mind answering the question, but, you know, I would like to answer the trade questions.
VEGA: It has to do with the other headline in the news, which is the Kavanaugh nomination.
TRUMP: No, I know, but how about talking about trade and then we'll get to that. We’ll do that a little bit later. Anybody have a trade question?
VEGA: Do you think your trade deal with pass through congress, sir?
TRUMP: We think so, but, you know, if not, we have a lot of other alternatives. I think so, I think if it's fair on both sides, the Republicans love it. Industry loves it. Our country loves it. If it's fair, it will pass. I think it will pass easily. Because it's a great deal. I mean NAFTA passed, it's one of the worst deals that was ever made. Inconceivable that it was made. Fair question. Any other questions on trade? I'll get back with you on the other question.
VEGA: I would like to go forward with my Kavanagh question.
TRUMP: Let’s do that later and we’ll — but I’ll call you a second time.
(....)
BRIAN KAREM: Well, I do have a second question on the Kavanagh thing when you get back to it if you take that.
TRUMP: Let’s go.
KAREM: You'll take that now? Well, the question I have —
TRUMP: No, no. First, do trade.
KAREM: On trade, the question I have on trade is does this mean the end of tariffs, if you can spell that out for Canada.
(....)
TRUMP: Yeah. Go ahead, Peter.
PETER ALEXANDER: Can we move on briefly to Kavanaugh for the purposes of —
TRUMP: No, why don't you just — we'll do the Kavanagh questions, I mean, you talk about being treated harshly. We’ll do that in a couple. Let's finish up trade, because you have a lot of people that want to run over to The Wall Street Journal and start writing.
(....)
KAITLAN COLLINS: Thank you, Mr. President, now that you have answered several questions on trade I would like to turn to judge Kavanagh.
TRUMP: No, don’t do that. Don’t do. Do you have — do you have — excuse me, do you have a question on trade? We'll do one or two more questions on trade.
COLLINS: You have answered several questions on trade.
TRUMP: No, don't do that. That’s not nice.
COLLINS: Mr. President, you said that you —
TRUMP: And besides that, somebody is before you. Excuse me, don’t do that. Do you have a question on trade?
COLLINS: You answered several questions on trade.
TRUMP: Do you have a question on trade?
COLLINS: My question is on Judge Kavanaugh.
TRUMP [TO OTHER REPORTER]: Okay, please. Yes.
COLLINS: You said the FBI should interview whoever they believe is appropriate, does that include can Julie swetnick, the third accuser and can you promise to release the full findings from the FBI —
TRUMP: Give me your question, please.
COLLIN: — after they finish their report, Mr. President?
TRUMP: Give me a question, please.
(....)
VEGA: Thank you, Mr. President. In a tweet this weekend, you said it's incorrect to say that you're limiting the investigation into judge Kavanagh, but your own statement on Friday you made it very clear, that this investigation must be limited in scope, so which is it?
(....)
TRUMP: I'm with him all the way. I mean, a charge made or said to have occurred 36 years ago and nothing happened since then, and look, I feel badly for all parties. I feel badly for everybody. I feel badly for our country. This is so bad for our country, but I will tell you, I watched those senators on the Democrat side and I thought it was a disgrace and partially because I know them. I know them too well. And you know what? They are not angels.
VEGA: Are you saying your White House has no limitations on who the FBI can speak to, who they should speak to.
TRUMP: No, my White House is doing whatever the Senators want. No, you don't understand what I'm saying, you do understand, you just don't want to report it that way. Just so you understand, my white house will do whatever the senators want. I'm open to whatever they want. The one thing I want is speed. Now they started, I believe on Friday, could have even been a little bit earlier than that. But they started, they have worked round the clock on Saturday, Sunday, they're working right now. I mean they're covering a lot of territory. This is the seventh investigation of Judge Kavanagh, number seven. This isn't number one. They started on Friday, they worked all weekend, they’ve gone late into the evenings. The FBI's really working hard and they're putting in a lot of hours. So hopefully they can come up with what everybody's looking for. But, no, I'm guided by the Senate. I want to make the Senate happy because ultimately they're making the judgment. I'm not making the judgment, I have already made my judgment, the senate is making a judgment on Judge Kavanaugh. That’s very important thing to do. Yes, go ahead, Peter.
ALEXANDER: Okay. I’ll — sure. Just for clarity — just for clarity, so that it's clear. In fact it's up to you to instruct the FBI what to do.
TRUMP: It is up to me, but I'm instructing them as per what I feel the senate wants. The Senate is making this and I'm instructed them as per what the Senate is looking for.
ALEXANDER: Just for clarity, will you instruct the White House counsel Don McGahn, to give the FBI free rein to do whomever they feel is necessary?
TRUMP: I have so instructed him and I did it again over the weekend because I see the press was — I don't want to use the word misleading, it's a much more complex a situation than most people understand, but essentially I have done that, but I did also say within the bounds of what the Senate wants. We don't want to go on a — to use an expression often used by me, we don't want to go on a witch hunt, do we?
ALEXANDER: So, just to be clear, should the FBI interview all three of Brett Kavanagh's accusers?
(.....)
ALEXANDER: How about — how about for the accusers? Has this process been fair to them?
(.....)
ALEXANDER: Isn't that why the FBI should interview all of them to exonerate Brett Kavanagh, in your opinion?
(.....)
ALEXANDER: Should Brett Kavanaugh be interviewed by the FBI?
(....)
ALEXANDER: This crap, Mr. President?
TRUMP: That’s enough, Peter. Go.
ALEXANDER: This crap, for clarity, sir?
TRUMP: Say it.
ALEXANDER: You said this crap when you referred to I’ve been dealing with this crap for years, what did you mean by that?
TRUMP: I think the press has treated me unbelievably unfairly. In fact when I won, I said the good thing the press now finally gets it. Now, they'll finally treat me fairly. They got worse. They're worse now than ever. They're loco, but that's okay. I put up with it. Go ahead. I used that word because of the fact that we made a deal with Mexico. No, no, please, sit down.
(....)
COLLINS: I have two questions about judge Kavanagh. First, there are now concerns that he may have lied and mischaracterized his drinking while testified. If he did, do you think that bars him from being your Supreme Court nominee?
TRUMP: Well, I watched him. I was surprised about how vocal about the fact that he likes beer, and he's had a little bit of difficulty. I mean, he talked about things that happened when he drank. I mean, this is not a man that said alcohol was absent — that he was perfect with respect to alcohol. No, I thought he was actually going back so many years, I thought he was excellent. The interesting thing is, though, nobody asked him about what's happened during the last 25, 30 years during his professional career because there were no bad reports. I mean, there are bad reports on everybody in here. Most of they people sitting down, they’re bad — except for Mike pence by the way. And if we find one on him, then I think that's going on — that’s going to be the greatest shock of all time. There are bad reports on everybody. I'm looking at people, look at some of these people asking the questions, okay? Look at Blumenthal? He lied about Vietnam. He didn't just say hey I went to Vietnam, no no. For 15 years, he said he was a war hero, he fought in Da Nang Province. We call him Da Nang Richard. Da Nang — that’s his nickname. Da Nang — he never went to Vietnam. He's up there saying we need honesty and we need integrity. This guy lied when he was the Attorney General of Connecticut. He lied. I don't mean a little bit and then when he got out, he actually dropped out of the race and he won anyway, because Democrats always win in Connecticut. He won very close, probably the closest ever, but here's a guy that lied and he's up there talking about like he's holier than thou. When he got up there, he was crying, the tears were all over the place. And now he acts like how dare you? Take a look at the judge who's led an exemplary life. I mean, you go back to high school because he had beer? I think the judge has been pretty amazing about describing his situation with alcohol and with beer. I mean take a look at Cory Booker. He ran Newark, New Jersey, into the ground. He was a horrible mayor and he made statements that when he was in high school or college, what he was doing. He actually made the statements and now he's talking about Judge Kavanagh and I could go through a whole list of them, okay, look at Dianne Feinstein? You're telling me about time. Dianne Feinstein knew about this two months earlier. She wanted a really thorough investigation, we had all the time in the world. She didn't have to wait until after the hearing was closed, essentially. She should have said, listen, I have a problem. I have this report. I would like the FBI to look at it while we're doing the hearings. We had two months. No, she didn't do that. She waited until we were closed and then she probably leaked it. But, you know, who am I to say? But she probably leaked it based on her very bad body language the other day. But more importantly in a sense, for her to have waited that period of time, and now for you Democrats, and I guess I'm including you too, the media, right? I consider you a part of the Democrat Party. But for you, for the Democrats, to be talking about we want more time to the FBI, if you wanted more time for the FBI, why didn't Dianne Feinstein bring this up? Now, you know that she showed this to other Democrats. She's not the other one. She showed this to other Democrats. There were more than just her that knew about this big confidential thing. It was confidential until the hearing was over. After the hearing was over, they went public. Why didn't they do it during the hearing? And we could have had all the time in the world? You know why? Because they're dishonest people. Okay, yes, please.
COLLINS: You didn't answer my question, Mr. President. You didn't answer my question, Mr. President. So, if he did lie about his drinking, does that mean you're pull his nomination.
TRUMP: I don’t think he did. Look, here’s what — I’m just saying, I’m not a drinker. I can honestly say I never had a beer in my life. It's one of my only good traits. I don't drink. Whenever they're looking for something, I’m going to say I’ve never had a glass of alcohol. I have never had alcohol. You know, for whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had, what a mess I would be? I would be the world's worst, but I never drank. I never drank, okay? But I can tell you I watched that hearing, and I watched a man saying that he did have difficulty as a young man with drink. The one question I didn't ask is how about the last 20 years, have you had difficulty the last 20 years? Because nobody said anything bad about him in many, many years. They go back to high school. You know, I graduated from high school and I — while I did not drink, I saw a lot of people drinking. They would drink beer and they would go crazy and, you know, they were in high school, they were 16, 17 years old. And I saw a lot of it. Does that mean that they can't do something that they want to do with their life? So it's a very tough thing. I really believe that he was very strong on the fact that he drank a lot and so I don't know where there would be a big discrepancy.
COLLINS: Okay, so, just to wrap up.
TRUMP [TO OTHER REPORTER]: Yes, go ahead, please.
COLLINS: Just to wrap up, can you promise —
TRUMP: You know what?
COLLINS: — to release —
TRUMP: You have had enough.
COLLINS: — the FBI’s report.
TRUMP: You’ve had enough. Go ahead, please.
LISA DESJARDINS: Thanks, Mr. President. Judge Kavanagh said he was being targeted by Democrats. Has he made the process overly political and how can you assure the American people that he'll be able to deliver impartial decisions.
