During Friday’s coronavirus press conference at the White House, NBC correspondent Peter Alexander decided that it was more important to get into an argument with President Trump than actually keep the American people informed about the global pandemic. The reporter began his nasty line of questioning by accusing the President of spreading “false hope” – until Trump shut him down.
“Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope by misrepresenting the preparedness right now?,” Alexander hurled at the President, referencing experimental medical treatments for COVID-19. Trump sarcastically remarked, “Such a lovely question,” before explaining: “Look, it may work and it may not work....I feel good about it, that’s all it is, just a feeling.”
Moments later, still seemingly upset by the President’s sense of optimism, Alexander decided to play on people’s fear to create a headline: “What do you say to Americans who are scared, though, I guess. Nearly 200 dead, 14,000 who are sick. Millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?”
The President had clearly had enough and let Alexander have it:
I say that you’re a terrible reporter, that’s what I say. I think that’s a very nasty question and I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people. The American people are looking for answers and they’re looking for hope. And you’re doing sensationalism, and the same with NBC and “Con-cast.” I don’t call it Comcast, I call it “Con-cast.” Let me just – for whom you work for. Let me just tell you something, that’s really bad reporting. And you ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.
Soon after the contentious exchange, ABC’s Cecilia Vega tried to get in on the act:
And, sir, I would like to follow up on Peter’s question here, could you please issue – address Americans in this country who are scared right now? This is a very valid concern that people have....Mr. President, to Americans who are working at home who have their children in their homes right now, who are home schooling, doctors who say they don’t have the masks they need to do their jobs, your message to them?
None of those questions were actually about eliciting important medical or safety information for the American people. The only purpose of those questions was to point fingers of blame and start a fight with President that would make good television.
Predictably, several other liberal journalists in the briefing room rushed to Alexander’s defense with their own hostile questions, all in a quest to make the important press conference about their own massive egos.
Later Friday afternoon, Alexander released a lengthy statement about the exchange, arguing (at least implicitly) that the President's vast wealth served as a disconnect between what his concerns are versus those felt by the wider American public of far lesser financial means.
Here is a transcript of Trump’s March 20 exchange with Alexander and Vega:
12:32 PM ET
(...)
PETER ALEXANDER: Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope by misrepresenting the preparedness right now?
DONALD TRUMP: No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so. I think that – I think it’s got –
ALEXANDER: The not-yet-approved drug –
TRUMP: Such a lovely question. Look, it may work and it may not work. And I agree with the doctor, what he said. May work, may not work. I feel good about it, that’s all it is, just a feeling. You know, I’m a smart guy, I feel good about it. And we’re going to see.
(...)
12:33 PM ET
ALEXANDER: What do you say to Americans who are scared, though, I guess. Nearly 200 dead, 14,000 who are sick. Millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?
TRUMP: I say that you’re a terrible reporter, that’s what I say. I think that’s a very nasty question and I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people. The American people are looking for answers and they’re looking for hope. And you’re doing sensationalism, and the same with NBC and “Con-cast.” I don’t call it Comcast, I call it “Con-cast.” Let me just – for whom you work for. Let me just tell you something, that’s really bad reporting. And you ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.
(...)
12:35 PM ET
CECILIA VEGA: I would like Dr. Fauci, if you don’t mind, to follow up on what the president is saying. Should Americans have hope in this drug right now? And, sir, I would like to follow up on Peter’s question here, could you please issue – address Americans in this country who are scared right now? This is a very valid concern that people have.
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI: There really isn’t that much of a difference, in many respects, of what we’re saying. The President feels optimistic about something, his feeling about it. What I'm saying is that it might, it might be effective. I’m not saying it isn’t. It might be effective.
(...)
VEGA: Mr. President, to Americans who are working at home who have their children in their homes right now, who are home schooling...
TRUMP: Here we go, go ahead.
VEGA: ...doctors who say they don’t have the masks they need to do their jobs, your message to them?
TRUMP: My message to the American people is that there is a very low incidence of death. You understand that. And we’re going to come through this stronger than ever before.
(...)
