Perhaps trying to get ahead of any effort by the left-wing mob to cancel him, NBC’s Sunday Today host, Willie Geist wanted viewers to know, “I didn't say he [President Trump] was concerned about the coronavirus crisis. I said maybe he's sending a signal that he is, but every other sign suggests he's not right now.” The comment came after the network suggested Saturday was the first time President Trump had worn a facemask in public, but a Today report from May 22 proved that claim to be dubious.
After the President donned a face mask while touring Walker Reed Medical Center over the weekend, the opposition media breathlessly declared that it was the first time Trump had worn a mask in public.
“A first for President Trump on Saturday as he wore a mask in public while on a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center. Public health officials including those on his task force say that is long overdue,” Geist declared at the top of the segment.
But a May 22 segment from Today noted that Trump was seen wearing a mask the previous day. “President Trump wears face mask during part of visit to Ford plant,” said the video title on Today.com. In the video, White House correspondent Kirsten Welker reported, “For the first time, the President – pictured in this photo obtained by NBC News – wearing a mask during a private tour.”
There was even a May 21 post from the NBC News Twitter account documenting the mask. “President Trump wears a mask during his tour of the Ford Rawsonville Components Plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where ventilators, masks and other medical supplies are being manufactured,” they wrote.
Geist later followed up by mocking how the Trump campaign had canceled a New Hampshire event. “Perhaps worried about a repeat of Tulsa where the crowd was thinner than they hoped it would be,” he gleefully jabbed.
Addressing NBC political director Chuck Todd about Trump’s mask, Geist wondered, “Is he sending signals, albeit months late, that he perhaps he is concerned now about the coronavirus crisis?” That was the comment that he would later go on to clarify.
“I wouldn't be ready to go that far here,” Todd pumped the breaks, refuting the idea that Trump cared about the virus. “I mean, if you look at sort of his rhetoric about schools and what needs to be done, he seems to continue to want to look past the current state that we're in. He continues to describe these things as embers.”
Adding: “So, he seems to be someone that just either is too distracted to focus on the virus or just doesn't want to focus on it.”
After Todd was finished, Geist wanted to set the record straight on his anti-Trump sentiment. “Yeah. I should underline, I didn't say he was concerned about the coronavirus crisis. I said maybe he's sending a signal that he is, but every other sign suggests he's not right now,” he told viewers.
Geist’s underhanded record correction was sponsored by Chevron. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC’s Sunday Today
July 12, 2020
8:06:33 a.m. EasternWILLIE GEIST: A first for President Trump on Saturday as he wore a mask in public while on a visit to Walter Reed Medical Center. Public health officials including those on his task force say that is long overdue.
(…)
8:11:27 a.m. Eastern
GEIST: Yeah. And speaking of fear, the President is looking at the reelection prospects right now. He's looking at his approval rating down now in the low 30s on his handling of the coronavirus crisis. His campaign canceled the event yesterday the rally that was supposed to be held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. They said it was because the weather. A beautiful day I should point out Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Perhaps worried about a repeat of Tulsa where the crowd was thinner than they hoped it would be. And then wearing the mask last night, yesterday during that visit to Walter Reed. Is he sending signals, albeit months late, that he perhaps he is concerned now about the coronavirus crisis?
CHUCK TODD: I wouldn't be ready to go that far here. I mean, if you look at sort of his rhetoric about schools and what needs to be done, he seems to continue to want to look past the current state that we're in. He continues to describe these things as embers.
Look, Willie, I just -- just look at how he spent his Friday. He went to Miami-Dade County, he went to Doral. Miami-Dade County is the hot spot within the hot spot of the state of Florida. He didn't go to talk about the virus. He wanted to talk about Venezuelan politics as it impacts his presidential reelection. And then how did he end his day after traveling in, again, the hot spot of the hottest spot? He commuted Roger stone's sentence.
So, he seems to be someone that just either is too distracted to focus on the virus or just doesn't want to focus on it.
GEIST: Yeah. I should underline, I didn't say he was concerned about the coronavirus crisis. I said maybe he's sending a signal that he is, but every other sign suggests he's not right now.
Chuck, thanks so much.
