White House Bans Filming At Coronavirus Briefing, Triggering Backlash

[spanone]

Critics suggested the Trump administration is more concerned with managing the optics of the outbreak, rather than the outbreak itself.

The Trump White House faced widespread criticism on Tuesday after Vice President Mike Pence conducted a press briefing on the coronavirus outbreak, but members of the media were not allowed to record video or audio.

The administration ― which only last week vowed to be “aggressively transparent” with the public about the spread of the virus that has now killed nine people in the U.S. ― only allowed still photographs to be taken, CNN’s Jim Acosta and other journalists in attendance tweeted.

Link to tweet

WH is allowing only still photos of this Coronavirus briefing. No audio or video permitted. Here is a photo of theVP as the briefing began.

“I asked Pence why the Coronavirus briefing is off camera today. He said he believes the briefing will be back on cam tomorrow,” Acosta later posted, noting “the closest thing to an explanation we got” was “when Pence said Trump was on camera a bunch today.”

Obama-era White House chief photographer Pete Souza said he “can’t ever remember a time when a VP or POTUS spoke in the White House press briefing room and video/audio was prohibited.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-white-house-audio-visual-coronavirus-briefing_n_5e5f5febc5b63aaf8f5f5665

[SWBTATTReg]

1. rump probably ran out of makeup is why they didn't allow pics or audio to be taken of ...

any CV conferences. This is irresponsible to the highest degree, in a society especially such as ours, that relies on the internet, other rapid media...

They are trying to cover up their shocking incompetence in dealing w/ the CV. Why else?

[dewsgirl]

11. I don't think he was even there.

[SWBTATTReg]

13. I was making a joke, eh? nt

[dewsgirl]

14. Yes.🤣

[dalton99a]

2. This shit should be widely and loudly condemned.

[Girard442]

3. Pushing and probing to see what they can get away with.

[2naSalit]

5. +1

[malaise]

4. COVER UP

That is all

[spanone]

6. Absolutely. ⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧⇧

[malaise]

16. They can't stop governors or medical experts from telling the truth

Fuck the fascists. He is still going to be a one term president (and he stole that one)

[bullwinkle428]

7. For those claiming that "China skewed the numbers" regarding the death rate,

Italy's figures are particularly sobering. 2263 reported cases, 79 deaths, and 229 in intensive care. This is a 3.5% death rate, and we know damn well that the number of cases are mushrooming across America.

[PubliusEnigma]

12. We've had 9 die out of 130. Nearly 7%. The Chinese numbers were definitely "rounded down".

[USALiberal]

20. Some might have it but not sick enough to be counted. Nt

[Fullduplexxx]

8. They want to control he mssage

[dewsgirl]

9. They pulled this crap occasionally way back when there

were daily press briefings.

[MrModerate]

10. Weird. Pointless even. Maybe it's not a lack of transparency from Trump's administration so much as...

General ineptitude in communications.

[SWBTATTReg]

15. You nailed it! Massive ineptitude all around, though...nt

[bronxiteforever]

17. The cowardice is strong in the GOP. N/t

[central scrutinizer]

18. Meanwhile

Glorious Leader is focusing his attention on ratfucking the Democratic primaries. Actually maybe that’s a good thing, considering how ignorant and narcissistic he is.

[Yonnie3]

19. My take on the reason is 'Rump's vanity.

The vanity requires that the spotlight must be focused on 45*(impeached). Pence is the fall guy and shouldn't take any air time away from 'Rump.

It is saddening and scary that such vanity and ignorance rule in the White House while the virus proliferates.

[BruceWane]

21. Hiding Incompetence

When - not if - someone says something stupid, they don't want hard evidence that everyone can see.

It's hard to look incompetent in a still photo. It's much easier on video.

This administration behaves like someone who knows that they are not qualified.

They want to hide their work so you can't see their incompetence, while they're hoping they figure it out before it blows up in their face.