Pierce: It's Time For Networks to Stop Televising Trump's Daily Briefings

[mcar]

It's Time For Networks to Stop Televising Trump's Daily Briefings
They are only vehicles for dangerous disinformation and for the president*’s re-election campaign.

BY CHARLES P. PIERCE
MAR 20, 2020

This was certainly a moment on Friday, and, no, I’m not talking about how El Caudillo del Mar-a-Lago threw a multi-megaton hissy at Peter Alexander of NBC News, although that should disqualify him from ever appearing in polite society ever again, let alone representing the United States in any capacity except as referee in a celebrity mud-wrestling derby. I meant the lead up to that moment, when the president* decided to argue with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the use of chloroquine to combat the coronavirus.

Fauci: That evidence is anecdotal evidence. As the president mentioned yesterday, we are trying to strike a balance between making something that has potential of an effect available, at the same time we do it under protocol that would give us the information to determine if it is truly saving effective. But the information is anecdotal, it was not done in a clinical trial, so we cannot make a definitive statement about it.

Trump: Without saying too much, I am probably more of a fan of that than may be than anybody. But I am a big fan. We will see what happens. We understand what the doctor says is 100% correct, certainly. But I have seen things that are impressive. We will know soon. We will see. Including safety. But when you talk about safely, this has been prescribed for many years for people to combat malaria, which was a big problem. It is very effective. It is a strong drug. We will see...look, it may work, it may not work. I agree with the doctor. It may not work. But I feel good about it. That is all it is, just a feeling. You know, I am a smart guy. I feel good about it. We will see soon enough. We have big samples of people, if you look at the people. There are people in big trouble. This is not a drug that obviously I think I can speak for a lot of, from a lot of experience going because it has been out there for over 20 years. So it is not a drug that you have a huge amount of danger with. It is not a brand-new drug just created that may have a monumental effect, like kill you. We will know very soon. The FDA is working hard to get out. Right now in terms of malaria, if you want that you can get a prescription. By the way, it is very effective. It works. I have a feeling—I am not being optimistic or pessimistic. I think we should give it a try. There has been some interesting things that are happening. Some very good things. Let's see what happens. We have nothing to lose. You know that expression? What the hell do you have to lose?

You know, he’s a smart guy who has feelings so what do you have to lose? This, of course, just as well could be used to defend such therapeutic regimes as bleeding, boring for the simples, and voodoo. It is time for networks to stop televising the daily briefings from the Coronavirus SuperFriends live. They are vehicles for dangerous disinformation and for the president*’s re-election campaign. You get the sense that he’s getting juiced for them now that he can’t hold his mass rallies any more. But, mainly, people are told things at these briefings that at worst are perilously untrue. (Has he actually activated the Defense Production Act? Nobody seems sure.) And at best they provide false comfort for a nervous nation, which is what Alexander rightly was trying to get at when he served up that softball about frightened Americans. The president* responded by hitting himself repeatedly over the head with his bat. Somebody get the hook.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a31822319/coronavirus-donald-trump-dr-fauci-press-briefing/

[Sneederbunk]

1. And he scares the horses.

[mcar]

4. ...

[rickyhall]

65. I wonder what he'd do if we laughed at him when he lies, which is always?

[MontanaMama]

2. No kidding.

Maybe they will if/when Joe Biden gets his briefings up and running. The MF would lose what’s left of his addled mind.

[still_one]

3. +++

[Atticus]

5. Have thought so for several days. In his fevered mind, these are substitutes for the

rallies he had to cancel. He provides nothing useful or informative. Let him buy time if he wants to campaign.

[mcar]

6. I think you are right

He has to have the attention.

[tblue37]

18. His ramblings go on forever, just like those of Castro, Chavez, Ghadafi,

Last edited Fri Mar 20, 2020, 09:15 PM - Edit history (1)

and other authoritarian thugs did.

[lunatica]

36. Saddam had his own televised show

He would tell people to bathe, among other things. He acted like a benevolent father talking to his children.

It must be thing with dictators.

[Arkansas Granny]

20. I told my daughter today that these "press briefings" are nothing more than campaign rallies.

His cult think that he's showing real leadership.

[Rob2861]

71. What Do You Expect.

His cults don't even know the difference between right and wrong, why would they know the difference between a real and a fake president. A dim wit leading the dimwits.

[pandr32]

23. It's his new Apprentice reality tv show

[captain queeg]

38. He can't understand why everyone isn't clapping and applauding.

I think you are right about this. He thinks these ought to be like his nazi rallies and how dare anyone ask him any kind of question. I keep waiting for him to have a heart attack, stroke or seizure. But no, he’s going to drag the whole country down with his selfishness and fragile ego. I hate to say it but I hope the stock market keeps crashing every time he opens his mouth. Our only hope is to get this psycho out of office ASAP so we can start turning things around. Since he thinks the stock market is the equivalent to TV ratings maybe that will push him over the edge. If he were to drop dead today the damage will keep accumulating for months but at least we will be able to turn the corner a little sooner.

[demtenjeep]

44. YES

this

[NRaleighLiberal]

7. THIS!!! THIS!!! THIS!!!!!!!!!!

[magicarpet]

8. trDump can not hold his Nazi Roadshow Rallies right now...

... so these daily COVID-19 press conferences are his stationary in house Nazi Rallies.

It is so pathetic how the smart and professional experts are made to stand there with trDump, kiss his ass, burnish his ego, and nod their heads yes - like bobble-headed dolls.

[gordianot]

21. Exactly but I doubt Hitler would have ever allowed daily updates.

Adolph did not have Donald’s underlying fragile ego. Donald Trump (micromanager) is so self serving in his Narcissism he would never allow others to become a proxy. Hitler used his hate to control his followers, Trump uses the hate of his followers to validate his hate.

[kacekwl]

9. I watch my governor's press briefing daily

to get the information I need. Trump causes me to change to Andy Griffith .

[Marie Marie]

51. Good advice - Barney Fife would handle this better than Trump.

[tulipsandroses]

10. I thought he put Pence in charge of this. Why the hell is he on tv every day now?

Not that Pence was doing anything useful anyway. I agree with Pierce. Stop covering him.

[Rebl2]

43. Seems like the stock market

drops even more when the orange blob does his briefings. Quit showing them and just show parts that are important.

[Marie Marie]

52. He needs the camera time, but, when the questions get tough,

he quickly dumps it on Pence.

[Rob2861]

72. He's on TV everyday to feed his ego.

He would die if someone else got more viewing time them him.

[BigmanPigman]

11. His history of pressers(with or without him)

are disastrous. He NEVER learns, never ever.

[lunatica]

37. He's got cement in his head

Thoughts don’t have a chance in hell.

[Rob2861]

73. Pull the Plug

Thoughts don't have a chance, because he is literally brain dead. They usually pull the plug when there's no brain activity.

[lunatica]

74. Not being able to get his fix from his rallies might be

equivalent to pulling the plug. Karma will step in to take care of him.

[DENVERPOPS]

40. Every public appearance and speech has it's purpose.

they take the entire performance, cut out the experts and reporters.
Edit the remaining video of his garbage bullshit and air it 24/7 on Fox.....

He did it during the debates, he does it when campaigning, now he's started doing
it daily. He's been doing it for four years since even before the election.

During the debates, everyone was saying he lost the debates, etc
NO he did exactly what they intended to do. Record a bunch of video/sound
bites of his performance to use on Fox and Right wing Radio and threw out the rest.

I thought everyone realized that. But apparently not...........

[sinkingfeeling]

12. Yes, at least until they assure them MF45 won't be present.

[MerryBlooms]

13. Cut the cord. All he does is spread misinformation. Carry local updates and

governor pressers. Unless it's news that his shithole of an administration is actually doing something, like video of supplies being delivered or military setting up temporary hospitals, NO coverage of his constant c-19 campaign ads.

[wnylib]

67. There is a behaviorism principle

in psychology that predicts whenever an attention seeker is denied the reward of attention, he/she escalates inappropriate behavior, sometimes quite dramaticalky, to attempt regaining center scene. At that point, unprepared or naive people give in to the attention seeker. Also, to be successful, attention denial has to be consistent across the board with everyone.

Given Trump's position in the White House, the escalation could be frightening and dangerous if denied attention.

So I agree that he should not get to use pressers as disinformation campaign rallies, but brace yourself for the consequences if those pressers are ignored.

Since media keep covering him, maybe we need social media threads on what to do during a Trump coronavirus presser., e.g. watch a favorite movie, sanitize doorknobs at home, download music, etc.

[3catwoman3]

14. That run-on paragraph is...

...Palinesque in its lack of clarity &/or meaning.

[Celerity]

15. yes

[llmart]

16. For someone who never wanted to do any press conferences...

he sure has his ugly orange mug on TV all the time now. What changed? Oh, that's right. The malignant narcissist needs his daily fix of narcissistic supply.

I agree with Pierce.

[3Hotdogs]

17. Tony need to understand that this is the most medically informed president the country has ever seen

His uncle was an M.D. and because of that he learned enough to be a dr. himself. Fact is, given that Tony's experience was confined to labs and clinics, Tony should appreciate the medical knowledge that can be gained from running casinos (into the ground) and being a tv host.

What's Tony ever done besides push a couple of pills here and there.

Our president would'a been a great M.D. but he sacrificed his medical career to lead us. He knows so much about doctoring that he probably didn't even have to spend time in med. school. He could'a just taken the boards and hung out his shingle.

[COLGATE4]

56. His uncle wasn't an M.D. He was an Electrical Engineer

who taught at MIT for a very long time. Obviously a very bright man but uncle's medical background was the same as nephew's = ZERO.

[NotASurfer]

19. Maybe just report later on the stark raving monster looney bits

I realize that's most of it, but report the facts, that if you ran across somebody on a street corner with that level of anger and belligerence you'd at least lock them up for verbal assault or inciting a riot or public intoxication once you found the drugs and paraphernalia

Don't bother with live coverage

[bucolic_frolic]

22. Lying to himself, Trump tries to deceive the American people

He's just a fool living a life of delusion

[UpInArms]

24. Baker Act the MF

Before he hurts anyone else

[warmfeet]

25. Past time to throw POTUS

under the bus, with extreme prejudice.

I want to live. This fucker is killing us.

[DallasNE]

26. Let's See How Monday Goes

Biden is planning his own daily briefing on the Coronavirus starting Monday. It will not only fact check Trump but also provide a different path forward, based on what the experts recommend. Obviously he won't be able to put it in place but the contrast should be sharp. And history will judge who was more right.

[barbtries]

30. i will follow these.

i also have been referring to the Johns Hopkins map, the local paper, and the briefings from other states and municipalities. Yesterday I watched a Washington Post Q&A for a couple hours with a lot of good and accurate information contained. Trump's shitshows are dangerous and worse than useless in any practical sense.

[Marie Marie]

53. And he will steal all of Biden's good points and claim them as his ideas.

[PatrickforO]

27. Yeah, Trump is dangerously unbalanced.

It's like we don't even have a president providing leadership for the nation during this time. Everybody's doing their best, but we need A, as in ONE, really competent leader.

And Trump is NOT.

[barbtries]

28. i've been saying this

and as someone else pointed out, he's just doing his rallies daily from the WH now.

The information is not reliable. He's not well. He's not managing this crisis in any kind of reasonable way. Stop subjecting the country to this propaganda.

[seta1950]

29. I agree

Whichever network I’m watching if he is on I turn the channel, I’ll watch PBS , if everyone did the same the networks will pay attention. He should not be allowed to lie to us at such a scary time.

[nitpicker]

31. It is C-Span's "duty" to carry Thump's briefings

AND Bloomberg Radio chooses to carry Thump's water also.
(In ALL senses, which is why I view MB as a DINO)

But TECHNICALLY it's a PSA.

And some people are dependent on TV.

[Duppers]

32. Thought of this for a long time.

Do not cover him.




to someone who posted this in the lounge. Sorry I cannot relocate that post to give him/her credit.

[KSNY]

33. Especially now that everyone is indoors and will receive their payoff ($1000) before November

[Luciferous]

34. They won't.

[TeamPooka]

35. K&R

[stillcool]

39. I looked at the header really fast..

and thought it said "Pence". started reading, paused to check and see if it was the Onion, or Andy Borowitz, then in my newly acquired happy space I return to find no mention of Pence telling the networks to stop. What a bummer.

[mcar]

41. ...

[smirkymonkey]

42. Hear, hear!

I am so sick of his daily rants. He only makes a bad situation worse. He is too stupid to know how stupid he is and it is destroying this nation.

[Amaryllis]

45. Even Susan Collins is saying he shoud not be doing them; public health experts should.

[whistler162]

46. Donald "Schicklgruber" Trump

[Duppers]

47. 🚩"It's costing lives" - Rachel Maddow

Just now saying that Trump is telling lies in his press briefings and that they should stop broadcasting them.

[bdamomma]

48. This inept

Sick ass man needs to go. He is killing Americans.

[Cetacea]

49. K&R

The only value to them is the presence of Dr Fauci.

[iluvtennis]

50. + agree with Charles Pierce -- no pertinent info comes from those daily briefs. nt

[Cozmo]

54. The media shoved this asshole down our throats during the 2016 election

And I hold them accountable for it's horrific results to a certain extent. The media has a captive audience now and is using every trick in the book to incite and exploit this crisis for their benefit. We all know the egomaniac in the WH is an idiot. We don't need the media to keep reminding us. The public is being played while journalists are asking questions that produce predictable responses giving trump ample air time and every opportunity to display his insanity.

Give us a break and stop manipulating this grave situation. This is just the beginning and I feel like I am under attack. We are all suffering, some far worse than is imaginable. Good luck and God help us.

[Capperdan]

59. Quit watching

Much better for your health

[Laura PourMeADrink]

55. Yet his approvals up

[Hermit-The-Prog]

57. Reporters should do a round-robin of real, important questions until the Pustule pops.

[usaf-vet]

62. I agree they should decide on the question for the day and everyone must ask it. Until it's answered

The problem is the reporters see this a competition. One-upmanship. I, me, our network got the most coveted sound bite.

IMO they long ago stopped working for the American people. Of course, there are exceptions with some still working hard to report the unvarnished truth.

That is one of the reasons we cut the cable years ago and I come to DU to see what others are feeling and saying about the daily dog and pony shows.

[Cha]

58. Daily Propaganda.. TY, Charlie Pierce.

Mahalo, mcarStaySafe!

[nwduke]

60. Word definition;

Anecdotal; (of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research. (a polite way of telling the orange yam “your full of shit”!

[dlk]

61. Broadcasting Trump's false information is dangerous

It is thoroughly negligent.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

63. Also, stop putting photos of that revolting pos on ever piece.

Just seeing his hideousously painted face (always made more ridiculousl by his ever inappropriate facial expressions) makes a disturbing situation worse.

[Gothmog]

64. trump lies in these press conferences

I refuse to watch these conferences

[Alea]

66. FOX will still air them

and everyone that watches the press conferences now will just go to fox and watch them.

[ThoughtCriminal]

68. I'm sure Wall Street would be happier

Investors watch what he says and then SELL! SELL! SELL!

1000, 2000, 3000 point drops. Zero confidence.

[defacto7]

69. Kick

[Mila18]

70. Who controls the camera?

He's in every shot. When he is speaking, he is in the center of the screen. When someone else is at the podium, they are in the right-hand corner of the screen, while Corp. Bone Spurs is hovering over them on the left.

Does every network have its own feed, or is there one feed shared by all? Or is the camera controlled by the White House?

As he keeps repeating, "No one has ever seen anything like this before."

[quakerboy]

75. Just ask where the tests are

And as a followup why he turned down tests offeref by other countries when we most needed them.

Till we get real answers to those two questions, there should be no others.

[empedocles]

76. . . . or, do real time fact/lie checks on trump - in big print on the chyron banner