Many people have come up to me recently and said, "Mr. Drum, sir, was Trump's news conference yesterday really a news conference?"
Sorry. It just amuses me that when people describe a Trump speech they now say things like "he told a few sir stories and then...." But let's return to that news conference on Thursday. Trump blathered for the first 47 minutes and then took questions for 34 minutes. Is it really a news conference if you spend less than half the time taking questions from reporters?
I'll let you decide that for yourself. I'm more interested in who actually attended the "news conference." For starters, Trump was greeted with cheers and applause when he came out, which doesn't strike me as standard reporter behavior. And the questions! With only one or two exceptions, every question was along the lines of either (a) "What is it that makes you so great?" or (b) "Your opponent is obviously a disaster, right?"
Do you think I'm making this up? Being a partisan hack? Judge for yourself. Here is every question that was asked yesterday:
It's been reported that you recently spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu, maybe as recently as yesterday. Can you clarify when the last time was you talked to him and what advice, if any, you're giving him about a ceasefire, about ending this war
You've spoken very passionately about how God saved your life. And I'm wondering, have you put much thought into why God saved your life? As in, for what purpose has he been shielding and protecting you?
We're talking about credit card debt for just a second. You've got all these records. 48 percent up. In many families going into debt just to pay for groceries. What's your message to Americans right now, that you can make America affordable again?
Follow-up: Kamala has been promising on day one, I'll do this. And for basically four years, she's promised this day one. What will you do on day one to turn this country around?
Many of your allies who want you to win in November say your current strategy isn't working, that you need to stop with the personal attacks on Kamala Harris and deliver a more disciplined message. Do you agree?
Nikki Haley told our Bret Baier that Republicans need to stop whining about Kamala Harris. Focus on courting those independents, of suburban women, the moderates out there. What do you think of that strategy, and would you consider having Nikki Haley on the campaign trail with you?
Vice President Kamala Harris wants to put a ban on price gouging. Do you think that the federal government is should be responsible for determining food prices?
I know you're saying that you're leading in some polling, but there is other polling out there. Fox News poll out just yesterday has you up by just one point. How do you break—
You talked about how COVID from China was a fence too far. What's your plan for holding China accountable if you're reelected?
You referenced your conversation with Elon Musk earlier this week. You praised how he treats workers, saying they go on strike, and you say that's OK, you're all gone, you're all gone, so every one of you is gone. Are you really comfortable with companies threatening to fire workers who go on strike?
Governor Tim Walz is out on the campaign trail today, and he's been saying that he believes that you want things to get worse so that you can campaign on it, that you're rooting for failure. What's your response to that?
Do you regret debating President Biden so early in the race?
There were some very mild questions about whether personal attacks were a good idea and whether the polls are turning against him. And for some reason, Trump took a question from a reporter who obviously didn't like the idea of firing workers who are on strike. Aside from that, you can't even describe the questions as softballs. They were plants.
Were there any real reporters at yesterday's event who can explain what happened?
I had no idea. I didn't tune in because I don't like watching television so people can lie to me, especially him. I can't imagine why this was even broadcast by news channels. What were they thinking? What will it take for news people to learn not to be played by Trump? Is there any institution doing a worse job serving the public than the journalism establishment?
I can understand why Kamala Harris doesn't waste her precious time on them. She ought to do a series of town halls with Tim Walz. Talk directly to voters and skip the lazy, inept, and corrupt middlemen known as the news media.
I kind of agree. I think that we are in that awkward phase where politics and the news media are being redefined. I sure hope we come up with something better.
Perhaps Harris should do her first news conference (as nominee) at the MSNBC studio, with Rachele Maddow, Joy Read, and Lawrence O'Donnell asking all the questions. Throw in Joe Scarborough for balance!
It would be nice if the media stopped kissing his ass and started kicking it.
have you put much thought into why God saved your life?
saved his life?
i always assumed it was a warning from god to stop being such a selfish finger-sniffing lying sack of shit
Like he was visited by Marley's ghost and he agrees with all that, but he needs the ghost to do him a favor first.
we need a modern sequel
"A Carroll Christmas" by E Jean Carroll
Now that could be a tv show.
I’ll speak for god… it was a warning shot.
Walz misspoke once, and that's constantly being talked about.
Trump gets questions from sycophants, and that's billed as a news conference.
If real news networks are going to show this stuff, then give it the "Mystery Science Theater" treatment...
Would the kids today even get what was happening?
(｡•̀ᴗ-)
I'm old. Figured I'd lean into it.
😉
Though "Time Bandits" is being redone on Apple+
...what's old is new again...
maybe not Benny Hill or "Are You Being Served"
As a representative of god, let us be clear. It was a warning shot. And we took out one of his freaky fans to make it clear. We also told Joe Biden to drop out because, like a jackass, he made it our business.
We know trump is now afraid to be in public and has nightmares over the warning. This was the point. Mr. Crooks was our angel of death and lives in paradise now. He sends his best.
https://youtu.be/GnE6UBUe8Lw?si=1g-hrmMVprbKobci
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Not trump nor all his works or empty promises.
Repent ye maggots: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Brian Karem -- a left-leaning journalist, certainly, but also an experienced White House correspondent -- reported at salon.com that his request for credentials to the event was turned down "in damn near record time." Obviously they screened the "journalists" to make sure that no one would ask any questions that might make Trump uncomfortable.
https://www.salon.com/2024/08/15/the-babysitter-factor-democrats-have-one-big-question-to-answer-with-their-convention/
Here is my guess as to what Trump answered when asked what advice he had for Netanyahu:
"Prime Minister Netanyahu said to me "Sir, you know we Jews don't believe that Jesus was the son of God, but given what a great friend to the descendants of Abraham you have been, perhaps you are, if not God himself. Certainly no one is more intelligent, courageous, and Godly than yourself, and you have been constantly persecuted by the deep state just as Jesus was." Then he said to me, "Sir, you know there is really no difference between crooked, senile Joe Biden, who had the nomination stolen from him in a coup, and Kamabala Harris, or whatever her name is. They are both people that love terrorists and communists."
"You've spoken very passionately about how God saved your life. And I'm wondering, have you put much thought into why God saved your life? As in, for what purpose has he been shielding and protecting you?" This has got to be the topper of ridiculous soft ball questions. If a diety saved his life it reflects very poorly on said diety. Did he say the diety saved his life so he can become president?
Some hope, ABC Nightly News just kicked his ass really good tonight about his asinine comments that the Presidential Medal of Freedom is actually better than the CMA, because the recipients of the CMA are many times really shot up or dead.
ABC had multiple comments from veteran House members stating the obvious stupidity of his comments, the video of him blabbering about John McCain not being a hero, and the comments from John Kelly that Trump didn't want to go to the D Day US cemetery because those dead soldiers were "losers".
Nitpicking here: The Congressional Medal of Honor is traditional abbreviated MOH. CMA means Country Music Awards.
Damn! Seriously? And all these years I've been thinking Cover My Ass.
Only Trump approved media were allowed to attend. One of the reporters whose credentials were denied said that the response he got when he asked why his pass was denied was something along the lines of "Oops, I guess the spots filled pretty fast, better luck next time".
Unless the reporter was a certified Trump ass kisser, or from a Trump friendly organization, they were not allowed in.
Kudos Kevin. As of noon today, no other journalist I read saw it as "fixed". This explains perfectly why he was so uncharacteristically comfortable.
He's afraid to leave the compound. He's scared. And the Ozempic is kicking his ass.
For what it's worth:
Speaking on Special Report immediately after the event, Fox News reporter Aishah Hasney seemed to say that she asked two of the questions listed above--the question about the Fox News poll, but also the question about food prices and Harris' stance on price gouging.
"I got to ask several questions," she said. "Actually, he took several questions today from several different reporters."
I don't see anything especially bad about those questions. How about doing a Biden press conference for comparison?
And still he manages to screw up and go off the rails. No wait, he did exactly perfect! Keep it up, Trump!!!
Q: Why did God saved Donald's life? As in, for what purpose has he been shielding and protecting Donald?
A: From a foresight perspective, God works in mysterious ways. From November's hindsight perspective, it will make perfect sense.
So he can get totally waxed by a black woman.
God's like that.
Q. Why did God send us DJT?
A. She ran out of locusts.
Well, look. He demonstrated at the Convention and since that you can't trust him to stay on script all on his own.
Kevin. Kevin, did they come to you with tears in their eyes?