OPINION:
The American people have had just about enough of the Trump haters in the White House Press Corps — and so has the president.
On Friday NBC News propagandist Peter Alexander goaded the president into a fight. He literally accused the president giving the American people false sense hope.
“Is it possible — it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope and misrepresenting the preparedness right now,” Alexander asked.
It was an incredibly offensive question — but not unexpected from a body of journalists who loathe this president and his supporters.
“Nearly 200 dead,” Alexander went on to say. “What do you say to Americans who are scared, though? I guess, nearly 200 dead; 14,000 who are sick; millions, as you witness, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?”
In response, the president stunned the White House Press Corps by delivering a hellfire and brimstone, “Come to Jesus” retort.
“I say that you’re a terrible reporter. That’s what I say,” the president said. I think it’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 — I don’t call it ‘Comcast,’ I call it ‘Con-cast.'”
Alexander thought he could pick a fight with the president. That turned out to be a very bad mistake. Never tug on Superman’s cape and never take a cheap shot at President Trump.
Following is an entire transcript of the back and forth.
ALEXANDER: Mr. President, about the possible therapies yesterday, Mr. President, you said that they were for, quote, “immediate delivery.” Immediate. We heard it from doc- —
THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, well, we were ordering — yes, we have millions of units ordered. Bayer is one of the companies, as you know. A big company. A very big, very great company. Millions of units are ordered, and we’re going to see what happens. We’re going to be talking to the governors about it, and the FDA is working on it right now.
The advantage is that it has been prescribed for a totally different problem, but it has been described [sic] for many years, and everybody knows the levels of — the negatives and the positives. But I will say that I am a man that comes from a very positive school when it comes to, in particular, one of these drugs. And we’ll see how it works out, Peter.
I’m not — I’m not saying it will, but I think that people may be surprised. By the way, that would be a game changer. But we’re going to know very soon. But — but we have ordered millions of units. It’s being ordered from Bayer, and there is another couple of companies also that do it.
ALEXANDER: For clarity, Dr. Fauci said there is no magic drug for coronavirus right now, which you would agree. I guess, on this issue then —
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know, I think we only disagree a little bit.
ALEXANDER — so let me just ask, though: Is it possible that — sorry.
THE PRESIDENT: I disagree. Maybe and maybe not. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. We have to see. We’re going to know. We’re going to know soon.
ALEXANDER Is it possible — it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of —
THE PRESIDENT: No, I don’t think so.
ALEXANDER — hope, and misrepresenting the preparedness right now?
THE PRESIDENT: No. No, I don’t think so. I think that — I think it’s gotten —
ALEXANDER The ship is not yet ready to sail. The not-yet-approved drug
THE PRESIDENT: Such a lovely question. Look, it may work and it may not work. And I agree with the doctor, what he said: It may work, it 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. You’re going to see soon enough. And we have certainly some very big samples of people, if you look at the people. You have a lot of people that are in big trouble. And this is not a drug that —
obviously, I think I can speak for a lot of — from a lot of experience, because it’s been out there for over 20 years. So it’s not a drug that you have a huge amount of danger with. It’s not like a brand-new drug that’s been just created that may have an unbelievable monumental effect, like kill you.
We’re going know very soon. And I can tell you the FDA is working very hard to get it out. Right now, in terms of malaria, if you wanted, you can have a prescription. You get a prescription. And by the way — and it’s very effective. It works.
I have a feeling you may — and I’m not being overly optimistic or pessimistic. I sure as hell think we ought to give it a try. I mean, there’s been some interesting things happened and some good — very good things. Let’s see what happens. We have nothing to lose. You know the expression: What the hell do you have to lose? Okay?
ALEXANDER So what to do you say to — the units that were ordered — the units that were ordered.
THE PRESIDENT: Jon, go ahead.
ALEXANDER I’ll just follow up. Nearly 200 dead. What do you say to Americans who are scared, though? I guess, nearly 200 dead; 14,000 who are sick; millions, as you witness, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?
THE PRESIDENT: I say that you’re a terrible reporter. That’s what I say.
Go ahead.
ALEXANDER Mr. President, the units that were just declared —
THE PRESIDENT: I think it’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 — I don’t call it “Comcast,” I call it “Con-cast.”
Let me just — for who you work — let me just tell you something: That’s really bad reporting, and you ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.
Let’s see if it works. It might and it might not. I happen to feel good about it, but who knows. I’ve been right a lot. Let’s see what happens.
John?
ALEXANDER Can I get back to science and the logistics here?
THE PRESIDENT: You ought to be ashamed of yourself.