MSNBC and CNN have reached a new and unimaginable low. They have decided that it is better to hear their spin on the White House Coronavirus Task Force briefings than to hear from the professionals involved.
The management of those two networks now believe that it is in the best public interest for we the people to NOT hear directly from the President and those medical professionals that he has appointed to the Task Force. Each day, President Trump uses the White House briefing room to allow members of the Fourth Estate to ask any and all the questions they wish. Initially, these briefings were carried by all the major cable networks in their entirety.
The problem for CNN and MSNBC was that Trump and his medical advisors – specifically Dr. Anthony Fauci, Dr. Deborah Birx and Surgeon General Jerome Adams — were saying things that did not support the networks pre-conceived anti-Trump narratives.
One of those narratives is that Trump does not listen to the medical professionals and that they are unhappy with his comments. They even speculated that Trump was unhappy with Fauci and was considering firing him. That baseless claim was made because Fauci did not attend one of the daily briefings. That fact was used by the networks to weave an entire baseless speculative report. It was – as Trump says – fake news.
Since Fauci and Birx are held in the highest esteem within the profession and among the general public, there is only one way that CNN and MSNBC – along with their elitist colleagues – can maintain the appearance of conflict and Trump’s alleged disregard for their advice — and that is to not allow the people to see and hear what is actually said at the White House briefings.
If you watch the entire White House briefings – as I have repeatedly advised the public to do – you would discover that the truth is the opposite of the anti-Trump media narratives. The networks pay lip service to listening to the scientists, but they prevent the public from seeing the expressions of agreement and cooperation evident in the actual briefings – and gaining important accurate information in the process.
It started a few days back, when the various talking heads on CNN and MSNBC suggested that full coverage of the White House briefings was not necessary. They said the briefings were turning into Trump rallies. Anyone watching the briefings would know that is a whole-cloth lie.
It is true that Trump can be a bit verbose and egocentric, but not only do all the participants generally agree, the others have ample time to give out extremely valuable information – the best information from the most knowledgeable professionals.
The propaganda attack on the White House briefings kicked into high gear with the Monday edition of “Morning Joe.” Co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski engaged in an unhinged attack. They said that the briefings were a waste of time – because they could summarize (read that mischaracterize) what was said in two minutes.
They said that the briefings were nothing but lies and counterproductive to addressing the Covid-19 virus. The President just rambles and repeats himself for more than an hour. (As opposed to the networks’ folks rambling and repeating themselves for 24 hours.)
Their characterization of the briefings, however, is a complete political fabrication. But it is consistent with Brzezinski’s inadvertent admission. She protested outside information by declaring that “It is our job (the media’s) to tell people what to think.” That one phrase explains what happened with the Monday briefing.
While FOX News carried the entire briefing – which contained a LOT of new and important information (even some good news) – CNN and MSNBC cut the briefing short and went to regular programming – meaning bashing Trump and the administration.
The segue for MSNBC was interesting because it was handled by their tarnished star Brian Williams – who was booted from the main NBC anchor job after making up stories and presenting them as news. After a prolonged period of absence, Williams was resurrected as a personality on NBC’s minor league subsidiary – MSNBC. Rather than allowing the public to hear the rest of the briefing, Williams announced that he would explain the important highlights. How he would do that is a mystery, since he was no longer watching the briefing. Instead, MSNBC brought in their stable of parroting pundits to continue their old-news anti-Trump narratives based on false reporting.
CNN did the same. Perpetual panelist Gloria Borger came close to a foot-stomping, panty-wetting outrage over what she declared to be Trump’s mistreatment of the members of the working press. Borger’s tantrum should come as no surprise since she is a reliable member of the Anti-Trump Resistance Movement.
What CNN and MSNBC did was nothing less than censorship to salvage political propaganda. What could be more abhorrent to a free press and an informed public than for the media to inhibit free speech. In my entire life in politics and public policy, I have never seen such an outrageous corruption of honest journalism.
I repeat the advice I have given in other commentaries. To be informed by the President AND the top medical professionals, you should watch the White House briefings from beginning to end – pay special attention to the medical professionals — and then turn to the movie channel to avoid being grossly misinformed by so-called news networks.
So, there ‘tis.
I personally felt more informed when watching the briefings of the President. I neither watch nor read anything said by the biased media which includes Jonathan Karl, George Stephanopolis, The View, etc. I am very disturbed that the major networks are no longer televising them.
This is a great and informative article but too bad it is here only for this limited audience. Would love to see an article like this get the national attention it deserves.
when is the news media stop saying they know more then everyone else then doctors about the virous it must be nice to feel like there better then them. if pepple woul stop listning to the media the country would be better off,they like to spread lies more than the trute they agree whith the socilist party .
Again CNN and MSNBC are really out of touch with reality to point out that many are not agreeing with the President and his advisors. While some information is not telling you that everything works it’s because they are telling that it’s a wait and see. That’s different from a disagreement. It’s only right to make sure that the medicine is viable but also it’s an chance that it can work for some. If they think they have better medicine we haven’t heard it yet so the media should stand down until the proof is in. If they really have nothing let them start an investigation in to Biden before he try’s to win in 2020. They have nothing to lose!
Very simple, do as I do. Watch Fox everyday for the entire briefing. You get the truth about what is going on, plus you miss the nation MSM bullshit. We only tune into local news, which is much better most of the time for the weather. If they start bullshit, just change channels. The local paper is just as bad, we take bets on what negative stories they come up with each day, never anything positive or how things are beginning to get better. We have renamed the San Antonio Express News to the San Antonio’s Gloom and Doom!
The best way to get through this crisis is to not watch any MSM and certainly not CNN orMSNBC. I took both off my channel list years ago
I am amazed that these people have not asked Mitt Romney to sit in for an interview. Think of the rooster crowing, from the false dawn to the setting of the sun, strutting and preening, looking for the chance to overwhelm the others in his boasting, self serving manner. Why the anti-Trump MSM has not spotlighted Romney by now, is a question waiting for an answer.
MSNBC and CNN ratings are minus 100% now with recovery of the economy I expect to see their headquarter building sold to China at a very low market.
Yes we should not hear from trump we should only listen to the professionals. Trump and fox new keep downplaying the virus
The truth must really rain on your parade
Put Trump in the back room & let the Doctors & Scientists inform the American people the truth about the Covic-19 Virus. Trump repeatedly proves he is a pathological liar every time he speaks. He lies on T.V. & when asked to clarify a statement he just made, he denies he said it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m a Independent which already knows how he will vote. I know longer listen to their endless bickerings. However, there’s one virus that’s just as deadly as the Covid-19 virus, and it has been around for decades. It is also specific to a certain type of citizen. But you only hear from the President or some “High VA Official”, claiming that the VA is not responsible for the many atrocities suffered upon veterans. I know this is off-topic but I would love to hear from your writers on this.
Bo, You seem to be a captive of CNN or MSNBC. Yes, you should listen to the professionals — the medical professionals. Among the most admired and reliable are Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx. I listen to them a lot because Trump appointed them to the Task Force and he provides them a platform virtually every day to speak and answer all questions. Even Trump listens to them. As far as I can tell, he has followed their guidance at every turn. Yes, Trump’s language is aspiration and a bit hyperbolic, but if you watch the briefings from beginning to end, you will see that there is virtually no disagreement between Trump and his medical advisors. That seems to explain why CNN and MSNBC do not over them fully.