Commentary

You Don't Want To Make President Hulk Angry (It Will Scare You!)

“What do you say to Americans right now who are scared?,” NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander asked the President during a White House press briefing today.

“I say that you are a terrible reporter. That’s what I say,” the President responded, visibly losing his cool in response to what seemed to this frightened American to be a very fair and sensible question. In fact, it is one I would have asked.

“I think it’s a very nasty question,” the President continued. “And I think it is a very bad signal that you are putting out to the American people. The American people are looking for answers and they are looking for hope. And you’re doing sensationalism. And the same with NBC and Comcast. I don’t call it Comcast, I call it Con-cast. Let me just tell you something, that is really bad reporting. You ought to get back to reporting instead of sensationalism.”

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The exchange followed a series of statements and questions related to the White House’s decision to order anti-malarial drug Chloroquine to test as a treatment for COVID-19, even though the White House’s chief medical authority on the response, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said it’s in the early stages of testing and that there so far is “no miracle drug” for treating the virus.

“I’m probably more of a fan [of using Chloroquine],” the President said, adding, “I’m a man that comes from a very positive school.”

“Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope?” Alexander asked.

“It may work and it may not work,” the President replied. “I feel good about it. That’s all it is, it’s just a feeling. I’m a smart guy.”

Later in the press briefing, NBC's Alexander repeated his question to the head of the coronavirus task force, Vice President Mike Pence: "What do you say to Americans right now who are watching who are scared?"

"I would say do not be afraid, be vigilant."

12 comments about "You Don't Want To Make President Hulk Angry (It Will Scare You!)".
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  1. Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, March 20, 2020 at 3:42 p.m.

    Joe, I saw Cuomo's press conference on CNN today just before the one hosted by the POTUS. What a contrast---I can only hope that prospective voters noticed the differences in command of the subject and in factual content.

  2. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited replied, March 21, 2020 at 10:01 a.m.

    You are giving too many too much credit.

  3. Kevin Killion from Stone House Systems, Inc., March 23, 2020 at 12:04 p.m.

    What is scary is the near-complete absence of reports about chloroquine on major network and local news programs. It's just plain weird! Meanwhile even a quick search online finds tons of reports on chloroquine and hydroxichloroquine being in use NOW in many hospital settings in the U.S. and around the world. Just do a search! 


    https://www.wsj.com/articles/these-drugs-are-helping-our-coronavirus-patients-11584899438?shareToken=st56265bfee8f849589ce5d0cb089fdf9c&reflink=article_email_share

  4. Michael Giuseffi from American Media Inc, March 23, 2020 at 12:06 p.m.

    I saw Andrew Cuomo's press conferences yesterday and today also, what a difference. He had facts, a command of the situation and was as inspiring as a leader could be in this situation. There was no spin (as far as I could tell), he took responsiblity for his decisions and had a sort of humanity.

    None of the above attributes are in Trump's quiver ever. 

    Looks like we are going to have "America's Governor" pretty soon.

  5. Joe Mandese from MediaPost Inc., March 23, 2020 at 12:15 p.m.

    @Kevin Killion: Interesting observation. Not sure what you're watching, but I've seen plenty of TV coverage about it. Just indexed Google News and it shows 14.6 million results, including many TV news outlets. Including this CNN story from three hours ago: "Nigeria records chloroquine poisoning after Trump endorses it for coronavirus treatment"

    https://www.google.com/search?q=chloroquine&sxsrf=ALeKk03ARy8IrcsiijOrZ61CFZdmIB8RJA:1584979720795&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiktO_J_bDoAhUhgnIEHaSjAz8Q_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1242&bih=597

  6. Douglas Ferguson from College of Charleston, March 23, 2020 at 12:22 p.m.

    I can't believe I'm defending Trump, but Peter Alexander has previously been the most hostile member of the news corp toward Trump, egregiously so, much worse than Sam Donaldson ever was to anyone. So, yes, the timing was odd because it was an innocent softball question and the wrong time for Trump to unload. And yet, an inane question because the President had answered it before in previous briefings.

  7. Kevin Killion from Stone House Systems, Inc. replied, March 23, 2020 at 1:22 p.m.

    This seems to be a key difference between chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine: the former has its place but has more side-effects. I think some of the stuff online uses the words interchangeably.

  8. Kevin Killion from Stone House Systems, Inc., March 23, 2020 at 1:25 p.m.

    And then there is this, from Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday that New York State has acquired 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of zithromax and 750,000 doses of chloroquine to implement drug trials to treat patients with coronavirus, which will begin on Tuesday.

    “We’re also implementing the trial drug,” Cuomo said. "We have secured 70,000 hydrocloroquin; 10,000 zithromax from the federal government. I want to thank the FDA for moving very expeditiously to get us this supply. ... The President ordered the FDA to move and the FDA moved. We’re going to get the supply and the trial will start this Tuesday. The President is optimistic about these drugs and we are all optimistic that it could work. ... I’ve spoken with a number of health officials and there is a good basis to believe that they could work. Some health officials point to Africa, which has a very low infection rate and there’s a theory that because they’re taking these anti-malaria drugs in Africa, it may actually be one of the reasons why the infection rate is low in Africa. We don’t know, but let’s find out and let’s find out quickly. And I agree with the President on that and we’re going to start and we’re going to start Tuesday."

  9. Paula Lynn from Who Else Unlimited replied, March 23, 2020 at 1:52 p.m.

    Peter threw a soft ball 2 feet and comrade puppet couldn't catch it. Even pence did.

  10. Ken Kurtz from creative license, April 1, 2020 at 4:28 p.m.

    Why is Peter throwing softballs at such a critical juncture? To Trump, or Pence?

    They actually both "caught it." And they both executed their respective jobs in the way they responded (by the way, neither truly "answered" the nonsensical question by the "bad reporter" that thought he'd be clever by throwing it out there). Clearly, not clever. Just a silly, wasteful time suck that will help Trump get four more years.

    Still with the "comrade puppet" nonsense Paula when you "revolutionaries" have been so throughly, and shamefully discredited on your Russia hoax? That is a whole other level of sickness...

  11. Michael Giuseffi from American Media Inc, April 1, 2020 at 5:01 p.m.

    I'll defend Paula Lynn.  Anyone that has read all the facts and the Muller report and not come away with the distict belief that Trump is beholden to Putin is delusional, an idiot or both.

  12. Ken Kurtz from creative license, April 1, 2020 at 10:29 p.m.

    Zero evidence that Trump is a "comrade puppet" which is what makes your insistence, and Paula's insistence that he is so shameful, and silly. I understand why you, and Paula, and Joe Mandese stick with that shit though. Because it's clear that if throw that shit up against the wall enough, it will still stick for some.

    Latest numbers show that 165,000,000 Americans still believe that Trump was guilty of "working with Russia to influence the 2016 election" (whatever the hell that means?) even with a dearth of evidence from two investigations. You have your sheeple, half the population, believing in what there is zero evidence to support so, by any, and ll means, keep throwing that shit against the wall, and call the other 165,000,000 Americans that have followed the evidence "deplorable idiots."

    Let's see how far that gets you this time. My guess is less far than four years ago... 

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