Posted on 04/10/2020 11:40:27 AM PDT by Magnatron
I have vociferously defended the news value of the White House Coronavirus Task Force daily press briefings, shoving back hard against the embarrassing, anti-journalism demands of anti-Trump media figures insisting that they be censored or boycotted. I will continue to do so. But that doesn't mean that I believe that the pressers are being wielded or executed properly or wisely by the president, or that their format shouldn't be revamped. In a Thursday house editorial entitled "Trump's Wasted Briefings," the Wall Street Journal's editors argue that Trump is too often squandering these news conferences by allowing them to descend into petty feuds, as they drag on for hours on end. There's a point of diminishing returns, they say, and Trump's current format and posture aren't serving the country's interests -- or his own political interests -- particularly well:
The briefings began as a good idea to educate the public about the dangers of the virus, how Americans should change their behavior, and what the government is doing to combat it. They showed seriousness of purpose, action to mobilize public and private resources, and a sense of optimism. Mr. Trump benefitted in the polls not because he was the center of attention but because he showed he had put together a team of experts working to overcome a national health crisis. But sometime in the last three weeks Mr. Trump seems to have concluded that the briefings could be a showcase for him. Perhaps they substitute in his mind for the campaign rallies he can no longer hold because of the risks...
They last for 90 minutes or more, and Mr. Trump dominates the stage. His first-rate health experts have become supporting actors, and sometimes barely that, ushered on stage to answer a technical question or two. Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the task force, doesn’t get on stage until the last 15 minutes or so. That becomes the most informative part of the session, since Mr. Pence understandably knows details the President doesn’t. Mr. Trump opens each briefing by running through a blizzard of facts and numbers showing what the government is doing—this many tests, that many masks, so many ventilators going from here to there, and what a great job he’s doing. Then Mr. Trump opens the door for questions, and the session deteriorates into a dispiriting brawl between the President and his antagonists in the White House press corps.
The press plays right along and is too relentlessly hostile and antagonistic, but that dynamic is also exhaustingly familiar. The editorial goes on to admonish the president that his political "outbursts" are "notably off-key at this moment," making the case that the upcoming "election is now about one issue: how well the public thinks the President has done in defeating the virus and restarting the economy...[voters] will judge Mr. Trump by the results, not by how well he says he did." The editors close with some advice:
If Mr. Trump wants to make his briefings more helpful to the country, here’s our advice. Make them no more than 45 minutes, except on rare occasions. Let Mr. Pence lead them each day, focusing on one issue or problem. Mr. Pence can take the questions, and Mr. Trump can show up twice a week to reinforce the message.
In response, the president clumsily lashed out on Twitter (as he is wont to do), earning a deserved slap-down from Brit Hume:
This is a ridiculous tweet. He could get his views across without bragging, endlessly repeating himself, and getting into petty squabbles with the junior varsity players in the WH press corps. And he could stop talking much sooner to give Pence, Fauci, Birx and Giroir more time. https://t.co/ui7sN3WgGx — Brit Hume (@brithume) April 9, 2020
This isn't about NFL-sized ratings or beating the "fake news" media. It's about keeping an anxious nation consistently and reliably informed in the midst of a once-in-a-generation public health crisis, and the resulting economic disaster. The more Trump has strayed into absurdity and animosity, the less the American people have been impressed:
Even as Trump boasts of big ratings for his daily briefings, approval of his handling of coronavirus has flipped negative since March. pic.twitter.com/h0MiX04DJQ — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) April 10, 2020
As for the Journal's counsel, while I think that Vice President Pence does a superb job at these pressers, suggesting that Trump surrender the stage five days a week is unrealistic. He's the president, and I have no problem with him wanting to preside over parts of either most or all of the briefings. But reining in the format and limiting the duration of these daily events is an excellent idea. Sprawling, two-hour marathons lack focus and are just too much to digest, even when things don't go off the rails. Former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer has been suggesting this for weeks: Recommended
It’s good the President is accessible to the media. But these press conferences should go no longer than 30 mins. When it goes this long, the press tends to runs out of science-based or substantive Qs. And POTUS can’t resist smacking them. Shorten these things. — Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) March 29, 2020
Trump's public protestations aside, his team appeared to heed some of the recommendations -- at least for one day. Thursday's briefing was approximately one hour, and the sequence made a lot more sense, as I observed:
Much better today POTUS info Handful of POTUS q’s VP/Experts info Handful of q’s “See you tomorrow” Roughly an hour Make this standard — Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 9, 2020
Hoping for discipline and consistency from this president may a quixotic aspiration, but he and his communications team would be very smart to recognize that time is precious, that driving targeted messages is advantageous, and that they shouldn't fritter away these events with political feuding. It's neither the time, nor the place.
Editor's Note: Want to support Townhall so we can keep telling the truth about China and the virus they unleashed on the world? Join Townhall VIP and use the promo code WUHAN to get 25% off VIP membership!
Trump might take some friendly advise here...
Yeah...I kinda sorta agree. But enjoy El Trumpo giving them hekk
I’m sure he will adjust on the other hand he can do what he wants and they can cover what they want
The Wall Street Journal always “forgets” to mention that the ratings for the White House Press Briefings are “through the roof” (Monday Night Football, Bachelor Finale, according to @nytimes) & is only way for me to escape the Fake News & get my views across. WSJ is Fake News!
This was not one of my favorite Trump tweets. This really isn't about ratings.
Yep.
KISS it. Three main points, take three questions and end it with three firings.
Go pound sand
I watch and listen to every one; but I turn off when Trump leaves
BTW, I’m ready to open businesses...maybe not the hot spots, but elsewhere....Trump knows how to motivate people to follow his advice. People respect him.
“Friendly advice” from who, Never Trumper RINO Guy Benson?
Disagree...Trump was, is and will always be different...one of the many things they can’t stand about him. He wants to communicate directly with the people, in his own way...and maybe tangle a time or two with the corrupt media. I always get a kick out of the way he handles the pressers because it is almost the antithesis of the way things “are supposed to be” within the DC bubble...keep it up POTUS.
I like Trump, not so much Guy.
I couldn’t agree more. They are WAY too long, too full of mutual admiration, too low on new content.
They should adopt a twice or thrice weekly BRIEFing with key points delivered succinctly. Include a written Executive Summary of the key points, too, so we wouldn’t have to wade through 90 minutes of audio visual crap. Select no more than two or three “reporters” by lottery to ask a question that day with no follow-up or pestering allowed. Give succinct answers, then exit stage left at 30 minutes. I’m sure Trump ran his boardroom meetings like that. The top execs I’ve worked for had little tolerance for unfocused, meandering presentations. A few of those and you were done for.
Trump is using these to replace his big rallies and it isn’t working. He’s getting too much exposure and it is not looking good.
The press doesn't play along, they start the rancor. According to the WSJ, the press is not the problem?
I doubt that Pence should lead these since Pence probably isn't up to pushing back when the press corps comes up with their ugly, slanted questions.
His critics here raise legitimate points, but I think they’re focusing too much on the informative side of this.
He mentioned ratings because the WSJ narrative was that they are no longer watchable. Context!
“This was not one of my favorite Trump tweets. This really isn’t about ratings. “
well, ratings means MANY millions are watching, which means WSJ is full of shit with their call to “clean up” these briefings ...
I want him to move these to outside vs. in that small cramped room.
Fresh air outside now. Change of scenery. Make it shorter. I haven’t watched them for 3 days now. Too long, the press is crazy, I can’t stomach Fauci anymore. Now going forward it will be illegal and crude and rude to shake hands cause he says so.
Ughhhhh....
Trump should always take the advice of the global citizens of the WSJ /sarc
WSJ -Never Trumper a-holes.
Agree. They need to be short, fast, hard-hitting, intolerant of press BS, factual, contextual and devoid of preening before the press by all. Also, he needs to lose Fauci, IMHO.
Trump shouldn’t pay any attention to the WSJ. Who cares what they think. Rag paper anyway.
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