January 23, 2017

"There are times when we disagree with the facts," said Sean Spicer, just now.

At today's news briefing, going on now.

I think he meant to say: There are times when we disagree about the facts.

He's answering a question about whether he will promise never to lie — he did promise — and it struck me as telling that he said "we disagree with the facts."

ADDED: Spicer just said "cognizant to," instead of the normal "cognizant of." Maybe he's just weird about prepositions. Weird around prepositions. Weird beneath prepositions. 

AND: From the NYT live blog:
Julie Hirschfeld Davis: “Over and over again, there is this attempt to go after this president,” Spicer says. “There’s a rush to judgement every time.” He is back to talking about the King bust flap. This is the White House putting journalists on notice to watch what they report.
Maggie Haberman: This is Spicer channeling Trump pretty purely. Trump genuinely believes he’s been treated unfairly....

Peter Baker: It also reinforces Trump’s status as a more independent president, going against longstanding Republican orthodoxy from the start.

Maggie Haberman: And Peter, on making this bust mistake prominent, it really is a reminder of how asymmetrical covering this administration will be. Any mistake by the press, no matter how quickly it’s addressed, will be amplified to Trump’s supporters, even as the press secretary makes untrue statements.
I'm assuming you know what the "King bust flap" is.

136 comments:

Matt Sablan said...

It reminds me of puzzle games that start, assume X is telling the truth, how do you reach Y? I think Spicer is saying that just because the press sees A, it does not REQUIRE B to be true, and Spicer will disagree with the facts they presume to infer from other facts.

But, who knows.

rehajm said...

When you're looking for a tell everything is a tell.

mockturtle said...

Spicer is doing much better today. However, he is too chatty. Concise answers are usually the best answers.

Rocketeer said...

Spicer is doing much better today. However, he is too chatty. Concise answers are usually the best answers.

I know lots of folks hate the Patriots in no small part because of his grumpy taciturnity, but a Bill Belichick-type as press secretary would infuriate the press and make me overflow with glee.

Mike Sylwester said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Bay Area Guy said...

There's often a disagreement on what the facts are; and a disagreement on the proper interpretation of the facts.

It's funny to see the "fake news" major media try to pin down Spicer on how many people IN FACT attended Trump's inauguration ceremony, as compared to Obama's. Trivial Bullshit, I say.

Mike Sylwester said...

I hope that the Trump Administration did lie about the crowd size -- deliberately in order to enrage so many professional journalists for so long about such a trivial issue.

YoungHegelian said...

If the press continues to expect Spicer to speak expansively & then to pick apart his every verbal misstep, then very soon they're going to be speaking to Mr. Spicer the robot, who mouths nothing but administration talking points.

The press doesn't want this in the long term. They want a blabby Spicer. But, their short term behavior is going to work to their long term disadvantage. Count on it.

Nonapod said...

That was inelegantly phrased.

I'm not convinced that this strategy (whatever it is) is the best solution for dealing with a dishonest press. Countering lies with more lies seems very risky. I could be wrong. I concede that I don't understand this sort of gamesmanship.

James K said...

The media lied about crowd size too--by showing misleading photos (such as taken before the swearing-in) and by pretending to have precise figures when none are available.

Eric said...

Does this mean that the White House press corps is no longer willing to go along with lies? If so, THAT'S a headline.

n.n said...

The facts and hypothesis are in dispute. The framing is beyond controversial.

Baby, it's cold outside. Wrong thread.

traditionalguy said...

The silly man is still pretending the MLK Bust was there. We all know it was in the dumpster, but quickly retrieved and glued back together after the Ace Reporter Exposed the Racists. You did see those kitchen scraps on the Bust?

Come on and get with the program. Until Trump produces absolute video proof of total innocence and a new pure heart, he is guilty as imagined.

Trumpit said...

Thank you professor for my morning (I'm in California) laugh.

Yesterday, I came across a political cartoon by Nate Beeler of the Columbus Dispatch (& Cagle Cartoons); I laughed so hard for a solid five minutes, I kid you not. If you google "Love trumps hate cartoon" or some such you will find it.
It depicts a crazed, apoplectic Hillary supporter holding a burning American flag. You must see it.

Laughing so hard for so long is better than sex by a mile.

rehajm said...

Is CNN there? Were they called on? I need name tags...

Original Mike said...

"Spicer is doing much better today. However, he is too chatty. Concise answers are usually the best answers."

Yes.

He's been doing great until he was drawn into inaugural stupidity. This was the first time I heard a very good explanantion as to why TPP was a bad deal. It's amazing to me, as a pretty careful follower of the news, that I had never heard this before. And I bet when I go read the media output on this event, this won't be reported. I had to listen to an original source. Our media stinks at their (purported) job.

James K said...

"Maybe he's just weird about prepositions."

I have no doubt we can count on some in the MSM to take that quote ("disagree with the fact") and run with it. Obama regularly mangled (sometimes in a Freudian slip kind of way) sentences but his pals in the media gave him a pass.

Unknown said...

In Spicer's place I'd tend to preface every answer with a reminder that I well understand that the questioner's neutrality is a pretense, that the questioner is in fact a hostile operative of the Democratic party, and that, given this, I might choose to tell the questioner to pound sand at any time as a full and complete reply to any question and no one should be surprised or alarmed at this unless and until the dishonest basis on which so called journalism is conducted at present is corrected. Then I might or might not answer. It's probably best that I'm not in Spicer's place.

damikesc said...

Hmmm, they ever ask anybody else to make that promise?

Anonymous said...

I think Trumps first actual enemy in the election is the media. Not the GoP primary candidates or Hillary. They are still not defeated. So there is a way to be fought still. The MSM is an evil that thinks it is good.

damikesc said...

And Peter, on making this bust mistake prominent, it really is a reminder of how asymmetrical covering this administration will be. Any mistake by the press, no matter how quickly it’s addressed, will be amplified to Trump’s supporters, even as the press secretary makes untrue statements.

...because the press doesn't do that. No sir.

He's been doing great until he was drawn into inaugural stupidity. This was the first time I heard a very good explanantion as to why TPP was a bad deal. It's amazing to me, as a pretty careful follower of the news, that I had never heard this before. And I bet when I go read the media output on this event, this won't be reported. I had to listen to an original source. Our media stinks at their (purported) job.

You won't hear a word about it. Then you'll hear the press whine that nobody with Trump can discuss policy.

Anonymous said...

Only one glitch when he rehashed the same stuff about crowd size, viewers of the inauguration, and the erroneous reporting about the MLK bust. When he talks about issues that are important to all Americans, not just partisans, he does a very good job.

mockturtle said...

Rocketeer suggests: I know lots of folks hate the Patriots in no small part because of his grumpy taciturnity, but a Bill Belichick-type as press secretary would infuriate the press and make me overflow with glee.

One can be concise without being taciturn but maybe Trump picked Spicer because he will schmooze the press. Which he seems to be doing today and he also comes across as very knowledgeable.

rehajm said...

even as the press secretary makes untrue statements

He's doing an excellent job repeating what he said and clarifying for the suddenly addled media members. Where's the untrue statements?

Let's go to the transcripts...

Anonymous said...

Spicer shouldn't allow himself to be drawn into more questions about inauguration viewer size, he did it again. He should just say, he's already addressed it.

Quayle said...

I promise that from now on I will never admit to lying to you, if you make the same promise that going forward you will never lie to me.

Do we have a deal? Are you willing to make that promise?

[Do they really think we're that stupid?]

I'm Full of Soup said...

Entertainment Weekly [hardly a right wing site] reported Trump may have beaten Obama's 2009 viewers if it were possible to tabulate Friday's online viewers.

mockturtle said...

Trumpit opines: Laughing so hard for so long is better than sex by a mile.

Luckily for you, huh?

mockturtle said...

Yes, Spicer will learn, in time, not to get sucked into these long defenses.

Anonymous said...

Oh no, please no more alternative facts. Trump's emails directed to the CIA are still out there.

tim in vermont said...

How does one make a 'mistake' like the King bust story?

Anonymous said...

No, it's not important Spicer, stop litigating campaign butthurt. Comes across as whining.

rehajm said...

CrowdGate: Spicer wins Round 2.

Anonymous said...

Wow, he still needs to learn how to focus on today's issues and stop the whining. Why is he doing this, again rehashing the hurt feelings, just stop, pathetic.

Amadeus 48 said...

This reminds so much of the early days of the Obama administration, when the press jumped on every misspoken, grammatically erratic pronouncement of the president and his minions, the way they openly challenged his qualifications for the presidency based on his four years of undistinguished service in the US Senate and not much else, the way they mocked the preposterous award of the Nobel Peace Prize to BHO, the way they bashed the attendees at his inauguration as hopeless dupes and chumps, the way they made that nice Jay Carney promise to stop lying to them, and so much more.

The real problem is not that the press is punching Trump, the problem is that they never punched Obama nor any other Democrat since Jimmy Carter. When I voted for Trump I expected the press to hold him accountable. I knew they would never hold Clinton accountable. So far, all is proceeding as I had foreseen.

Anonymous said...

Wow, oh boy, whaaaaa! Crybaby. He was doing so good for a while.

rhhardin said...

It's phrasal verbs, not prepositions, that he's odd on.

"Disagree with" is a phrasal verb that takes a direct object, contrary to the sentence diagramming fiction that "disagree" is a verb that takes a prepositional phrase.

rehajm said...

He's setting a marker that MSM negative Nellies are no longer entitled to free reign. It will come in handy when there are important issues to discuss.

n.n said...

The Press brought it up, repeated it, and now they are surprised to have the tables turned. The election was a repudiation of the Fourth Estate that can't help but influence our politics and elections.

Why aren't they telecommuting?

tim in vermont:

Presumption of guilt. It's a Pro-Choice thing.

sunsong said...

Trump is the big liar. He has no business asking anyone to be honest. That's just not how things work for liars...

mockturtle said...

In summary: Good presser overall; Spicer was too verbose, too defensive and too accommodating but he shows promise. Exponentially better than Obama's lame Press Secretary.

Anonymous said...

"The Press brought it up, repeated it, and now they are surprised to have the tables turned."

Spicer should know better than to engage the Press on old issues that have been rehashed ad nauseum, especially when he came out of those same conversations with egg on his face. He needs to learn how to dismiss them gracefully and move on.

Chuck said...

tim in vermont said...
How does one make a 'mistake' like the King bust story?


http://www.snopes.com/mlk-bust-oval-office/

The "King bust story" was a Tweet. Not a story; not a column. Nothing that was edited or published under anybody's editorial control. A Time magazine reported Tweeted, mistakenly, about it. And later retracted it publicly. Trump knows how that goes; he had to retract his Birther claims.

These oval office busts have a weird, hyper-partisanized history. There was another huge flap, involving Obama, Charles Krauthammer, Dan Pfeifer, and the partisan press corps concerning one (or two, actually) Churchill busts that had resided in the White House under GW Bush.

Chuck said...

"...a Time magazine reporter..."

FullMoon said...

sunsong said... [hush]​[hide comment]

Trump is the big liar. He has no business asking anyone to be honest. That's just not how things work for liars...



Sagacious comment. Your comments always make me feel smart.

Mark Caplan said...

Spicer meant he disagreed about the allegations. It would be absurd to disagree about the facts, since by definition a fact is a statement presumed to be true.

Bob Ellison said...

Spicer is going to last about five more minutes.

cheddar said...

Feelings got hurt. Press doesn't care about feelings. Poor feelings.

Drago said...

"lifelong republican" Chuck: " A Time magazine reported Tweeted, mistakenly, about it. And later retracted it publicly. Trump knows how that goes; he had to retract his Birther claims."

You have no idea if it was a "mistake". You have no way to determine that.

That tweet was retweeted thousands of times and made it everywhere in social media.

Your defense of this lie in service to the lefty MSM and the dems is, once again, duly noted.

Anonymous said...

"Spicer meant he disagreed about the allegations. It would be absurd to disagree about the facts, since by definition a fact is a statement presumed to be true."

What? Ya haven't heard of Alternate Facts?

Amadeus 48 said...

Sunsong--Obama was a liar too. What's your point? Is it that you liked Obama and you don't like Trump?

FullMoon said...

Chuck said...

tim in vermont said...
How does one make a 'mistake' like the King bust story?


http://www.snopes.com/mlk-bust-oval-office/

The "King bust story" was a Tweet. Not a story; not a column. Nothing that was edited or published under anybody's editorial control. A Time magazine reported Tweeted, mistakenly, about it.
....

Why would you accept that , Chuck?
MLK, and the Idea of MLK, is huge. Bigger than Rosa Parks, Jessee Jackson, Sharpton, Maybe second to Obama. Removing the bust would be more than an insult, it would be a salute to KKK,Nazi, Aryan Brotherhood.
If Chuck was there and did not see the bust, would Chuck get his lazy ass out of his chair and make sure it had been removed?
I would, and I am a simple ,poorly educated, blue collar guy.

traditionalguy said...

Battling Narratives is the new Reality TV show produced by DJT Television. So don't expect purity in the Dramatic setups. Think WWF show business You need good guys...handsome blondes with great hair, and several disgusting Evil Guys...scruffy, bearded dark haired guys, and a couple of retarded dunces as Referees.

And in this corner is the undisputed Bombastic Champion wearing the WWF Belt and a Bullet Proof Vest with his corner men from The United States Secret Service who will be going through the cash Gate looking for counterfeit.

Spicer is just the ring announcer.

cheddar said...

Presser was going well until the five minute rant about feelings.

Feelings, nothing more than feelings,
Trying to forget my feelings of love.
Teardrops rolling down on my face,
Trying to forget my feelings of love.

Feelings, wo-o-o feelings...

Luke Lea said...

I imagine Ann may take back her prediction that Spicer is not up to the job and won't last long. Hopefully, for everyone's sakes, saturday may turn out to have been an anomaly.

Drago said...

Chucks psychotic need to help bring down Trump in order to retroactively make himself feel better about his exposed incompetence in understanding all things "political" over the last cycle is often times uncomfortable to witness.

He could easily be Robbie Mook or Jennifer Palmieri or one of the other dem "inferiors" who seek to patronize us, as Peggy Noonan so brilliantly noted.

Amadeus 48 said...

So Henry8--how many wives have you had? Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived, right?

See if you can connect up with a guy called America's Politico. You and he have a lot in common and he's never wrong. I hear he is set up big for a position in the Clinton administration. Maybe you can catch on.

I'm Full of Soup said...

The tweet by the Time reporter, Zeke Miller, was malicious, hateful even.

He was striving to prove that Trump is a mean-spirited racist. Yet the only thing Miller proved was that he was a biased & incompetent reporter who was unable to accurately report on the true contents of an approximately 900-1,000 square foot office.

Fernandinande said...

Schrödinger's Fact.

Anonymous said...

"So Henry8--how many wives have you had? Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived, right?"

How'd you know?!

Pookie Number 2 said...

Any mistake by the press, no matter how quickly it’s addressed, will be amplified to Trump’s supporters, even as the press secretary makes untrue statements.

I wish I could ask Maggie Haberman whether she believes that 'Any mistake by Trump' will be amplified by the press.

Drago said...

Fernandinande: "Schrödinger's Fact."

#ThingsIWishedIdWritten

JackWayne said...

The thing I liked best about the press conference is Spicer's use of the word "duplicity" in place of duplication. If there's one thing government is good at, it's duplicity.

Drago said...

The real media message today ought to be "Trump makes strides in keeping campaign promises".

Of course, the media and their "Chuck" allies will focus on crowd size, the protests, frivolous lawsuits and basically anything else that helps the dems.

By the way, Carol Costello on CNN just this morning "accidently" said that the "dossier" that was out in the public eye had been "prepared by our intelligence services".

Another "accident", no doubt. Only a partisan or some idiot "lifelong republican" would believe that.

Chuck said...

Drago said...
...
Your defense of this lie in service to the lefty MSM and the dems is, once again, duly noted.

1. I did not defend any "lie."
2. I did not offer one word of defense, for any "lefty media."
3. I correctly corrected the mistaken notion that this was any kind of Time Magazine "story." I correctly indicated that it was a single reporter's Tweet. And not a "story" in any regular journalistic sense.
4. I said not one kind word about the Democratic Party or any part of their agenda.
4. I totally forgot, to compare this situation to the dozens of times that Donald Trump has presented false information on his own Twitter account.

Drago said...

Chuck backfills quickly, to no avail.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Pookie- I follow Maggie Haberman on twitter. Her tweets are nonstop and anti-Trump which would be fine if she were not a member of the alleged objective MSM.

Drago said...

AJ Lynch: "Pookie- I follow Maggie Haberman on twitter. Her tweets are nonstop and anti-Trump which would be fine if she were not a member of the alleged objective MSM."

Chuck will be along shortly to minimize Maggies obvious bias.

Gusty Winds said...

I watched about 1/2 hour of the press conference live, and one reporter wanted to focus on who was actually laughing and cheering at the CIA visit. He had a belief that Trump imported his own people into the first rows to cheer, and his question was slanted as such.

The press can't accept the fact that "decent people" (my favorite Nigel Farage term) like Trump voters, a majority of military personnel, and now rank and file CIA think they are full of crap.

They know they are full of it, but are now lost that they see everyone else knows it too.

Jim Acosta from CNN is a douche-bag.

Unknown said...

Eustace Chilke: "In Spicer's place I'd tend to preface every answer with a reminder that I well understand that the questioner's neutrality is a pretense, that the questioner is in fact a hostile operative of the Democratic party, and that, given this, I might choose to tell the questioner to pound sand at any time as a full and complete reply to any question and no one should be surprised or alarmed at this unless and until the dishonest basis on which so called journalism is conducted at present is corrected. Then I might or might not answer. It's probably best that I'm not in Spicer's place."

Excellent. I may have to steal that.

Chuck said...

I don't follow anybody on Twitter. And I have no Twitter account. And I feel so much better about my life, for not having one.

Drago said...

Chuck: "I don't follow anybody on Twitter. And I have no Twitter account. And I feel so much better about my life, for not having one"

What a fascinating and self-defeating "grasping at straws" attempt to deflect from your obvious minimizing of what is clearly another attempt by an MSM member to paint the Trump administration as racist.

That you thought it might be effective illustrates clearly why you should never be allowed anywhere near the levers of decision-making power for any substantive endeavor.

exhelodrvr1 said...

If the press starts providing reasonably balanced coverage, the White House will stop picking apart every error.

Chuck said...

Gusty Winds said...
I watched about 1/2 hour of the press conference live, and one reporter wanted to focus on who was actually laughing and cheering at the CIA visit. He had a belief that Trump imported his own people into the first rows to cheer, and his question was slanted as such.

That's you, projecting. See, the thing is that even if you simply stick to this blog, Ann Althouse was making not of the significance of the laughter and cheers of the audience at CIA-Langley, as if it signified genuine humor on the part of Trump, and general good will toward Trump on the part of CIA staffers.

If in fact the 400-person gathering was packed at the front with Trumpkins, or selected Trump fans at CIA, then no one should presume anything from the crowd reaction.

That, in fact, is my position. I presume absolutely nothing from the crowd's reaction. Not good, bad, indifferent, forced, coordinated, etc.

Although personally, it did strike me at the time as having been a bit forced and awkward.

steve uhr said...

Comparing crowd size with Obama's is pretty meaningless given the political make up of DC and its burbs. Tv viewing numbers are even more meaningless since I would think his detractors are as interested in what he had to say as his supporters ... And who wants to miss the Piano Guys.

Drago said...

"lifelong republican" Chuck beclowns self in single post.

"Early in the post" Chuck: "That's you, projecting."

"Later in the post" Chuck: "Although personally, it did strike me at the time as having been a bit forced and awkward."

Chuck is really quite a hack.

Drago said...

steve uhr: "And who wants to miss the Piano Guys."

You watch yourself mister....

Levi Starks said...

Nobody in the press would have dared insult the Obama administration by demanding from Josh Hearnest that he promise never to lie. It was expected from the his very first day that he would hedge the truth to make Obama look good every time he came to the podium. And the mainstream media loved him for it.

Levi Starks said...

I know it's Earnest.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

If Spicer's weirdness onto prepositions works because he can't quite be pinned up as from his meaning, then everyone in public life will soon be Spicering their speech.

Tommy Duncan said...

I have said for a long time that as a conservative my real opposition (or enemy) is the media. The Democrats are just along for the free ride.

It appears Trump shares my opinion.

It is notable that one of the reasons the Democrats are struggling now is their recent history of relying on the media to carry them to victory. The long faces on election night told the story: Alternative media sources had overturned the media's election control. No longer could the media pick the winners.

James K said...

"I correctly indicated that it was a single reporter's Tweet."

The reporter was speaking on behalf of the press pool. And for better or worse, a tweet is much more likely to be seen by millions of people than some Time magazine story. As the saying goes, "A false tweet can go halfway around the world before the truth gets its boots on."

Funny all these "mistakes" by the media all in the direction of demeaning Trump. Usually mistakes should randomly go both ways.

Kevin said...

[I]t really is a reminder of how asymmetrical covering this administration will be.

Any mistake by any Administration official will be broadcast by hundreds of news outlets. Any mistake by the hundreds of news outlets will be swept under the rug, unless specifically called out by an Administration official.

Asymmetrical indeed.

Todd said...

Amadeus 48 said...

When I voted for Trump I expected the press to hold him accountable. I knew they would never hold Clinton accountable. So far, all is proceeding as I had foreseen.

1/23/17, 1:54 PM


The press will not only hold Trump accountable for the actions of him and his administration, they will hold him accountable for every action of every non-true blue liberal that says or does anything, at any time that could possibly be viewed in less than a perfect light. He will be ultimately, personally responsible for every single ill that befalls this planet!

The exact polar opposite of Obama.

mockturtle said...

Chuck=sound...fury...nothing.

Pookie Number 2 said...

Pookie- I follow Maggie Haberman on twitter. Her tweets are nonstop and anti-Trump which would be fine if she were not a member of the alleged objective MSM.

Thanks - that was my assumption.

You know, the media's undeniable dishonesty means that if Trump ever does anything actually wrong, he'll get away with it. Probably not good for the country.

Todd said...

sunsong said...
Trump is the big liar. He has no business asking anyone to be honest. That's just not how things work for liars...

1/23/17, 2:02 PM


Well if we are to be honest, he got recent lessons from the best!

"If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor, period" and other such wonders.

The lies just won't go as far for him because he has the wrong letter after his name.

I don't want ANY lies to go unchallenged but after the press spent the last 8 years letting the Obama administration pull trains on them for free, it is hard to take them serious when they claim virgin status now.

Clyde said...

They feel that their mission is to hold Trump's feet to the fire, but Trump's people plan for the hotfoot to go both ways. The media think that Trump's trapped in the room with them, but really, they're trapped in the room with him. It's going to be an entertaining four years as media sensibilities get bruised.

n.n said...

Pookie Number 2

if Trump ever does anything actually wrong, he'll get away with it

No, it just means that people will wait for independent confirmation and analysis. There is no way out, only a delay, which approaches a lower limit as more people are involved. The challenge, as always, is to separate the wheat from the chaff. Professor Althouse's web log is one place where that threshing will occur.

AllenS said...

Spicer: "OK, I agree not to lie. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance, and you'll all save $2500 a year! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

rcocean said...

"I watched about 1/2 hour of the press conference live, and one reporter wanted to focus on who was actually laughing and cheering at the CIA visit. He had a belief that Trump imported his own people into the first rows to cheer, and his question was slanted as such."

Yeah, it was hilarious. 400 people in attendance and 10 were Trump's people. The reporter kept asking "What about the other 30"? As if 40 people can sound like 400.

Dumb.

n.n said...

Clyde:

It's about time that the Press has a competing interest willing and capable of holding them accountable. They will be better for the experience. And Americans should expect that this market mechanism will improve the quality of the information that we receive from both sources.

Gusty Winds said...

Chuck said

If in fact the 400-person gathering was packed at the front with Trumpkins...

It wasn't, and that was confirmed at the press conference today. But using the word Trumpkins is you projecting. That way anyone who supports him in an official or simply voting capacity can be written off as a hillbilly. There are lots of Trumpkins in the military. Fifty-two percent of white women are Trumpkins. And so are rank and file CIA who more than likely think Brennan was a politicized ass.

Trump to CIA first visit: I am 1000% behind you. We have to defeat ISIS. There is no rift.

Obama to CIA first visit April 2009: After releasing the interrogation technique memos, please don't be pissed. I was just trying to embarrass the Bush administration. I know it hurts you too, but you guys are great.

clint said...

"Maggie Haberman: This is Spicer channeling Trump pretty purely. Trump genuinely believes he’s been treated unfairly...."

I love the way she phrased this.

I'm fairly sure that President Trump also genuinely believes that the Earth is round and water is wet.

Gusty Winds said...

I wish Trump would come out and wear one of those pink pussy hats and swear he appreciates everyone's right to protest.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

AJ Lynch: The tweet by the Time reporter, Zeke Miller, was malicious, hateful even.
He was striving to prove that Trump is a mean-spirited racist. Yet the only thing Miller proved was that he was a biased & incompetent reporter who was unable to accurately report on the true contents of an approximately 900-1,000 square foot office.


This is the nut of the story right here. I (a lifelong Republican) do not attribute mistake when malice is the more likely answer. TIME wants to paint Trump as a racist. The same TIME that made Obama darker on a cover for some weird reason. How can that skinny shiny magazine afford to have a WH reporter?

Drago said...

Clyde: "The media think that Trump's trapped in the room with them, but really, they're trapped in the room with him. It's going to be an entertaining four years as media sensibilities get bruised"

Chuck hardest hit.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Chuck: I don't follow anybody on Twitter. And I have no Twitter account. And I feel so much better about my life, for not having one.

And yet you defend this reporters "mistake" as if you can read his mind. This is how racial tensions are kept at a simmer, by dishonest lying media who create racial narratives about a candidate and then Tweet, write, talk and Instagram about how racist Trump and Republicans are. And you excuse them. You literally make excuses for TIME freaking magazine to minimize the harm they are doing. Why? Because he "took it back" in a retraction? That's the oldest freaking Press trick in the book: Make wild unsubstantiated claims that race around the world and rest in the knowledge that less than 1% of the eyeballs that see the fake "story" (and Tweeting is publishing, you asshat) will ever see the retraction.

How many retweets did the retraction get, Chuck? Was it as well publicized as the despicable LIE that Trump removed MLK's bust? No it wasn't. Damage done. Thank God for Sean Spicer and his appearance yesterday.

Chuck said...

Gusty Winds said...
Chuck said
"If in fact the 400-person gathering was packed at the front with Trumpkins..."
It wasn't, and that was confirmed at the press conference today


If you believe Sean Spicer, that is. Did you hear that reporter's question? He indicated that sources at the CIA say otherwise. So he asked the question, got an answer, and now we seem to have two competing narratives.

And as for you, Mike; I suppose that Time could have just ignored the (erroneous) Tweet about the King bust. But the reporter corrected himself as soon as he was notified of the error. Would Trump have done that? Has Trump ever done that? The birther back-down was one, albeit a terrible example of any Trump self-correction. He blamed it on Hillary.


Drago said...

"lifelong republican" Chuck: "But the reporter corrected himself as soon as he was notified of the error."

You have no way of determining if that is true or not. Define "as soon as".

Not to worry, your continued and now even more elaborate minimization of a clear #FakeNews political hit designed to foment racial discord with the Trump admin is, once again, duly noted.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

No, asshat, the reporter is supposed to verify the story before hitting the button to publish it. As noted elsewhere his Tweet found far more eyeballs than if he had waited to verify and then published in TIME, because nobody reads TIME anymore. It was not an error, and I don't know why you keep repeating that lie. It was a deliberate hit by the dishonest media specifically to paint Trump as a racist and you helped. Your unnatural hatred for the man you voted for blinds you to the sins of the media, and you keep excusing that bad behavior.

Trump was not MEDIA. He was a private guy who sent a PI after the birth certificate. So what? He had no publishing platform and was roundly criticized for his actions. Why do you insist on comparing him to a PROFESSION he is not part of? Trump had literally nothing to do with the bust dust-up. It's you and TIME who are acting despicably.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Fake News is OK if it matches the sky in Chuck's world!

Known Unknown said...

It's simple.

I expect politicians to lie and obfuscate. It's practically in the job description.

I expect the press not to.

Let's just say I've been sadly disappointed by one of them over the past many years.

Fabi said...

Commie Chuck dives in to once again defend the MSM and -- once again -- use lefty Snopes as his proof. Lulz

Chuck said...

Hey Mike. You ignorant cocksucker.

A Tweet is indeed technically a "publication" for purposes of libel. Publication could include a private letter, as far as that goes.

But this Tweet -- as I have already explained while you were too ignorant, with your head too far into Donald Trump's figurative rectum to notice -- was not a "publication" from Time magazine. It was on the reporter's own account. It was not featured in the magazine, or on the magazine's website. It was not edited by an editor. The reporter, in his rapid-response retraction and apology to all involved, said it was on him alone. It was a single Tweet by one reporter on his own account. Not much of a journalistic movement.

You can't find any anti-Trump bias at Twitchy. I think that they wanted to portray this as a bad mea culpa for the reporter. Yet I think it helps the reporter come off as having made a sincere, comprehensive, and prompt apology. Sean Spicer's admonition about "the media danger of tweet first check facts later" is so freaking appropriate for Spicer's boss.

http://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2017/01/20/sean-spicer-gets-apology-day-1-from-time-reporter-over-incorrect-mlk-jr-bust-tweet/

Gk1 said...

Gee, why do these "mistakes" the media make always seem to smear a republican? Does anyone have any idea? It always just hits one side for some crazy coinky-dink. I'm sorry, but no one really believes this was an innocent mistake at this point. Zeke Miller is a piece of shit and should have his livelihood harmed.

Kevin said...

If you believe Sean Spicer, that is. Did you hear that reporter's question? He indicated that sources at the CIA say otherwise. So he asked the question, got an answer, and now we seem to have two competing narratives.

I see how this works:

1. Media "hears" something.
2. Spicer denies.
3. Media reports Spicer's denial, repeating the hearsay and saying there are "competing narratives".
4. Repeat

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Maybe Chuck can explain why Schumer stabbing Pompeo in the back is the right thing to do too.

Kevin said...

Apparently "Alternate Facts" are only to be derided if claimed by the Administration, but are perfectly fine if claimed by the media.

eric said...


If you believe Sean Spicer, that is. Did you hear that reporter's question? He indicated that sources at the CIA say otherwise. So he asked the question, got an answer, and now we seem to have two competing narratives.


Sources I'm telling you, sources!

Sources say Chuck is a lifelong Republican.

Drago said...

Vichy Chuck: " The reporter, in his rapid-response retraction and apology to all involved, said it was on him alone."

Define "rapid-response".

Vichy Chuck: "It was a single Tweet by one reporter on his own account. Not much of a journalistic movement."

That was retweeted thousands of times across all platforms.

Your excuse? But I'm not even on Twitter!!eleventy

There is no action by the anti-conservative media so despicable that Vichy Chuck won't support, defend and amplify it.

Fabi said...

That MLK tweet was retweeted three thousand times, but it wasn't published! Lulz

Drago said...

Mike: "Maybe Chuck can explain why Schumer stabbing Pompeo in the back is the right thing to do too."

Vichy Chuck NEEDS Trump to fail...because Vichy Chuck has issues.

Fabi said...

Vichy Chuck is a keeper, Drago!

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Of course you do, Chuck. The reporter PUBLISHED A FALSE STORY. I don't care where or how or why he apologized. He should have spent that time verifying the story before publishing. Saying sorry doesn't undo the damage. Keep making excuses for them. They really need your help since they are held in lower esteem than Congress, lawyers, and used car salesmen. Oh snap! You're on that list!

While you were learning to lie, cheat and lawyer I was editor and manager of an award winning newspaper. I would have fired this guy in a second. Measure twice, cut once is not just good advise for carpenters and mohels. It's important for people who disseminate information to the public, in order to hold our trust. That this asshat still has your trust says more about you than him.

walter said...

Maggie "Helpful Conduit" Haberman

Chuck said...

You fanatics.

You may be worse, than the Obamabots. Your guy can do no wrong. The press and the opposing ideologues are all out to get him.

You know, Mike, if you wanted to take me on, about something like Chuck Schumer's record, you ought to know about things I have written in the past on this blog's comments, concerning the senior senator from New York. And then you might know, how I have criticized Schumer/Durbin/Leahy/Biden/Kennedy in the harshest terms, throughout my time here.

But you're too stupid. Too lazy. Too devoted to Trumpism.

walter said...

Thank God all that focus on Russia protected exposed journos' jobs.

Quaestor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Fabi said...

"The press and the opposing ideologues are all out to get him."

Only a Vichy Republican would suggest that claim to be false. The monomaniac fanatic is you, Chuckles. Chuck, mirror -- some assembly required.

Quaestor said...

But you're too stupid. Too lazy. Too devoted to Trumpism.

And you use bad grammar like it's a badge of virtue, Chuck.

Quaestor said...

Chuck wrote: The "King bust story" was a Tweet. Not a story; not a column.

Ignorance of the culture is no excuse, Chuck. When a Time magazine reporter tweets it is a report. You wouldn't accept such a lame excuse for an ill-considered tweet posted by President Trump. Granting your political allies the doubt you are wont to ruthlessly deny Trump and his myrmidons is lowbrow, to say the least.

Zeke Miller was about to pee himself with glee when the MLK bust wasn't immediately visible. He tweeted the story because he wanted the anti-Trump meme to carry his byline. By using Twitter he hoped to beat the other agencies to the punch. I note that he didn't even tarry long enough to wait for the security agency to move out of his line of sight. I also note that he apologized to his "colleagues", but not to the man he hoped to impugn.

BTW, using a semicolon doesn't magically transform framents into independent clauses.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

While the press continues to worship Obama -- Trump blew up TTP.

Chuck said...

Mike if you wanted to fire this Time reporter for this error, you'd have fired Donald Trump, for this:

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/erick-erickson-reacts-donald-trump-214563

and this weird list of Tweets:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/09/10/donald-trump-s-most-despicable-tweets-about-9-11.html

or this long list of Tweets:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/09/16/donald_trump_s_birther_tweets_in_order.html

madAsHell said...

He had a belief that Trump imported his own people into the first rows to cheer

It's called projection. Hillary would stage manage such an event, so Trump must also.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

oops - TPP.

Fabi said...

Real Attorney Chuck vomits a tu quoque fallacy.

Unexpectedly.

John henry said...

How about this for a FACT:

Sean Spicer never said, at least not in the Sat night presser, that it was the biggest crowd ever.

President Trump never said, that I can find, that it was the biggest crowd ever.

Both did say it was a big crowd and it was. All the way back to the monument.

Not sure what Kellyanne Conway said Sunday morning that got Chuck Todd so tangled up but I don't think she said it was the biggest crowd.

Someone can point me to the line in the transcript if I am wrong about her.

Or to a President Trump or Spicer comment that the crowd was the biggest.

Otherwise the press should just STFU. They are making a big to do about something that was never said.

It is bad enough for them to be fools. It is even worse when they open their mouths and prove it.

John Henry

Jon Ericson said...

What's that to the right?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Chuck, Trump doesn't have the responsibility a reporter has to tell "the facts" on Twitter. Why are you so obtuse? You keep setting up straw men, just like Obama. I haven't PRAISED Trump at all. It's all in your mind. I disagree that the Press has a right to lie on Twitter and then pretend it was a mistake. For saying they shouldn't lie about Trump you accuse me of having my head up Trump's ass.

"Your guy can do no wrong"? I never said that or anything like it. Again a straw man you constructed to argue with, when the point is the Press lying.

Maybe I just started noticing you here when you went all 100% anti-Trump all the time, nitpicking. No I've never read your criticism of non-Trump people, except for your harsh treatment of people who voted for him. As if we endorsed his entire life by choosing not to put the witch in the WH! We aren't selecting a Pope or a babysitter; we elected a President.

Tell the truth I despised Trump when he used to appear on Fox and Friends back when I had to get up at 3:30 to commute. Hated Mondays more because this orange idiot was on TV when I wanted to here the news. When he declared I thought it wouldn't last. When he got high support I was amazed. But it became clear he had the most passion and the was the only person in the race who would dare to take on the Clinton machine. As he fleshed out his policies I cheered. When he racked up states in the primaries I was stating feel hopeful. I never wavered in wanting him over Hillary. I never believed she really had a chance (maybe I was wrong) because all the long-term trends were against her, despite what looked like widespread support. She is weak and a bad candidate.

What I never did was look at Trump as a Savior. Nor did I see him as an evil force. He obviously is a man of good cheer, warm to his friends, compassionate. He's an oddity in that he seems like a blustery fool at first blush, but is a wise and wily hard worker behind the scenes who plays the long game. And by God he did it. He said he would and he did. That was refreshing.

Give him a chance, lifelong Republican. Give him a chance.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

I presume nothing, I take no position, I don't have the data necessary to hold a solid opinion.

Although personally it sure did seem like something fishy was going on...

Do you hear yourself, man?

Ann Althouse said...

The King bust FLAP is a story, an ongoing one. The original tweet started the story.

I never called the tweet a story. I called the flap over it a story.

Drago said...

Mike: "Give him a chance, lifelong Republican. Give him a chance"

Vichy Chuck cannot afford to give Trump a chance. Quite the opposite really.

Chuck is one of those guys with little vision or strategic capability who adopted the persona of the far superior political analyst. Trump's win obliterated everything he said and because it is Vichy Chuck who is brittle and prickly and defensive he cannot EMOTIONALLY afford to have Trump win.

Thus Vichy Chuck will do what he can to help the left and anyone else pull Trump down, even if it means taking the Republican party down with Trump.

Todd Roberson said...

Can we all agree to move forward with "Vichy Chuck" and deep-six "Lifelong Republican" Chuck?

The "Lifelong Republican" thing is really played out and tired.

(No offense meant, Chuck.)

EsoxLucius said...

Ladyfingers finds the Presidency demoralizing. Welcome to the real world. At this rate, the cheto hairball will quit before he gets impeached.

Bad Lieutenant said...

If by "quit" you mean "fly off into his post-presidency on Special Mission ##### on January 20, 2025," Esoxlucius, I couldn't agree more.