Trump's Press Conference Thurs 2/16

[bae]

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/us/politics/donald-trump-press-conference-transcript.html

I saw a few video clips of this conference used by some of the evening comedy/news shows, and figured the moments used were taken out of context, and had a few laughs.

Then yesterday I had a bit of free time, so I settled in with my rowing machine and watched the entire press conference, because surely it couldn't be as bad as was being represented...

So...did any of you watch the whole thing? What did you think?

[Teacher Terry]

I did watch the whole thing and it was pathetic. I really do think he is MI.

[flowerseverywhere]

i went to the link but could not read the whole thing. I believe this is where he told the black reporter to set up a meeting between him and the black Caucasus? Because all black people know each other presumably.

And where the young Jewish man was told to sit down even after calling him a kind Jewish name for grandfather?

When he said that he has done the greatest job ever and has done so much since he has been in office. Exactly what?

the continual press attacks are frightening.

[CathyA]

I thought it was horrible. What's also disconcerting is all the people who attended his "rally" in Florida the other day. They love him and think he's so wonderful. On the Sunday news shows this morning, one person said that he thought he had the rally to feel good about himself, since the past weeks had been so hard. He needed his ego stroked. I agree with Teacher Terry that he is mentally ill. He lies constantly and has his own reality. I'm sure in the future he will be used in college psyche classes as the perfect example of a narcissist.
About the press conference..........I know the journalists didn't want to lose their jobs, but it must have taken quite a bit of self control to not scream back at him.....and maybe throw rotten tomatoes....

Some of the political news people say that he will slowly learn how to avoid these episodes, but I'm sure he'll continue on as he has been. Nobody tells Donald J. what to do.
What did you think, bae?

[iris lilies]

I listened to part of it and watched a bit of it while running errands. The TV bit I saw was while I was standing in the lobby of the bank.


Anyway, as much as I think Trump is temperamentally unsuited for this job, I can't get bent out of shape about what he said and how he said it during this press conference, the parts I heard, anyway.


He was taking the media to task. I think mainstream media all too often is stupidly centered in the same 15 second sound bite that shows up in headlines news bits all over the internet, ramming home the same boring anti-Trump overly simple message, but that does not mean anything should be "Done about it" other then talk to and about them. I heard Rand Paul, my favorite senator, just 15 minutes ago quoted on NPR as saying (paraphrase) chill out people, Trump has not proposed legislation to silence the media. Just calm down.

I would imagine Rand is as sick of the media circus us as I am.

And perhaps the mainstream media should stop taking the bait and should get over themselves that they themselves are too often The Story they report.

One of my favorite Trump memes goes "ya think this guy wont get Mexico to pay for the wall? Helloooo! He got the mainstream media (who hate him) to pay for his campaign. "

So true! Not that I really think he will get Mexico to pay for a wall other than through creative accounting, but it is funny.

Rand Paul was also quoted on NPR yesterday about the Russian involvement in our recent election. Again, providing a voice of reason, he said that the FBI and and Justice dept need to handle it and if there is reason to go forward, they will do so. There should NOt be a special prosecitoe assigned to this thing.

what, specifically, do you all onject to in this press conference? Be specific. And objective, if that is even possible.

[CathyA]

This is how I'm feeling these days.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f129/Catherine50/Rod%20and%20Trump.jpg

[Rogar]

I listened to most of it. Opinion...I though his attacks on the media and misrepresented defense of his "smooth machine" were more scary than any previous talks. I browse the NYT and Washington Post most days and I think they indeed are getting carried away and pick up on trivia and try to make a big deal of it, but they also have some very good editorials and journalism. His attacks on the press were at the least intimidating and I think he is dancing on the border of inhibiting freedom of the press. Those were my main takes but his handling of the black reporter were totally out of line. It was mostly an unprofessional ramble about the great Trump.

[CathyA]

Well IL, if you don't mind liars, then you're probably fine with him. How can you say "Be objective........if that's even possible." What an insult. The man lies constantly.
One of the conservative news people said something like "you shouldn't listen to his words.......look only at his actions." How absurd is that.......that you shouldn't be able to trust what the U.S. president says on a regular basis? Something is wrong.

[jp1]

I watched the press conference all the way through, although admittedly I had to drink a beer to get through it. My opinion is that he isn't good at listening to questions. Or even pretending to and then answering with "That's a good question." and then pivoting to a planned talking point that is only tangentially related to the question, as most politicians have learned to do. The way he dealt with the jewish guy is a prime example. I don't think Trump even heard the question. And he certainly didn't address the man's concerns.

The guy in this clip from John Oliver at 2:26 nails the press's problem with Trump's disconnection with reality and honesty. "this is what makes covering trump so very difficult. What does he mean when he says words"

https://youtu.be/xecEV4dSAXE?t=2m26s

[iris lilies]

I listened to a bit more of the Trump press conference focusing on the bit with April Ryan and Trump's request of her to make a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus. That was silly and rather stupid.

Trump's speech had super duper simplistic ideas delivered in braggadocio style. That is typical of Trump . Exaggeration maybe considered lying, clearly CathyA thinks it is.

Elijah Cummings, the black Congressman Trump said wouldnt meet with him after several tries- claims he never turned down a meeting with Trump. Now that actually seems like a truth to me, but we dont really know, do we?

As far as the CBC acting miffed because they requsted a meeting with the President who has been in office for all of 30 days, that's just business as usual as in any organization. Really folks, 30 days. And perhaps the CBC isn't the priority in the world they think they are.

I thnk Trump attacks on the media could certainly turn into something sinister but not everyone thinks so. The reporter I heard on NPR summarized Trump by saying, amoung other things, that he showed his charming and friendly side and gave fast paced commentary about his s first month in office. I was surprised to hear the word "charming" out of her mouth, but it also crossed my mind that she may be setting herself up to be a friendly face that Trump always calls on, who knows.

The things that annoyed me about the Trump speech was his quacking on about the mess he inherited, typical politician. He gets to do that for up to two years and he has to STFU. Then the talk Ng about "were gonna fix the inner cities" and other bs--yeah. Nope. But that is typical politico speech.

[jp1]

At first i thought the whole exchange with the black reporter was obviously racist. But then i flipped it on it's head and imagined if Trump had been interacting with a Breitbart reporter and said 'hey, can you hook me up with a meeting with the cingressional kkk caucus?' No one would have been surprised beyond asking why he hadnt just asked asked Bannon to arrange the meeting.

[Florence]

Dementia.

[JaneV2.0]

I remarked to a friend that I was surprised that he didn't ask April Ryan to get him a cup of coffee and shine his shoes...

Am I repeating myself to note that Trump is a massive embarrassment? He hasn't the faintest idea how civilized people behave in public, let alone how a president comports himself. As an American, I'm mortified every time he opens his mouth.

[CathyA]

You know, I'm sure there have been many presidents for many people, who disagreed with their plans for all the various things going on internally, and internationally. But they usually present their ideas with reasonableness and not outrageousness.........not constantly using extreme superlatives, or fairly unreasonable/radical ways of doing things. But not Trump.
He's in it for Donald and Donald alone. He's in it for praise and adoration. He's not a team player. He wants to be the King. He's a master manipulator. Does that take intelligence? Probably. I see him and his thinking as running through a maze. When he comes up on an obstacle, he redefines reality to appear to still be the "winner". My concerns are also with the huge number of people that don't seem to factor these characteristics into their assessment of him. He speaks to the Id in everyone. And many people have Ids that are just too large. And Trump gives them permission and encouragment to stay in that part of their psyches.

[Teacher Terry]

As others have expressed I have never been embarrassed by a president before. I guess there is a first time for everything:|(

[jp1]

As others have expressed I have never been embarrassed by a president before. I guess there is a first time for everything:|(

Well, there was that time that W tried to give Angela Merlel a backrub...

[bae]

What did you think, bae?

I mentioned in my original post that I thought the media had perhaps taken the funny/absurd bits out-of-context for comedy/spin value, which was what prompted me to watch the entire press conference.

What I observed was far worse than the out-of-context quotes had suggested. What concerned me wasn't so much the topics he was bringing up, but his manner of speaking, his attitude, his body language, his disregard for facts, and a few other things.

If I walked into an emergency call, and I found someone speaking/acting in this manner, I'd be concerned that they had suffered an injury, or were ill in some way, or had a chemical imbalance, and I'd consider that they require some serious evaluation. At this distance, people "diagnosing" him aren't acting professionally, as they haven't interviewed him, taken a history, and done any sort of science-based examination, but what I saw in this press conference gave me serious concerns that There's Something Amiss.

And I'm a right-wing loon, according to some.

Now, I was also disappointed at many of the questions and followups asked, I think the media could have been more direct, clear, and forceful.

[CathyA]

.......If I walked into an emergency call, and I found someone speaking/acting in this manner, I'd be concerned that they had suffered an injury, or were ill in some way, or had a chemical imbalance, and I'd consider that they require some serious evaluation. At this distance, people "diagnosing" him aren't acting professionally, as they haven't interviewed him, taken a history, and done any sort of science-based examination, but what I saw in this press conference gave me serious concerns that There's Something Amiss...............

Yes!

[bae]

Yes!

A&O 2 or 3 :-)

[JaneV2.0]

Well, there was that time that W tried to give Angela Merlel a backrub...

And his many hilarious malapropisms that seem almost charming in retrospect..."Is our children learning?"

I deplored many of his actions and the militaristic oil-grubbers he surrounded himself with, but he was worlds away from this evil clown, who has certainly set a new, appalling standard.