This article was published more than 5 years agoGift ShareKayleigh McEnany, who has been plying her trade as a pro-Trump pundit on CNN for a while, jumped ship to the Trump Team over the weekend. And Sunday, she It is real spin, at best. And it feels a lot like real propaganda — or state TV.In her first 90-second segment, McEnany makes a number of questionable claims, most notably about the credit President Trump deserves for continued strong economic growth. Below, I've transcribed the whole segment, with some reality checks interjected.Hey, everybody. I'm Kayleigh McEnany. Thank you...…This article was published more than 5 years agoGift ShareKayleigh McEnany, who has been plying her trade as a pro-Trump pundit on CNN for a while, jumped ship to the Trump Team over the weekend. And Sunday, she It is real spin, at best. And it feels a lot like real propaganda — or state TV.In her first 90-second segment, McEnany makes a number of questionable claims, most notably about the credit President Trump deserves for continued strong economic growth. Below, I've transcribed the whole segment, with some reality checks interjected.Hey, everybody. I'm Kayleigh McEnany. Thank you...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareThe United States is still struggling with the coronavirus in a way that the vast majority of other countries — particularly in Europe — . President Trump has responded not by doubling down on the fight or addressing the danger, but by downplaying the threat. His favored argument in recent days is that the uptick in cases is due to increased testing.But the data don’t back up that claim. Tellingly, Trump’s commentary is increasingly at odds with GOP allies in the hardest-hit states — the ones most familiar with and...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareThe United States is still struggling with the coronavirus in a way that the vast majority of other countries — particularly in Europe — . President Trump has responded not by doubling down on the fight or addressing the danger, but by downplaying the threat. His favored argument in recent days is that the uptick in cases is due to increased testing.But the data don’t back up that claim. Tellingly, Trump’s commentary is increasingly at odds with GOP allies in the hardest-hit states — the ones most familiar with and...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareEarlier this week, President Trump shrugged off questions about police killing black people by saying . This is very technically true, but it’s also given the fact that we have many more white people in this country. Per capita, there is no comparison. Data have shown black people are about to die at the hands of police.So White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany took another shot at it Thursday. It wasn’t much better.At a White House briefing, McEnany explained Trump’s comments thusly:“He was noting a fact that there...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareEarlier this week, President Trump shrugged off questions about police killing black people by saying . This is very technically true, but it’s also given the fact that we have many more white people in this country. Per capita, there is no comparison. Data have shown black people are about to die at the hands of police.So White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany took another shot at it Thursday. It wasn’t much better.At a White House briefing, McEnany explained Trump’s comments thusly:“He was noting a fact that there...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift SharePresident Trump’s began nearly two months ago. As it has progressed, GOP critics have pleaded — — with the White House to substantiate the moves.On Tuesday, the White House effectively thumbed its nose at them.White House counsel Pat Cipollone to Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), a longtime advocate for inspectors general who has recently prodded for more information about the purge. Grassley has said the White House’s substantiation — that the inspectors general had lost Trump’s confidence — is insufficient and it needs...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift SharePresident Trump’s began nearly two months ago. As it has progressed, GOP critics have pleaded — — with the White House to substantiate the moves.On Tuesday, the White House effectively thumbed its nose at them.White House counsel Pat Cipollone to Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), a longtime advocate for inspectors general who has recently prodded for more information about the purge. Grassley has said the White House’s substantiation — that the inspectors general had lost Trump’s confidence — is insufficient and it needs...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift SharePresident Trump has been focused on shifting blame for whatever becomes of the coronavirus outbreak. And on Sunday, he set about blaming hospitals and states for the to deal with the situation.During the daily White House briefing in the Rose Garden, Trump suggested that hospitals had squandered or done worse with masks and were “hoarding” ventilators, and that states were requesting equipment despite not needing it.Trump’s boldest claim was about masks. He noted that current demand wasn’t commensurate with what hospitals...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift SharePresident Trump has been focused on shifting blame for whatever becomes of the coronavirus outbreak. And on Sunday, he set about blaming hospitals and states for the to deal with the situation.During the daily White House briefing in the Rose Garden, Trump suggested that hospitals had squandered or done worse with masks and were “hoarding” ventilators, and that states were requesting equipment despite not needing it.Trump’s boldest claim was about masks. He noted that current demand wasn’t commensurate with what hospitals...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareNear the start of his daily briefing on Monday, President Trump made a statement that betrayed, better than just about anything, how he views the purpose of such briefings.Before playing a campaign-style video intended to show his decisive action on the virus and to accuse his critics of being the actual culprits on downplaying the threat, Trump cued it up by talking about what he wanted to do after it played.“Most importantly,” he said, “we’re going to get back on to the reason we’re here, which is the success we’re...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareNear the start of his daily briefing on Monday, President Trump made a statement that betrayed, better than just about anything, how he views the purpose of such briefings.Before playing a campaign-style video intended to show his decisive action on the virus and to accuse his critics of being the actual culprits on downplaying the threat, Trump cued it up by talking about what he wanted to do after it played.“Most importantly,” he said, “we’re going to get back on to the reason we’re here, which is the success we’re...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareWhite House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her latest news briefing Tuesday. And as with her previous ones, she put the “brief” in “briefing” — it ran only about 20 minutes.But that was plenty of time for McEnany to engage in some massive false claims, gaslighting and whataboutism.Early in the briefing, McEnany was asked about President Trump apparently ridiculing his probable 2020 opponent, Joe Biden, during a Memorial Day ceremony in Delaware on Monday.McEnany’s response to this question might have been the most...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareWhite House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her latest news briefing Tuesday. And as with her previous ones, she put the “brief” in “briefing” — it ran only about 20 minutes.But that was plenty of time for McEnany to engage in some massive false claims, gaslighting and whataboutism.Early in the briefing, McEnany was asked about President Trump apparently ridiculing his probable 2020 opponent, Joe Biden, during a Memorial Day ceremony in Delaware on Monday.McEnany’s response to this question might have been the most...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareA few weeks ago, within the Justice Department. Attorney General William P. Barr announced that U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman — a man who had launched investigations of President Trump’s allies and secured a guilty plea from Michael Cohen that — had resigned.Then Berman denied it.Then Barr announced, the next day, that Trump had fired Berman anyway. Berman agreed to step down.Since then, the question was: What on Earth had happened?Did something get mixed up? Or was this part of to force Berman’s removal, in which Barr...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareA few weeks ago, within the Justice Department. Attorney General William P. Barr announced that U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman — a man who had launched investigations of President Trump’s allies and secured a guilty plea from Michael Cohen that — had resigned.Then Berman denied it.Then Barr announced, the next day, that Trump had fired Berman anyway. Berman agreed to step down.Since then, the question was: What on Earth had happened?Did something get mixed up? Or was this part of to force Berman’s removal, in which Barr...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareToward the end of the 2016 election, then-candidate Donald Trump infamously told Hillary Clinton that if he became president, “.” When at the 11th hour of the election the FBI announced it was further probing Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state, Trump responded, “This is the biggest political scandal since Watergate, and it’s everybody’s deepest hope that justice at last will be beautifully delivered.”But shortly after Trump was elected, it seemed, delivering justice was no longer needed. He...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareToward the end of the 2016 election, then-candidate Donald Trump infamously told Hillary Clinton that if he became president, “.” When at the 11th hour of the election the FBI announced it was further probing Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state, Trump responded, “This is the biggest political scandal since Watergate, and it’s everybody’s deepest hope that justice at last will be beautifully delivered.”But shortly after Trump was elected, it seemed, delivering justice was no longer needed. He...WW…

This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareSecretary of State Mike Pompeo has claimed that his recommendation to fire an inspector general who was investigating him , because he did not even know about the investigation.But from the inspector general, Steve Linick, casts more serious doubt on that already dubious claim.In a news conference a few weeks ago, Pompeo claimed that he did not know about Linick’s investigation of Pompeo and his wife’s alleged use of State Department staff for personal errands.“I have no sense of what investigations were taking place...…This article was published more than 2 years agoCommentGift ShareSecretary of State Mike Pompeo has claimed that his recommendation to fire an inspector general who was investigating him , because he did not even know about the investigation.But from the inspector general, Steve Linick, casts more serious doubt on that already dubious claim.In a news conference a few weeks ago, Pompeo claimed that he did not know about Linick’s investigation of Pompeo and his wife’s alleged use of State Department staff for personal errands.“I have no sense of what investigations were taking place...WW…