Trump mocks the media: ‘Covid shaming us on our big rallies’

FPI / June 16, 2020

The major media is attempting to "Covid shame" the Trump re-election campaign, but it "won't work," President Donald Trumps said on Monday.

On June 14, NBC News failed to mention the coronavirus in a tweet showing a huge crowd packed into an area in Brooklyn to support "Black trans lives." But an hour later, NBC cited "health experts" in questioning Trump's decision to hold campaign rallies amid the pandemic.

That was one example Trump alluded to in a June 15 tweet, saying: "The Far Left Fake News Media, which had no Covid problem with the Rioters & Looters destroying Democrat run cities, is trying to Covid Shame us on our big Rallies. Won’t work!"

In its report on the Brooklyn gathering, NBC noted: “Protesters packed the courtyard of the Brooklyn Museum and surrounding parkway in New York City on Sunday in support of Black trans lives, merging the fight to protect two deeply marginalized groups.” NBC estimated the crowd to be “likely in the thousands.”

NBC did not once mention the coronavirus or risks associated with large gatherings throughout the entire article.

In its article on the Trump rally, NBC focused on the coronavirus risks associated with large gatherings.

“President Trump plans to rally his supporters next Saturday for the first time since most of the country was shuttered by the coronavirus. But health experts are questioning that decision.”

Failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton also warned Trump against holding the rally.

Clinton noted that the Trump campaign includes a liability waiver in the registration for rally attendees on the risks they voluntarily assume regarding coronavirus. "If your rallies come with a liability waiver, you shouldn’t be holding them."

Sen. Bernie Sanders also offered criticism, particularly over the Republican National Convention’s decision to hold the celebration of Trump’s 2020 nomination in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Trump wants 15,000 delegates cheering him at his GOP convention in Florida. No social distancing. His rejection of medical advice endangers not only those there but those they come in contact with.”

Breitbart News noted that "both Clinton and Sanders have failed to extend the same criticisms and warnings to the throngs of protesters flocking to the streets in recent weeks. In fact, Sanders explicitly said he is 'proud of the people standing up for justice and taking to the streets.' Similarly, Clinton has yet to condemn protesters or accuse them of putting others in danger."

Trump's campaign pushed back the date of an upcoming rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after being criticized for selecting June 19, a date which some consider to be a holiday celebrating the end of slavery in Texas.

The change in date to June 20 has done little to dampen interest from supporters. More than 1 million ticket requests were processed for the rally, according to the Trump campaign.

"Almost One Million people request tickets for the Saturday Night Rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma!" added Trump in a tweet Monday.

Meanwhile, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Monday that Trump is unlikely to shut down the U.S. economy again even if there is a resurgence in coronavirus infections.

"The president is absolutely disinclined to shut down the economy, as is the vice president," Kudlow said during a Fox News interview. "You know, I think shutting down the economy could be worse for our health than not shutting it down."

Kudlow said that the recent spike in new cases in some states is the byproduct of increased testing and is not indicative of a second wave of infections.

"These are relatively small bumps. They’re there, I'm not denying it," Kudlow said. "We are testing at 100 times the rate we were a couple of months back in March. So you’re bound to uncover a lot more cases."

Trump tweeted on Monday: "Our testing is so much bigger and more advanced than any other country (we have done a great job on this!) that it shows more cases. Without testing, or weak testing, we would be showing almost no cases. Testing is a double edged sword - Makes us look bad, but good to have!!!"

The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development said in its quarterly outlook published last week that a second virus outbreak, and another round of lockdowns, would inflict deep damage on a global economy already in the throes of the worst recession since the Great Depression.

Free Press International