First thing, in case you missed it (word is that MSNBC and CNN and the broadcast networks cut away from President Trump’s coronavirus briefing this evening), the president made it clear that it’s not sustainable for the nation to stay closed and that some sort of balance would have to be worked out.
President Trump says that because of the size of the American economy, "we can't turn that off and think it's gonna be wonderful. There will be tremendous repercussions… probably more death from that than anything we're talking about with respect to the virus." pic.twitter.com/EyDCF1rj7Y
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 23, 2020
"We can do 2 and 3 things at the same time."
We are the greatest country on earth. We can kill the virus, without killing livelihoods
We will protect workers and safeguard seniors. We will build hospitals in hotspots and ignite the economy in the heartland
We adapt. We win. pic.twitter.com/hWtaxhriAH
— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) March 24, 2020
Even ABC political analyst and national scold Matthew Dowd agreed with the president to some degree:
I believe President Trump is right about at least one thing today. We must find a balance between protecting citizens health and protecting our economy. Decimating our economy in pursuit of fighting the virus doesn’t do our citizens any good in the short or long term.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) March 23, 2020
Unfortunately, CNN’s Jim Acosta, who’s supposed to be the one presenting the facts to us, gave his tweet in the form of a question:
Big practical implications for what Trump is recommending… Is Trump saying Americans can go to the airport again? Is he saying people can go out to dinner again? Back to the beach?
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 23, 2020
They’re doing it again.
They’re taking what Trump actually said and projecting something else into it.
I actually watched this presser by accident. This is not what Trump was implying. https://t.co/Mm97MY8am5
— RBe (@RBPundit) March 23, 2020
That's what they always do. It's no different now.
— GTI_guy_ (@GTI_guy_) March 23, 2020
They think we are dumb
— Indie (@AUcomeback) March 23, 2020
My feed suggests they are correct.
— Matt (@mattowanHP) March 23, 2020
I thought it was a very positive briefing. That it was hilarious how @CNN turned it off halfway through and started talking shit once again about the President. Flipped to other news channels and they were still airing the Briefing.
— Doc Green (@docgrizwald) March 23, 2020
You think you're mad now. Just wait until the doomsday projections don't pan out and then the media, rather than accept fault for inducing panic on bad evidence, tries to say that the credit goes to Dems for saving us all. It's 100% going to happen. ONE. HUNDRED. PERCENT.
— James Graham P. (@JamesGrahamP) March 23, 2020
Saying Jim Acosta is publicly acting in bad faith is like saying the Pacific Ocean is quite damp.
It's true, but it doesn't really tell anyone with a room temperature IQ or higher something they didn't already know…
— VekTor (@VekTorBK) March 23, 2020
Most responses to Acosta’s tweet are along the lines of the president’s going to get us all killed and he needs to be removed by invoking the 25th Amendment. But just this morning, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the one Jennifer Rubin says the media should be covering, said practically the same thing:
BREAKING: Gov Cuomo: “We have to plan the pivot back to economic functionality” Says we may not have to isolate everyone. Could allow the healthy, less vulnerable to work. #COVID19 survival rate is 98%. NY Forward plan to look into restarting economic engine.
— Anthony Pascale (@AntPascaleNY1) March 23, 2020
Cuomo: “At some point you have to open the valve because this is not sustainable.” Says he has no second thoughts about keeping all non-essential workers home despite damage to the economy. Says there will be political consequences but claims he doesn’t care.
— Anthony Pascale (@AntPascaleNY1) March 23, 2020
Cuomo: "The First order of business is to deal with this health crisis. We are still in the relative calm before the storm. Once we get through health crisis, we will plan for economy."
— Anthony Pascale (@AntPascaleNY1) March 23, 2020
To be clear….Cuomo said we have to "plan" the pivot. There is no plan to abandon the NY Pause plan anytime soon.
— Anthony Pascale (@AntPascaleNY1) March 23, 2020
Nor is Trump suggesting everyone hit the beach tomorrow, despite Acosta’s tweet. Funny how it’s so wise when it comes from Cuomo’s mouth.
* * *
Update:
It looks like CNN’s Chris Cuomo tried to make a controversy out of Trump’s statement with his brother Andrew, who turns out to be on the same page as the president.
Chris Cuomo brought his brother NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo on and tried to bait him into hitting President Trump for worrying about the economy and he sounds like he agrees more with Trump: "It’s a false choice to say public health or restart the economy." pic.twitter.com/auk8lyPkhO
— Benny (@bennyjohnson) March 24, 2020
Related:
NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces ‘trials on potential drug therapy recommended by Trump’ (media hot takes at risk of aging POORLY) https://t.co/Ltj6r3AAT5
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) March 21, 2020
