J.R. Salzman rips the media over its coverage of Ben Carson's $31,000 table

Greg P. | 2:20 PM on March 21, 2018

Twitchy favorite J.R. Salzman, who is a professional woodworker if you didn’t know (really — check out his site — the products are amazing) took to Twitter to criticize the media with a must-read thread on Ben Carson’s now infamous $31,000 dining room table.

First up, the $31,000 doesn’t just buy a table:

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976187021289930753

(And note this isn’t a defense of government employees enjoying a luxurious lifestyle on taxpayer dime)

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976188118091972609

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976188941953941504

It’s about honesty in reporting on just what Carson was looking to buy. The $31,000 is for a set, including chairs and a hutch that’s custom made out of hardwood. Do the media folks mocking the cost actually know what they’re talking about, because it doesn’t sound like they do:

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976189887543107584

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976190453501476864

Now here’s what goes into making a custom hardwood table:

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976192323934568448

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976193169657180161

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976193916205547520

And just how much do these journos think the furniture cost in their executive conference room? Maybe they should do articles on that:

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976195329535045632

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976195738794274816

More on the difference between the two types of products:

https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976196561234374657

Also of note, John Kelly was mocked for saying the $31,000 set might have made sense economically. Well, actually, he was right: