Let’s examine some reporting and a statement from President Donald J. Trump.
We start with a Monday night report on NBC Nightly News, from usually reliable chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel. He was reporting on Sweden’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was, basically, to ignore it and hope herd immunity protects its 10 million citizens.
Regular readers know I did that subject a few days ago and the facts and stats were fresh and on hand. Why did I zero in on Sweden? Because there could be something important to learn from measuring its experience against ours.
“So far, Sweden has seen over 2,000 COVID deaths in a population of 10 million, similar to the mortality rate, per capita, as the U.S.,” he reported.
Stop the tape.
The actual numbers, easily found online, show Sweden’s death per capita to be .21 to our .09. Would you call double “similar”? Not in my universe. Why would he characterize it that way?
“Sweden has more deaths than its neighbors,” Engel continued, “but says its is a long-term solution, with little economic impact.”
Not just “more deaths” than its neighbors, which sounds insignificant. Sweden has six times more deaths than Denmark and almost 10 times that of Finland. Those are huge multiples and I can’t imagine why Engel would so minimize them. Is this soft advocacy of Sweden’s policy? That is not his job. Engel didn’t lie, but he mislead.
I emailed my questions to him Tuesday morning to see if he still supports how he framed the story. I got no reply by late Tuesday night.
A few days earlier on MSNBC’s 9 a.m. show, host Stephanie Ruhle wanted to fact-check a statement repeatedly made by Trump that the U.S. has “done more testing than any other nation.”
She brought in numbers-cruncher Steve Kornacki, whose speciality is analyzing political polls for the cable network.
He didn’t fact-check the president’s statement at all. He immediately turned to examining how many tests the U.S. had done per capita. Now, it is as fair to examine per capita numbers here as it is to examine Sweden’s mortality rate, but not when you were trotted out to be checking raw numbers. That was the president’s claim and it is a fact.
What is not a fact is Trump’s oft-repeated claim that the U.S. economy before the pandemic was “the best economy in U.S. history” or “the best economy in the history of the world.” It did have record low unemployment, and it may have been the best this century, but no more than that and it’s hard to believe Trump doesn’t know it.
Where has report the facts gone? It’s gone forever. There needs to be a new moniker for reporters who insist on pushing an agenda. Opinion reporter comes to mind. I watched the President the night he berated a CNN reporter. Not his finest hour for sure but when I flipped on CNN for perspective the lower line claimed… Trump has meltdown. Very far from the truth. I’ve watched previous Presidential updates even a year ago and watched ABC David Muller cry, The President lashed out. I thought I missed something do I went back and watched again. There was no Lashing out. Look, I get it. The man can be a total asshole. He did build the greatest economy we ever had in many ways. I’m sure he can do it again. That’s my opinion. That’s why I’ll vote for him again. At least I can clarify that it’s my opinion and not news.
Most reporters are objective, but Trump has created a new norm, where some elasticity is now permitted. I prefer stick to facts.
Stu – I have always admired your approach to professional reporting exactly because you do stick to facts. Thank you for doing so. And good morning! Bob
Thanks Bob
Stu, While I have disagreed with you occasionally on your opinion, one thing I can never do is disagree on your presentment of facts. You have never tried to twist facts to fit what you say. Please continue to be the man you are.
Trump just picked up the economy where Obama left it: In pretty-good shape.
People tend to overlook that important fact. Glad to hear someone mention it.
I was thinking if any of us were president and had helped bring the economy to the levels where it was pre-covid, even if Obama or whomever had left it in pretty good shape or not, wouldn’t we be a little satisfied, a bit glad, even a smidge grateful that things were looking pretty good for all of us? And our families? Wouldn’t we be happy for that person who got us, with help, to this point? Would any of us care about his or her shortcomings, foibles, manners, or narcissistic ways, etc.? (we all have egos) Would we care if either democrat or republican? (left out Socialist for the obvious).
For example, if Richard Engel were president for the past three years, and had similar weaknesses or even our delightfully talented host, Stu, I would be crazy not to vote for either, even if having not the first time. God knows I dont have to defend Trump, he does that well enough, (lots of experience).
It’s this constant, dare I say, Hate for one man, so palpable from everywhere that puzzles me. All this unnecessary anxiety we carry around…daily.
Unemployment was low, employment was high, food still plentiful, Hollywood was flourishing, news anchors were still earning hugh salaries, etc, etc., yet this uncontrollable lashing out. I haven’t the slightest??? It’s, I suppose, deep seeded?
And who knows why, what drives news agendas? I will refrain here from opining, except, freaking politics!!
You ask if any of us would care about a president’s “shortcomings, foibles, manners, or narcissistic ways” if the economy was in excellent pre-COVID shape. The answer is that it depends on the president. In Trump’s case he has paid off a porn star, mocked a handicapped reporter, said women like it when you grab them by the pussy, asked if it were feasible to nuke a hurricane, and said (allegedly sarcastically) that injecting disinfectant into one’s body might help stave off Coronavirus. So my answer is “Yes, I care about his shortcomings, foibles, manners, and narcissistic ways.” Regardless of how well the economy is doing, he is a loathsome, unintelligent person, who isn’t worthy to be president. And please don’t compare him to President Clinton or other morally bankrupt leaders. I feel the same way about them.
In a perfect world we wouldn’t be concerned about morality. You could say that Washington, Jefferson, (but not the Adamses who owned no slaves), JFK, Nixon, FDR, and many others didn’t deserve the presidency based on their morals. If morality is the barometer for leading, there would be few. All presidents have been duly elected by an incredible process that our great country is fortunate to have. And it was formed by an imperfect people with many weaknesses. And a civil society needs good government.
After I read more about JFK and his shortcomings, a man I admired so much, I was disappointed to say the least. Also Ike and FDR, though a little before my time. But they all turned out to be pretty good presidents, despite their foibles. The irreverent Donald Trump (a businessman, an outsider) comes in to politics and all hell breaks loose to stop him, not because he is stupid, unintelligent, bad mannered, narcissistic or a has myriad of other weaknesses. Hell breaks lose because he is, and they know he will be, the biggest threat to their ingrained narcissistic, bad mannered, stupid, unintelligent Washington DC bureaucracy. They plainly are scared. “He ain’t breaking up our club” my words.
Based on the former presidents I mentioned above, none of them would have been worthy of the position. I said early that we know who Trump is. I’d rather have a good economy, and not worry about the person. Camelot’s a good example. Lower taxes! #Metoo would have smothered JFK.
Here is an inconvenient fact- the median age for death from coronavirus is 84 be it Sweden or the US or Azerbijan.Those dying are not Kids playing football or going to the beach but old people like the questionably talented JohnPrine who thus far is the best poster child for this we can come up with.I’m with Sweden.
speaking of hate, what is his problem with his predecessor? more votes,bigger crowd at inaugural,etc? and no, I don’t hate trump, It’s not Christian…he should try it sometime(sermon on mount, two Corinthians, three John) I can only pity anyone so bereft of basic humanity/decency
Dan,
I believe Trump likes Obama, in fact that they have chatted. The problem is what I have stated….politics, whether we like it or not. We all need to lighten up as I have stated. This too will pass. Deal with the present!
Tom
With all of the negative comments from tRUMP, directed at President Obama, even before President Obama was elected why do you think tRUMP likes him?
Ok H,
Trump likes people. Trump was never political, neither left or right and never ideological, like many pols, especially Obama. I’m not knocking ideology nor Obama. He was my president for eight years and although we were in disagreement, I respected the Office and after being dismayed at his reelection, I got over it in two days and got back to my life.
As far as Trump, he’s stated publicly that he gets even with those who cross him, even if once a friend. He revels in confrontation. That’s who he is and it’s out there. That’s real transparency (Utube 1993 Rhona Barrett) He likes Obama as I do. He likes him because Trump is naturally gregarious. I believe Obama is, also. I see Obama as a good man, husband and father, but we disagree politically. If we as people judge or dislike by what we see on the surface, we will never get past our differences. And if we only
choose what we favor politically we will be stuck in the past. Remember The Reverend Martin Luther King?
Remember John Fitzgerald Kennedy? And other Democrats as well as Republicans.
Thanks for asking
Tom
Thank you Tom. I do appreciate your well thought-out, and well expressed answer. However, I have never read, or heard of anything from tRUMP which leads me to the conclusion you stated, that he likes President Obama.
Now it is possible I am somewhat dense, (There is an opening for you Tom. LOL), so please tell me what I failed to see in your reply to me.
H,
I dont need to see it like a doubting Thomas. I sense it, I trust my feelings. It’s the same as the way I feel about liking Obama as I stated. And it’s my opinion. I dont need to hear or read someone else’s view. I like Mr Trump and Mr Obama for very different reasons.
Now we are getting somewhere to gentlemanly debate our differences no matter how opposite they appear.
Tom
I think I understand Tom. tRUMP liking President Obama is something you feel, or believe in your gut. You are not basing it on anything you have read or heard. Am I correct?
I have never had a problem with debating like a gentleman. Where I do have a problem is when I answer someone’s question, (not you), and ask a legitimate question in return, I am ignored as if they are afraid to answer or they think I do not deserve an answer because they disagree with me or even they think they are superior to me. I base it on the same thing you are basing tRUMP liking President Obama, my gut feelings.
H
You complicate the simple. I have said I like both presidents. It matters not why, nor need I explain on an open forum, but I did.
Others who comment here freely say what they want, but rarely ask for an answer. We are not better than you or afraid. You imply that…. check. You also demand….check. We, including both of us, state opinions, and even if Stu ask a question we are free to not answer. I suggest, with due respect, to relax, to think, not react.
Tom
Stu, I think you strive mightily to be even-handed and fair. But I disagree with your statement that ‘most reporters are objective.’ In fact, I believe most reporters have an agenda, and with 90% of them identifying themselves a ‘liberal,’ it is impossible for them to keep their leanings out of their reporting. Here is one small example: when Bush the Younger was running for president, the reporters at CBS dug up every bit of info on him they could: his grades at Yale, his service in the Air National Guard, his problem with alcohol, etc. In fact, a terrific movie was made about how CBS fudged the truth, which eventually forced Dan Rather to apologize on air, and which cost him his job (among others involved in the scheme to get Bush). Now, Obama… went to Harvard, right? Not ONE bit of info on Obama was ever dug up by ‘objective’ reporters — no grades, none of his writings. (he supposedly edited the Law Review, but nothing about that has ever come to light), no other students he went to Harvard with were ever interviewed, none of his professors was ever interviewed, how he paid for his education has never come to light, et cetera. Obama got a pass, probably because he was black (which, ironically, is a form of racism). Most reporters are NOT objective; most have an agenda.
Vince there are problems with what you said. First, how do you know there was anything negative to “dig up” on President Obama? If there had been how come reporters who disliked him were unable to find anything? I am sure you do not seriously believe every single reporter was on his side, or do you?
Next, you calling it racial is a slap in the face of President Obama. You ignore the people who openly said they did not want a Black President. You ignore the what the birthers said and tried to do. Why do you choose to ignore these and other truly bigoted things?
I seems to me you are saying the reporters have an agenda simply because they do not agree with your agenda.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle explained the answer to your questions best: He wrote of the dog that didn’t bark. Look it up. (I’ll save you the trouble: The fact that there were no reports of anything bad in Obama’s background does not mean reporters searched his background. And certainly fears of being branded racist affected decision making on what to report on Obama, the first black president. Charges of racism, like other -isms, is the refuge of scoundrels.)
For the record, I disliked Obama from the moment he said he was going to ‘fundamentally change America.’ What an arrogant thing for him to have said.
Vince,
Don’t know Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but have a neighbor who had a dog that didn’t bark, literally. I don’t know the breed.
Tom
HAPPY WEDNESDAY !!!
Stu,
Nice article. You obviously can’t work for any of the big networks. They don’t appreciate the truth ! You, my friend, always try to walk the straight and narrow. It’s so easy to fall into the multiple traps of either condescending or exaggeration or worse. It was a fair assessment of President Trump, regarding the economy. For the most part, President Obama was on the rise after a tough middle quarter. I know that it’s not Kosher to give the other party credit. Especially in these trying times. As Tom and Vince point out, what kind of a world would this be, if we judged each other on , say, politics alone ? Somehow, I’ve always been able to separate a person from his opposites towards me. We can be civil or we can be friends, without destroying the others character. Nothing is really accomplished when a person rants and raves and screams and curses.
As for President Trump, et al. “The Donald & 45” or his nicknames. Mr. Obama was “No Drama Obama”. George W. Bush was “Dubya or 43” etc. I think President Trump will be know as “The Great Exaggerator “, not to be confused with “The Great Communicator”.
As for “why does everyone hate Trump so much?” I believe that his concept of “draining the Swamp” is really upsetting almost everyone. Think about the possibilities of you, a congressman, getting rich on a federal paycheck. It’s one thing to horse trade and negotiate for a better bill to pass. It’s quite another to sell yourself. In days gone by, we had the shakeup in the ’70s. with FBI masquerading as Arabs. Then in the ’80s, it was just greed and corruption that sank a number of congressmen. It’s the same on the outside. “Let me take you to lunch”, ” Let’s go golfing”,”come stay at my villa in the keys” etc, etc, etc. The longer that your in congress, the better the chances of wealth finding you.
Donald Trump is a lot of things, and contrary to popular belief, most of them things are good. His name is on a lot of things, but it is the investors that actually are the owners. As a business man, his primary duty was to make money for the investors. As President of the United States of America, is primary duty is to protect the people of this country. All of the people. He steps on a lot of toes looking after the working man. His tenure in office had mostly positive results for us out here in the streets. Mr. Trump took a lot of abuse and punishment showing his concern for the working man. The fake news is right there with their masters. People of power who care for them selves rather than us. They will destroy any one who interferes in their quest for the gold. Up until now, almost everyone was sleeping together. Along comes an outsider who wont play their game and it’s a battle. Hopefully, America wakes up and supports President Trump in his battle to save America.
Tony
There have been good and bad things about Trump but a few of polices have panned out. Everyone’s 401Ks and IRAS were soaring going into this pandemic. His policies on both N Korea and Iran have gone against the norm and who knows how they will turn out. I for for was tired of the cat ant and mouse games both countries were and are playing. Maybe we have a shot at resolving both situations instead just placating it. It call on China was spot on even before the virus. China was and now is raping us. Most is our own greedy fault. The one good thing the virus has done is shown how badly reliant were were on China especially medical. I don’t know if the media will ever giving him his due but he is untitled to some. Please don’t tell him he might get a big head.
Last line, finally a chuckle!
Thanks