The Associated Press, not exactly a White House favorite, has shot itself in the foot.
The following retraction is nothing short of humiliating:
‘The Associated Press has withdrawn its story about U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard saying President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘are very good friends.’ Gabbard was talking about Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The AP will publish a corrected version of the story.’
Whoa! How do you run that piece in the first place without having it nailed down?
The wire service, you may recall, is suing the Trump administration for ousting its reporters from the White House pool over its refusal to refer to ‘Gulf of America.’ So, this unforced error puts the White House in I-told-you-so mode.
On Monday, when Trump was at the Kennedy Center, an NBC reporter tried to ask a question, Trump asked, ‘Who are you with?’
After the journalist identified himself, the president said: ‘I don’t want to talk to NBC anymore. I think you’re so discredited.’
The Trump team later posted the exchange with ‘mic drop’ emojis.
The point is that Trump dominates the news no matter what he does. And, as I’ve been saying for the 35 years I’ve known him, even a torrent of negative publicity helps him because his media detractors are playing on his turf.
While Trump was visiting the Kennedy Center, he ‘floated’ the idea of personally hosting the annual awards show. And who’s going to stop him, since he’s purged the Democratic board members?
The ratings, he said, would skyrocket. And he’s right about that.
As the New York Times notes, a younger Trump dreamed of becoming a Broadway producer. He now says the Kennedy Center will concentrate on producing ‘Broadway hits.’
And by the way, Trump released 80,000 pages of JFK assassination files yesterday and has asked for no redactions.
The president can make news on the slightest whim, just by posting on Truth Social.
He just went after Judge James Boasberg, who ordered the deportations of mostly Venezuelan gang members to be stopped while planes were still in the air:
‘This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges’ I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!’ WE DON’T WANT VICIOUS, VIOLENT, AND DEMENTED CRIMINALS, MANY OF THEM DERANGED MURDERERS, IN OUR COUNTRY.’
The posting drew a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts:
‘For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.’
The president is also renewing his habit of going after journalists personally. Ashley Parker had a highly successful career at the New York Times and Washington Post–she’s also an MSNBC analyst–who recently joined the Atlantic.
She asked Trump for an interview.
After dismissing the liberal Atlantic as a ‘Third Rate Magazine,’ Trump posted:
‘Ashley Parker is not capable of doing a fair and unbiased interview. She is a Radical Left Lunatic, and has been as terrible as is possible for as long as I have known her. To this date, she doesn’t even know that I won the Presidency THREE times. If you have some other reporter, let us know, but Ashley is not capable or competent enough to understand the intricacies of High Level politics.’
Parker is restrained, not radical, and in bringing up the 2020 election, Trump is asking her to accept something that has never been proven in court or by his own attorney general.
A magazine spokesperson said, ‘Atlantic reporters are diligent and fair and continue to pursue stories of importance to the public.’
And then there is, you know, the actual job of the presidency. Trump reported yesterday on his 90-minute phone call with Vladimir Putin.
They ‘stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia’ – no surprise there.
‘The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace….
‘They further discussed the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application. The two leaders shared the view that Iran should never be in a position to destroy Israel.’
And: ‘The two leaders agreed that a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside,’ including ‘enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability.’
It seems to me that Trump got next to nothing. A 30-day pause in attacks on energy plants and infrastructure, that’s about it. Everything else is subject to negotiations, which gives the Kremlin more time to keep attacking Ukraine and lock in further territorial gains. A real cease-fire seems a long way off.
But whether Trump is on the attack or being attacked, he is driving the news every day, even inserting himself into culture and sports topics. Keep that in mind when the ratings-driven president hosts the Kennedy Center honors.