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On Saturday, President Trump warned of hard days coming for the US during the COVID pandemic. “This will probably be the toughest week,” he told reporters at a White House press briefing. “There will be a lot of death, unfortunately, but a lot less death if this was not done,” he added.
So we all need to brace ourselves.
Dr. Deborah Birx agreed, and added some extra words of precaution for the hard days ahead:
“This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe and that means everybody doing the six-feet distancing, washing their hands.”
Plus, Dr. Anthony Fauci provided a tiny glimmer of hope: that the social distancing guidelines just may be working, and if Americans heed them the infection curve will “turn around.”
Credit: The White House/flickr/public domain.
I’m sure you’re probably like me: champing at the bit to get this whole thing over with. But while times seem to be the blackest now, along comes the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation with their model of when COVID will peak in the various states. Now you may or may not put much stock into scientific models, and I wouldn’t blame you for being skeptical. But it does provide a list of when each state will peak, and you can find it here. Come on, you know you’re curious about your state. And the list could shine a little light at the end of the tunnel, too.
Yet does the media care about the hard days coming up? As voices who speak to the nation, do they encourage fellow Americans to keep calm and carry on? That we’re all in this together, and together we’ll power through?
Yeah, well, about that. Once again the media spared no expense in ridiculing Trump after Saturday’s presser.
For example, while the President again touted hydroxychloroquine as something that COVID-19 patients might want to try (of course, under advice from their doctors) the media sneered. CNN’s Brian Stelter, of the ironically named “Reliable Sources,” was the worst. Not only did this pompous ass rip into everything Trump said at the briefing, he even boasted that the media are “so essential in this moment” to get the truth — the truth! he says — out to stupid Americans who just want a little encouragement.
Why today's WH briefing was disturbing: presidential misinformation from the podium; dangerous and unconfirmed claims about hydroxychloroquine; gratuitous shots at rival politicians. pic.twitter.com/dHqUtCzkKC
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 4, 2020
Never mind that an international poll of over 6000 doctors found hydroxychloroquine to be the “most effective” therapy for COVID-19. Brian must have his hissy fit because it looks like Trump might be winning the narrative.
In addition, the New York Times wrote that Trump was “dispensing unproven medical advice.” They also wanted to remind readers that “only anecdotal reports and one small clinical trial have shown any benefits, and the F.D.A. has not approved the drug for coronavirus treatments.”
I swear, these people would deny their sick mothers the opportunity to take this drug because Trump cannot receive any credit whatsoever.
On the other hand, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo received glowing accolades from the NYT. They reported that not only did thousands of people volunteer to help in NY — even from out of state! — but donations of ventilators were flowing in as well.
“He also said that 85,000 people had volunteered to help New York fight the coronavirus and that 22,000 of them were from out of state, and that the Chinese government was facilitating a donation of 1,000 ventilators to New York and Oregon was sending 140 as the state rushes to increase its supply.”
Hold on — China sent ventilators? So, no one should trust anything the President says about COVID, but we should welcome gifts from the same country that not only spawned the disease, but puts out fake news about its role in the pandemic.
Once again this confirms just whose side the media are on, and it’s not Team USA.
But buckle down, stay strong, and ignore the media. It will make the hard days ahead a bit more tolerable so we can get the nation moving again.
Featured image: Nik Anderson/flickr/cropped/CC BY 2.0.
Amanda Green says: It’s not just sneer. No matter what Trump says or does, the media will find fault. For three weeks, they’ve faulted him for being too optimistic. So, yesterday, he strikes a serious tone and this morning, little Chuckie Todd did a promo on Sunday Today, condemning the president for not being upbeat and encouraging. He said leave it to the governors to be serious. But people need the president to give them hope. And he said it with a straight face. It is time for Americans to realize the media is not our friend and it does not support the Constitution or the foundations of our country. (At least not the MSM)
Anchovy says: Trump needs to say our media is wonderful and see what they say.
Bandit says: You have to remember the media arsonists are on China’s side not America’s
GWB says: Aside from my skepticism of a LOT of this stuff, particularly the “lotsa people gonna die” narrative, the hydroxychloroquine story really chaps my butt. Not because of a poll of doctors. Not because the FDA did some emergency declaration. But because the first story I saw about it, at least 3 days before anyone else brought it up said the reason they grabbed the medicine is because they already used it for anti-viral purposes when someone had severe pneumonia-like viral illness. I believe they specifically mentioned coronaviruses (remember: the is not the coronavirus, but a coronavirus). And, as a prophylactic, no less.
So, to me as a layman who simply understands how to read for comprehension, it was a “Duh!” sort of revelation. It took days before media mentioned it as a treatment. It took even more time before the FDA acted (not that they actually needed to, really).
You want to know why I’m a skeptic? Because every time I turn around, there’s someone claiming to be an expert who is demonstrably dumber than I am.
Jim says: My perception [from Australia] is that the main stream media are like delighted pigs wallowing in mud with their special nightly presentations in relation to every possible aspect of the current Chinese Virus disaster. In other words there is no such thing as bad news to them as they grandstand and rehash every possible detail like a sports commentator presenting slow-motion replays.
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