TV hosts accuse White House of trying to pressure them over coverage

[rooster59]

TV hosts accuse White House of trying to pressure them over coverage

By Doina Chiacu

 

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with immigration crime victims at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 28, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two television hosts assailed by Donald Trump questioned his mental health on Friday and charged that the White House had tried unsuccessfully to get them to apologize to the president for unfavorable coverage in exchange for his getting a negative tabloid story about them killed.

 

"He appears to have a fragile, impetuous, child-like ego that we've seen over and over again, especially with women," Mika Brzezinski, co-host of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," said on the program.

 

"He attacks women because he fears women," added co-host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican U.S. congressman.

 

Brzezinski and Scarborough fired back on their program and in an opinion piece in The Washington Post after Trump's Twitter messages on Thursday, which attacked them, particularly Brzezinski, in highly personal terms.

 

Trump called Brzezinski "low I.Q. Crazy Mika" and alleged that she was "bleeding badly from a face-lift" when she visited his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida around New Year's Eve. He called Scarborough "Psycho Joe."

 

Scarborough said Trump packed "five or six lies into two tweets," including mischaracterizing their meetings at Mar-a-Lago. Brzezinski said she has never had a face-lift.

 

Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, speaking on ABC's "Good Morning America," defended Trump's "ability to fight back when he is attacked." She declined to endorse the content of his tweets.

 

"Well it's incredible to watch people play armchair psychologist, outright ridiculing the president's physicalities, his mental state, calling him names that you won't want your children to call people on a playground," Conway told Fox News.

 

Trump's tweets, his latest attacks on the U.S. news media, were roundly condemned by lawmakers in both parties and became a distraction as his fellow Republicans in the Senate try to iron out their differences over major healthcare legislation.

 

Brzezinski and Scarborough, who were on friendly terms with Trump in the past but have been critical of him since he took office in January, described White House pressure over a planned negative story about them in the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper.

 

Trump was friends with David Pecker, chief executive of the National Enquirer's parent company, American Media, Inc. The tabloid specializes in scandalous stories about celebrities and has been supportive of Trump.

 

"This year, top White House staff members warned that the National Enquirer was planning to publish a negative article about us unless we begged the president to have the story spiked. We ignored their desperate pleas," they wrote in the Post.

 

Scarborough said on the program he received calls from three top administration officials asking the co-hosts to call Trump and apologize for their coverage of his administration. They told him that if he called and apologized, Trump would get the story killed, Scarborough said. He did not identify the administration officials.

 

"The calls kept coming, and kept coming. And they were like 'Call, you need to call. Please call. Come on, Joe. Just pick up the phone and call him,'" Scarborough said. "That's blackmail," said MSNBC panelist Donny Deutsch.

 

In a Twitter post on Friday, Trump gave a different account, saying Scarborough "called me to stop a National Enquirer article. I said no!"

 

American Media said in a statement "we have no knowledge of any discussions between the White House and Joe and Mika about our story, and absolutely no involvement in those discussions."

 

"I am very concerned as to what this once again reveals about the president of the United States," Brzezinski, who is engaged to be married to Scarborough, said of Trump's Twitter attacks.

 

"President Trump launched personal attacks against us Thursday, but our concerns about his unmoored behavior go far beyond the personal. America's leaders and allies are asking themselves yet again whether this man is fit to be president," the co-hosts wrote in the Post column.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-01

[darksidedog]

This is just really sad. I can't think of another politician anywhere in the world that tweets personal insults as a response to a negative news story. When will someone in America say enough is enough and remove this imbecile from office? Every passing day he proves time and time again he is not fit to be the POTUS.

[sirineou]

It is sad, 

When will Republicans put country before party and remove him. But then consider the alternative, President Pence. 

Come to think of it, I cant understand why the Republicans dont remove him, I think their agenda  would be better served with a president Pence.

on second thought keep Buffoon Trump , much safer than Ideolog Pence  

[sirineou]

^^^^^^

Caught between a Trump and a hardPence LOL

[ezzra]

Now days, you don't know what to make of this gutter journalism or for

that matter, the presidency position where the president and some

stupid, look at me, I can rubbish the president of the USA and still

look like I'm the under dog here, coming from those low life liberal

so called journalists....

[darksidedog]

2 minutes ago, ezzra said:

Now days, you don't know what to make of this gutter journalism or for

that matter, the presidency position where the president and some

stupid, look at me, I can rubbish the president of the USA and still

look like I'm the under dog here, coming from those low life liberal

so called journalists....

I think you are missing the point. Every politician all over the world is criticised by the press on a regular basis for the things it is perceived they are doing wrongly or not doing at all. Theresa May has taken a lot of flak in recent weeks. Yet neither  she or any of the others feel the need to lash out in personal level abusive tweets in response. They understand such criticism is part and parcel of the job and maintain a level of dignity. Mr. Trump has the manners and decorum of a 5 year old, throwing his toys out of the pram. It is disgraceful behaviour from anyone, let alone the supposed leader of the free world.

[DoctorG]

I have said before that he should abandon social media but the shrill responses from the media is also puerile. It seems that one cannot attack a woman without idiots shouting "sexist" even though nothing he tweeted was sexist.

[Silurian]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

"President Trump launched personal attacks against us Thursday, but our concerns about his unmoored behavior go far beyond the personal. America's leaders and allies are asking themselves yet again whether this man is fit to be president," the co-hosts wrote in the Post column.

 

Oh, I can answer this. No. No he is NOT fit to be president. He is not mentally fit or morally fit to be president. He is no way capable to hold the office.

 

Every day this morally bankrupt individual playing as POTUS does tremendous damage to the position of both the office of the president and the image of the USA more than any terrorist or enemy faction could ever hope for. This narcissistic bully is the #1 enemy of the USA and its image. The republicans that continue to tie themselves to him deserve to be dragged down with him.

 

[simple1]

17 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

I have said before that he should abandon social media but the shrill responses from the media is also puerile. It seems that one cannot attack a woman without idiots shouting "sexist" even though nothing he tweeted was sexist.

Falsely posting "she was badly bleeding from a face lift" is not sexist? Trump has to be the worst President on the public record for his crassness; the quintessential "Ugly American".

Edited July 1, 2017 by simple1

[ilostmypassword]

11 minutes ago, simple1 said:

Falsely posting "she was badly bleeding from a face lift" is not sexist? Trump has to be the worst President on the public record for his crassness; the quintessential "Ugly American".

Even if it wasn't sexist, it was a lie. He can't even manage to attack honestly.

[bill59]

Nobody cares what the media hacks say about anything anymore. They're a bunch of bought and paid for spoiled children totally out of touch with America.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[soalbundy]

31 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

I have said before that he should abandon social media but the shrill responses from the media is also puerile. It seems that one cannot attack a woman without idiots shouting "sexist" even though nothing he tweeted was sexist.

just insulting lies. Putting pressure on journalists is always going to fail but he doesn't do logic, petulant as he is. Doing it with mafia like methods is in keeping with his character.

[soalbundy]

Just now, bill59 said:

Nobody cares what the media hacks say about anything anymore. They're a bunch of bought and paid for spoiled children totally out of touch with America.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

The only one out of touch with reality is Trump, he lives in a world of his own. The free press is the biggest and best guaranty of freedom, that bothers him bigly 

[klauskunkel]

Trump ally: the National Enquirer,

now that's what I call "low I.Q."

And Trump is not even embarrassed by his choice of friend,

no, it's all matter of fact to him - and that's perturbing

 

..., but then again, he has no one else.

Edited July 1, 2017 by klauskunkel

[Thaidream]

Keep tweeting Donald so America and the rest of the World can see your meanness; your crassness; your lies and your incompetence.

[JCauto]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

Now days, you don't know what to make of this gutter journalism or for

that matter, the presidency position where the president and some

stupid, look at me, I can rubbish the president of the USA and still

look like I'm the under dog here, coming from those low life liberal

so called journalists....

Because, you know, nobody trashed President Obama when he was in power. Remember all those vicious tweets he fired back? Oh, right.

It's called "being presidential". Christians I understand call it "turning the other cheek". You've got someone who's neither.

[JCauto]

30 minutes ago, klauskunkel said:

Trump ally: the National Enquirer,

now that's what I call "low I.Q."

And Trump is not even embarrassed by his choice of friend,

no, it's all matter of fact to him - and that's perturbing

 

..., but then again, he has no one else.

Did you catch this though?

"Trump was friends with David Pecker, chief executive of the National Enquirer's parent company, American Media, Inc." Yes, the CEO of the National Enquirer is named "Pecker". You can't make this sh*t up.

[attrayant]

3 hours ago, DoctorG said:

It seems that one cannot attack a woman without idiots shouting "sexist" even though nothing he tweeted was sexist.

 

Yeah, shame on those idiots who are making it harder to attack women!  

[champers]

Can DJT be repealed and replaced?

[puck2]

3 hours ago, bill59 said:

Nobody cares what the media hacks say about anything anymore. They're a bunch of bought and paid for spoiled children totally out of touch with America.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Are you talking about Fox and Breitbart?  

[jb61]

Trump is an arrogant , pompous, bombastic blowhard. But, God bless Donald Trump. It took him and a little help from sheep dog Bernie Sanders to get a critical portion of the public to understand for the first time that the USA is a rigged system -- it is rigged financially, politically, in every possible way, to favor Wall Street over Main Street.

The news media has for decades had a monopoly without accountability to say what they want, whether true on not. And, arrogantly lecture us who they expect us to vote for.

For once someone is calling their bluff and collecting wolf tickets. Go Donald Go.

[nasanews]

Trump is like a fly he bothers but never hurts because almost everybody on this planet knows he is crazy and stupid.

Edited July 1, 2017 by nasanews
ADDED

[Thaidream]

He may be crazy and maybe stupid but he has great power at his disposal and can get America involved in a war  because he believes in his own vision rather than the true vision of the World. The man is dangerous .....

[attrayant]

1 hour ago, champers said:

Can DJT be repealed and replaced?

 

Yes, but like the proposed health care bill, the replacement would be even worse than what we have now.  Pence would be a lap dog for congress, signing anything they give to him.  Trump is happy constantly putting both feet in his mouth and being a daily thorn in the side of congress.  I think Obama got more accomplished with a republican congressional majority than Trump has.

[wanderluster]

do you know how much the american media is making from this guy?   they love him. how many times do you watch the news just to hear whatever garbage he has to say..  best so called reality tv. just glad i am not an american

[simple1]

1 hour ago, jb61 said:

Trump is an arrogant , pompous, bombastic blowhard. But, God bless Donald Trump. It took him and a little help from sheep dog Bernie Sanders to get a critical portion of the public to understand for the first time that the USA is a rigged system -- it is rigged financially, politically, in every possible way, to favor Wall Street over Main Street.

 

The news media has for decades had a monopoly without accountability to say what they want, whether true on not. And, arrogantly lecture us who they expect us to vote for.

 

For once someone is calling their bluff and collecting wolf tickets. Go Donald Go.

You reckon? Trump's up to his neck in the swamp, look at his appointees and so far as the media is concerned read this...

 

http://www.afr.com/news/world/us-election/the-close-ties-between-donald-trump-and-rupert-murdoch-worries-more-than-reporters-20170213-guc563

[Becker]

6 hours ago, bill59 said:

Nobody cares what the media hacks say about anything anymore.

Actually, the man-child is obsessed with what the media says about him - hence the infantile, mean and pathetic tweets.

[selftaopath]

7 hours ago, Silurian said:

 

Oh, I can answer this. No. No he is NOT fit to be president. He is not mentally fit or morally fit to be president. He is no way capable to hold the office.

 

Every day this morally bankrupt individual playing as POTUS does tremendous damage to the position of both the office of the president and the image of the USA more than any terrorist or enemy faction could ever hope for. This narcissistic bully is the #1 enemy of the USA and its image. The republicans that continue to tie themselves to him deserve to be dragged down with him.

 

45 is doing exactly what his leader - Putin - wants. I believe his antics, which are diminishing our country and democracy, are all directed from Russia.

[darksidedog]

12 minutes ago, selftaopath said:

45 is doing exactly what his leader - Putin - wants. I believe his antics, which are diminishing our country and democracy, are all directed from Russia.

Now I am going to agree and disagree with a little you here. Yes, his antics, although that is too mild a term really, are seriously diminishing the country.

While I like to have a bit of a joke about the Russians, because, Yes they did interfere with the election, quite possibly in connivance with some of Donalds team, but I have to question Trump being a Putin puppet. I mean look at it. If the Russians are going to go to so much trouble to influence the results and get their man in the top seat, don't you think that they would have ensured that the person they were installing had a functioning brain, and wasn't a crazed, lying, foul mouthed, bigoted, mean spirited moron?

I mean, he drags suspicion upon himself by being so stupid and so controversial. The shit would really hit the fan if it was true, so Putin would be telling him to pull his horns in real fast.

Edited July 1, 2017 by darksidedog

[selftaopath]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

He may be crazy and maybe stupid but he has great power at his disposal and can get America involved in a war  because he believes in his own vision rather than the true vision of the World. The man is dangerous .....

I don't think he has the ability to have a vision. I believe Bannon is giving him his.