The NY Times still hasn’t updated the article to reflect the entire quote
Media pundits criticized President Donald Trump based on an incomplete quote from a recording of the president’s conference call with state governors about the crisis from the coronavirus pandemic.
The quote appeared in a report by the New York Times.
“Trump tells governors not to wait for federal government to look for needed medical equipment on their own,” tweeted Peter Baker of the New York Times.
“Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment—try getting it yourselves,” the quote read.
That tweet generated lots of typical hate towards Trump
But according to the Washington Examiner, the president followed up that quote with a clarification that the White House would help governors with the effort to obtain medical equipment.
“We will be backing you, but try getting it yourselves,” he said. “Point of sales, much better, much more direct if you can get it yourself.”
The “Times” is a disgrace to journalism! https://t.co/gfMc6fIbfI
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 17, 2020
Now, the NYT article in question has a link to another Times article, which includes the full quote, but, how many will click it? Full context matters, especially with such a short quote. And, of course, the Times in that linked piece tries to go negative
The suggestion surprised some of the governors, who have been scrambling to contain the outbreak and are increasingly looking to the federal government for help with equipment, personnel and financial aid. Last Wednesday, Mr. Trump directed his labor secretary to increase the availability of respirators, and he has generally played down fears of shortages.
All sorts of mostly Democrat Governors had hissy fits, because that’s what they do. One the quoted was Washington gov Jay Inslee, and, you can understand why he’s upset, being unable to do anything about all the urine and feces in the streets of Seattle. Perhaps Jay should have spent more time on other things rather than ‘climate change’, eh?
“If one state doesn’t get the resources and materials they need, the entire nation continues to be at risk,†said Ms. Lujan Grisham, a Democrat.
She’s the gov of New Mexico. She apparently missed the part about trying first themselves, because they are closer down the supply chain, and state, county, and local employees may well know better where the supplies are and able to procure them faster, because the federal government only has so many employees involved in things like that. New Mexico has around 29,000 federal employees in the state, 12K of whom work for the Air Force directly, with another 3,400 civilian AF workers. 133 work for the Dept of Commerce. How many of these 29K will understand how to make purchases?
If they need help, they can ask. That’s the way it works. Doesn’t sound like these Democrat leaders are particularly competent.
Oh, and there was also a failure at the Washington Post to practice proper journalism
I'm glad that the @washingtonpost ran this opinion piece without bothering to do a fact check before doing a fact check several days later https://t.co/qO14973vGJ
— William Teach2 ??????? #refuseresist (@WTeach2) March 16, 2020
