My Thoughts on President Trump’s Press Conference

Notes on the president’s recent press conference (Feb. 16), written in real-time as I listened.

The Speech Itself:

- “Unifying the country.” Okay. Nice tone. Professional. Okay.
- “Contracts that were terrible.” Well, that didn’t last long.
- “Incredible progress.” True, no other president has done what he’s done in just a few weeks.
- Talking about approval ratings, stock markets, is it too soon to take credit for that?
- Honor to have the media present. But now saying that the media don’t tell the truth? Okay.
- “The dishonest press is out of control” — said AT a press conference? Like, in the presence of media…?
- “I inherited a mess.” Said like it’s our fault. I know that tone.
- “Productive talks” with foreign leaders. “More productive than you would understand.” Huh?
- “Defeat of ISIS” — yep, that would be a good thing, for sure.
- Honest question: what is the actual state of our military? Does it need rebuilding? Equipment needs, I get. More personnel? Do we need that? I’m seriously asking here.
- Returning the government back to the people? Because representatives are listening to their constituents? Because Paul Ryan isn’t actively avoiding his constituents, for example?
- Oy, with the electoral college votes again. I literally don’t care.
- Biggest electoral college since Reagan? Seriously?
- Administration as a fine-tuned machine… um, but aren’t people getting fired, and reprimanded, and withdrawing applications?
- Oh good, “they” talk against Democrats. Yay.
- Plants built, factories built, roads and infrastructure built — okay, good.
- I don’t think the regulations thing makes sense; one in, two out? I don’t get this approach.
- Stood up for law enforcement; except I’m reading differently.
- Drugs cheaper than candy bars? I don’t think that’s true.
- Dakota Access Pipeline = jobs. But we’re not talking about social and environmental repercussions.
- Ugh, “drain the swamp.”
- Moving against lobbyists would be good. I’ll believe it when I see it.
- “Every country takes advantage of us”? Wow.
- “These companies would have left if I hadn’t gotten elected.” — Good luck proving that.
- End of speech. Okay. Not a huge train wreck.

Taking Questions:

- So Flynn was fired because he was giving out classified info? (I seriously am having a hard time keeping up.)
- Oh good, “fake news”.
- NYT front page story, discredited. (Note to self: follow up on that.)
- No money, no business, no deals in Russia. Okay.
- Ugh, we’re back on the electoral college numbers. I mean, I guess it’s good to fact check a speech while you can revisit it, but UGH. Can we move on, please?
- Leaks are real, but news is fake…? I’m confused.
- I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE DEBATES. THE ELECTION IS OVER. OMG.
- “Put in the electric chair”? Really? This from the guy who encouraged “Lock her up” chants at his rallies?
- The public doesn’t know what’s true or false, because we’re “not involved”. He’s involved, so he knows what’s true? Like only him? So we have to believe whatever he says, because…we don’t know any better? That’s highly insulting.
- Oh, I see “tone” too.
- I do NOT have to admit that you get good ratings! Mostly because I don’t care!
- Annnd we’re back to bashing CNN. Yay.
- I. Don’t. Care. How. You. Won!
- “I’m not ranting and raving, I’m just telling you you’re just dishonest people.” WHAT?
- “The public doesn’t believe you anymore! Now maybe I had something to do with that, I don’t know.” Wow, nice attempt at playing the innocent card there.
- I personally would love to know exactly what stories Trump would support that are negative about him. I haven’t heard him support anything that doesn’t paint him as wonderful.
- Also, for what it’s worth, I’ve seen TONS of hatred and negativity on other networks, too. *cough* FOX NEWS *cough*
- What’s with Trump’s love/hate relationship with polls?
- WHY. ARE. WE. TALKING. ABOUT. HILLARY. CLINTON??
- One minute Trump’s talking about getting along with Russia, then the next he’s talking about wishing he could attack ships in international waters?
- So revamping health care first, and then taxes. I can’t help but think we’ll get the “new benefits” or whatever, and then the tax bill.
- And now Trump interrupts a reporter before he gets to ask his question. Classy.
- A question about how Trump is interpreting recent events from Russia gets answered by talk about whether or not he’s making a deal. Obviously he didn’t even listen to the question; Trump had a talking point he wanted to make, and made that instead.
- WHY. ARE. WE. TALKING. ABOUT. HILLARY. CLINTON. AGAIN?!? She is not the president, so frankly, I don’t care if she’d be tougher on Russia than Trump. And what does “being tougher” even mean or accomplish?
- This is NOT a campaign anymore. Stop acting like you’re campaigning, Trump.
- “Will there be a response?” “I don’t have to tell you.”
- Slamming BBC before the reporter gets a chance to speak. Classy once again.
- Ahahaha, using the travel ban as an example of Trump’s smooth running of the goverment! Wait, Trump says that was a smooth rollout??
- Ohhhh, the court that held that Trump’s ban was unconstitutional, THEY were the problem. Ohh, I get it now. I guess I didn’t understand that because I wasn’t there. Huh.
- Trump makes it sound like we seriously don’t vet anybody coming into our country, or we never did before he threw down that travel ban. Wrong!
- Can’t answer a simple yes or no as to whether his campaign staff was in contact with Russia before the election. The only response we get is that Manafort was replaced long before the election. That’s not a yes or no answer, and *if* he was in contact with Russia, that just means that this scenario went on for a longer time than we might have originally thought.
- “I want to find a friendly reporter!” Good luck with that.
- What the hell is up with chastising the Jewish reporter for asking about upticks in Anti-Semitism? And why the hell is Trump so insulted over the question?? And cuts him off when he tries to finish asking his question?? This is a social issue; Trump needs to address it like a leader.
- So a fluff question with plenty of shallow praise for Melania Trump is what the president considers a good question. Got it.
- I liked the woman asking about inner city solutions. Very professional, even after being insulted by Trump who thought she was going to ask a “bad” question.
- Sad that Trump wasted a lot of time talking about how many people voted for him.
- Will Trump meet with the Congressional Black Caucus? Trump turns it back around on CBC for cancelling a meeting.
- Ooh, props to the reporter following up on the Anti-Semitism question!
- “Written by our opponents”? What kind of answer is that? Built to foster more division. Awesome.
- Also, I wish Trump would stop talking about himself in the third person.
- “It won’t be my people.” Hmm. And he still dodged the question.
- “I didn’t come along and divide this country.” Well, you’re not doing much to bring it together yet.

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