Trump calls the press “The Enemy of the People”

The phrase came from Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 play An Enemy of the People. I am a big admirer of Ibsen’s plays but don’t think this one of his best. My favorites are The Wild Duck (1884) and Hedda Gabler (1890).

These are the leaders in history who used the phrase "the enemy of the people":

Stalin
Hitler
Mao
Chavez
Mugabe
Trump

It was too extreme for the later Soviets. In 1956, Khrushchev retired the term, saying it was just aimed at annihilating those who disagreed with Stalin. https://t.co/c9RWbNhMmK
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) April 27, 2020

Dear @realDonaldTrump: Can you please focus on the pandemic? The enemy of the people is #COVIDー19. Over 56,000 Americans have died from the virus. We still need much more testing and PPE. That’s not fake news, that’s reality. https://t.co/i4c9yko1dY
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) April 27, 2020

Cleaning face masks

MSN article

How to clean and sanitize your cloth face masks

Real Simple

Why do Michigan protesters have guns?

I don’t want hear any crap from the right wing about Antifa. There were marches and rallies protesting Trump’s election but they didn’t involve guns.

Make no mistake, our GOP legislators are showing their true colors – They don't care about the people, they care about power and trying to take down a Democratic Governor – a woman, no less. https://t.co/SLgDNbRCg8
— Amy Hunter (@amy10506) April 30, 2020

I always wonder what wrong in the lives of these young men that they ended up like this. https://t.co/OOuRChi6iB
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) April 30, 2020

Let’s be clear about something. Cammo-clad paramilitary fetishists festooned in tactical gear and carrying assault rifles storming our state capitols while “protesting” is obscene. It is an assault on the sanctity of representative democracy and our American system.
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) April 30, 2020

When you need guns to make your “point” it’s usually a clue that you can’t rely on the strength of your ideas https://t.co/FJqZfOdZ1X
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) April 30, 2020

When you show up with rifles, it stops being a protest and becomes a threat. https://t.co/cSzKwu0z6K
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) April 30, 2020

This happened today at the “liberate” nonsense in Michigan.

Almost feels like it’s not just about the stay home order.pic.twitter.com/KpMXSjnA0d
— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) April 30, 2020

Protesters, some carrying firearms, storm Michigan Capitol as state lawmakers debate an extension of Gov. Whitmer’s state of emergency in response to the coronavirus pandemic; lawmakers expected to vote on 28-day extension before it expires at midnight. https://t.co/vveNSmA8LP
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 30, 2020

Forget “the age of Trump” shit. That frames it as if it has only been around the last few years. He is an accelerant, yes. But white men have used firearms to convey their vitriol, bigotries, and insecurities since the very founding of this republic. This has always been America. https://t.co/kyy8PXxcVt
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) April 30, 2020

If they were black or brown or Muslim it would have been a bloodbath. Cops would have unleashed hell on them. Fox News would be ranting about "terrorists!" https://t.co/KtfaM7iAeU
— chauncey devega (@chaunceydevega) April 30, 2020

Armed extremists are threatening Michigan lawmakers who are meeting at the statehouse to consider extending the governor's stay-at-home order before it expires tonight. They demanded to be let onto the House floor, chanting, “Let us in!" #mileg https://t.co/QGo1TQlJ9D
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) April 30, 2020

Armed protesters inside the Michigan statehouse are screaming Heil Whitmer, according to media. #mileg https://t.co/VK6XrquSSX
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) April 30, 2020

Recent coronavirus polls

In this Oct-Nov 2009 CNN poll, for example, 57% approved of Obama’s handling of H1N1. Per 538, Trump is at 43.5% approval of his handling of the coronavirus.

In summary, Trump bashing Obama for “poor marks, bad polls” on H1N1 does not make sense. https://t.co/F8vnsZNIGy pic.twitter.com/9SR5YyYuKU
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 10, 2020

A new 50-state poll shows that *every single governor* in the United States has a higher approval rating for handling the coronavirus than Trump does in that governor's state. https://t.co/vNHorrS4BK
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 1, 2020

3 governors are reopening their states faster than their voters want. @davidlazer @NUnetsi, @Ognyanova @RutgersCommInfo, @matthewabaum @Kennedy_School find out what the citizens of Georgia, Tennessee and Florida think of their governors’ plans. #Covid19 https://t.co/FDoNYAVDKm
— Monkey Cage (@monkeycageblog) April 30, 2020

Trump wants schools to reopen. 85% of Americans disagree. https://t.co/YCb22a2OBi
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) April 29, 2020

New NPR poll:

55% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of coronavirus, a 6 point *jump* in the last month. Only 44% approve.

By 55-40, they prefer Biden over Trump on coronavirus

By 51-44, they prefer Biden to Trump on the economy (big)https://t.co/1fEGdFalei
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 29, 2020

Analysis: Again and again, Americans give their governors higher marks on coronavirus than their president https://t.co/NxuAwPIZBX
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 28, 2020

Fascinating leftover @CivisAnalytics stat from this piece:

Of Americans WHO OPPOSE LOCKDOWNS:

Just over 5% are nonwhite workers who have personally lost a job in the crisis.

Just under 70% are white workers who have *not* lost a job in the crisis. https://t.co/QZlltD5pqA
— Jim Tankersley (@jimtankersley) April 27, 2020

A poll released last week broke out responses in three groups:
– those who lost work/pay causing a major problem
– those who lost work/pay with less effect
– those who lost no work/pay

All three groups support distancing by a 4-to-1 margin. https://t.co/xVkaoEeMLo pic.twitter.com/AwcwqQ075V
— Philip Bump (@pbump) April 28, 2020

How many Americans are "very" worried about the coronavirus’s effect on the U.S. economy? https://t.co/El7aStHsgX
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) April 28, 2020

Analysis: Those who’ve lost work or pay from the virus still broadly support stay-at-home measures https://t.co/SQDqUhHoqc
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 27, 2020

"Roughly half of adults ages 18 to 29 (48%) say they have had a virtual party or gathering because of COVID-19, compared with 38% of those ages 30 to 49 and 21% of those 50 and older," via @pewresearch @FactTank @Emily_Vogels https://t.co/dYA6stE112 pic.twitter.com/DNsYqeolzb
— Brooke Auxier (@brookeauxier) April 30, 2020

This is a bad time for newspapers

“The paper is dying" https://t.co/i6scC5kYRM
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 30, 2020

Layoffs have pummeled U.S. newspapers in recent years. https://t.co/LadbmG2ur6 pic.twitter.com/F9IwK1Tjgm
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 29, 2020

U.S. newspapers shed 51% of their newsroom employees between 2008 and 2019 – a period that predates a fresh round of layoffs driven by the coronavirus economic downturn. https://t.co/pcIdRjakQd pic.twitter.com/GNNIrCGb38
— Pew Research Fact Tank (@FactTank) April 27, 2020

Thank you to ⁦@brianstelter⁩ ⁦@ReliableSources⁩ ⁦@ProducerDiane⁩ & ⁦@CNN⁩ for having me on the show to talk about struggles facing local news. The ⁦@journalsentinel⁩ and other newspapers around the country are working hard to tell important stories. pic.twitter.com/ilIJHbQptr
— Mary Spicuzza (@MSpicuzzaMJS) April 26, 2020

Every day, more furloughs at newspapers across the USA. Today it's Tribune Publishing: 3-week furloughs for non-union employees "who are paid an annual base salary between $40,000 and $67,000." Most higher-paid employees (who were just hit with a pay reduction) aren't affected.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 21, 2020

This thread on the terrible toll on journalists and journalism https://t.co/qt4cLVQrGI
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) April 18, 2020

In 2008, newspaper newsroom employees made up about six-in-ten (62%) of all newsroom employees. By 2019, the share had dropped to four-in-ten (40%). pic.twitter.com/y3zpLgNgAJ
— Pew Research Center (@pewresearch) April 20, 2020

The loss of local news around the country is so devastating https://t.co/roTzr4661Q
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) April 17, 2020

We cut everybody's salary @dallasnews today. I hate that we had to do it, but I'm grateful that our company found ways to share the burden and invest in the future. Damn, I love these journalists. They'll never stop fighting and I won't either.https://t.co/hN0N9nVdMh
— Just Another Mike Wilson (@mWilstory) April 6, 2020

Where to buy masks by mail

Here’s what I’ve seen. So far, I have masks from Custom Ink and SensaCalm.

Review of best cloth masks

Look Human face mask covers

Masks you can buy to support charities

medical masks 50-pack

NOK Warrior Pleated Washable Face Mask

Nomad makes masks and sanitizer

Business Insider article

Joining the Ravens, the Orioles now have their own face masks with team logos on them. https://t.co/5H7UB1D7il
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 8, 2020

Tagotee masks

Trump was warned about the coronavirus in January and February

He ignored the warnings. I blame him for many deaths that could have been avoided.

Asked moments ago in the Oval if he received warnings about covid in the PDB, he said: "I would have to check."

He did. The subject was raised at least a dozen times in the PDB in Jan/Feb. Some were substantial articles. Others brief mentions. But it was there. https://t.co/efLuOCwJhs
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) April 28, 2020

Great column by Margaret Sullivan on how Trump plays the media

I wrote about how Trump keeps playing the media like a puppet. Yes, we’ve gotten better — but history will not judge us kindly. https://t.co/pRoz1oLKM4
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) April 28, 2020

The media must stop live-broadcasting Trump’s dangerous, destructive coronavirus briefings. My column https://t.co/nIs5L051zq
— Margaret Sullivan (@Sulliview) March 21, 2020

another excellent column

Majority supports elections by mail

I doubt this will sway Republicans. Trump said Republicans wouldn’t win if everyone voted. They would prefer that voters get sick like they did in Wisconsin. Sad!

A new Pew poll shows Americans support vote by mail and automatic voter registration, but oppose voter purgeshttps://t.co/NPKQfPPeFr pic.twitter.com/ksgZazcZGx
— Jay Riestenberg (@JayRiestenberg) April 28, 2020

Trump tweets deep fake Biden video

There is no bottom for what Trump won’t do to win the election. He’s desperate now.

It's an important milestone that the first deployment of Deep Fake technology for electioneering purposes in a major Western democracy is by … the president of the United States. pic.twitter.com/1fLn9X4iLR
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 27, 2020

The president is now sharing deep fake videos of Joe Biden
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 27, 2020

.@lawfareblog has an interesting follow-on post about the increasing availability of video- faking technology https://t.co/McFzSrnc6w https://t.co/Ia15EDVXzd
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 27, 2020

Here's the whole story https://t.co/WP2NdACO6z https://t.co/7rXuAyskW4
— David Frum (@davidfrum) April 27, 2020

A lawyer for CNN's parent company has written a cease-and-desist letter to Trump's re-election campaign over the misleading contents of a new campaign ad. Here's my story with all of the details… https://t.co/eLOeOBlFoV
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 5, 2020