Trump lies update 5/12/20

The lies are endless.

Been thinking a lot again about Trump and the 'firehose of falsehood' — see this piece of ours from back in 2018, which almost seems quaint compared with what's happening now amid mass death and staggering economic destruction https://t.co/1ja79YgP5I
— Mark Follman (@markfollman) May 16, 2020

"Many of the 18,000 false and misleading claims in our Trump database feature overheated rhetoric. Few of them rise to these vicious heights."https://t.co/nQWfdZBqx5
— Peter Wehner (@Peter_Wehner) May 13, 2020

18,000 lies and misleading claims from Donald Trump. He’s accelerated his pace during the worst US crisis since WWII. But his shameless defenders still drag out their fainting couches in service of their practiced and pathetic anti-anti Trump poses. https://t.co/ezV9vf54V5
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 12, 2020

Trump just says the models were wrong where the US is concerned. Fact checking him is pointless, but that’s a big one.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 11, 2020

I'm going to do a weekly video fact-checking some of the most important/interesting/weird false claims from Trump. Here's the first try. https://t.co/yvUJowaJHK
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 10, 2020

Even as the USA is on track to have 10x more deaths under covid-19 than H1N1 swine flu, Trump persists in uttering this falsehood. Our factcheck –> https://t.co/kVIQZQdRl7 https://t.co/Rh63cyqCH2
— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) May 10, 2020

Trump, who has repeatedly boasted about how great he was at baseball in high school and how he could totally have gone pro if he’d wanted to, actually pretty much sucked at ithttps://t.co/j1W2Nqr6tE
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 9, 2020

On ABC today, Trump made a false allegation against Fauci and other medical advisers. He said he restricted travel from China "against [the advice of] many people, including Anthony Fauci … the doctors, and many other people. They said don’t ban China, it’s going to blow over."
— Will Saletan (@saletan) May 6, 2020

More coronavirus polls

Views of coronavirus outbreak via new @CNN poll:

Republicans:
71% the worst is behind us
26% the worst is yet to come

Democrats:
23% the worst is behind us
74% the worst is yet to come
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) May 12, 2020

New CNN poll shows Trump losing the argument everywhere:

* Only 36% trust Trump on virus

*55% disapprove of Trump's handling

* 57% say fed gov is not doing enough about testing shortage

* 58% say gov is not doing enough about potential for second wavehttps://t.co/ePXfCMhg19
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) May 12, 2020

JUST NOW: A major holy cow from new @cnn poll.

Just 36% of Americans say they trust what @realDonaldTrump is telling them about Coronavirus.
His approval is 45%. That means even some people who approve of him…don't believe him.@NewDay https://t.co/eMg9gMUsJm
— John Berman (@JohnBerman) May 12, 2020

Trump approval rating by gender via new @CNN poll:

Men:
51% approve
46% disapprove

Women:
39% approve
56% disapprove
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) May 12, 2020

NEW POLL: Majority of Americans say that federal government not doing enough to prevent second wave of virus https://t.co/Eg1263PIaE pic.twitter.com/dysCQ6JxmD
— The Hill (@thehill) May 12, 2020

79% of unemployed or furloughed people support keeping the lockdowns going even at the expense of jobs–actually *higher than the general population*.

"Open up" has always been about small biz owners, not the workers whose bloody shirts they're waving. https://t.co/aIfFFVQLgA
— Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) May 12, 2020

This is interesting.

Post-Ipsos poll asked whether people preferred being more aggressive even if it means economic hardship OR opening businesses even if it means more infections.

People who have been laid off or furloughed are actually **more** in favor of staying aggressive. pic.twitter.com/ccP3axRnD8
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) May 12, 2020

This is a stunner. A CNN Poll finds CNN is the greatest. https://t.co/Kg6Aw27zTe
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) May 12, 2020

New Pew poll not good news for Trump: Just 41% of Americans say the president is doing a good or excellent job handling the outbreak- down from down from 48% in late March. 59% say his handling has been poor or fair.
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) May 12, 2020

"I accept no responsibility at all" https://t.co/gvBTqT8hla
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) May 12, 2020

Look at Brian Kemp. Wow. https://t.co/WyW0RLYie5
— Josh Kraushaar (@HotlineJosh) May 12, 2020

What the hell is wrong with 33% of Americans? https://t.co/cPUqyvtXkL
— Eric Columbus (@EricColumbus) May 14, 2020

Trust for coronavirus information via @CNN poll:

Among Republicans:

Trump: 84% trust, 14% don't trust
The CDC: 72% trust, 24% don't trust
Fox News: 69% trust, 25% don't trust
Dr. Fauci: 61% trust, 29% don't trust
— Ryan Struyk (@ryanstruyk) May 14, 2020

Repeat after me:

There is no class or culture war over social distancing.

I have new data from the Post poll. Large majorities support restrictions and mask wearing.

That includes rural and working class white voters, and cuts across income lines:https://t.co/MFvNKnv4HB
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) May 13, 2020

In our poll with morning consult, most Republicans think Donald Trump and Mike Pence should wear masks when traveling in publichttps://t.co/ULJSOEgjo5
— POLITICO (@politico) May 13, 2020

“Don’t ask me, ask China”

Trump is pathetic. He can’t deal with women who ask tough questions and his racism shows through, too. He has really lost it.

Unreleased White House report shows coronavirus rates spiking in heartland communities: Trump's claim that cases are falling everywhere is contradicted by his own task force's report. https://t.co/6c9iCzE6b9 via @nbcnews
— Michiko Kakutani (@michikokakutani) May 12, 2020

The complicity of the Republican Party in supporting this man who surrendered to a virus is one more reason the party should be burned to the ground. https://t.co/cc1yXU166K
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) May 11, 2020

Asked what crime he is accusing Obama of committing, Trump says, "Obamagate!" "Some terrible things happened." "And you'll be seeing what's going on." "You know what the crime is. The crime is very obvious to everybody."
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) May 11, 2020

Trump throws a fit when @kaitlancollins of CNN tries to ask him a question and abruptly ends the press conference pic.twitter.com/58AVZ9CABl
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 11, 2020

Cool https://t.co/P1NHdJw4GT
— Jennifer Taub (@jentaub) May 11, 2020

How does @senatemajldr, married to a Chinese American, watch the routine public degradation of Chinese American women by a president and say nothing? https://t.co/cGsCG3JXLM
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) May 11, 2020

The racism is strong, but reporters will normalize this press conference in their coverage tomorrow. https://t.co/TJMTawWmN2
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) May 11, 2020

Trump keeps insisting that you can get a test if you want a test. White House staffers can. You cannot.

Here's his response to that. pic.twitter.com/fZ2zNgeVj6
— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) May 11, 2020

Trump repeats the massive lie that the U.S. and Germany "are the two best in deaths per 100,000" from Covid-19. As I reported the U.S. mortality rate is 132nd; Germany's rate is so much lower that 50,000 Americans would still be alive if we matched it https://t.co/Ch1hqm3RRN pic.twitter.com/ZfikBopIC5
— Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) May 11, 2020

Senate and House Republicans will say nothing about Trump’s un-American swipe at an American reporter. Very much like his attacks on Judge Curiel, but at least then, some Republicans spoke out. No more. https://t.co/s8ppXVjZ1s
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) May 11, 2020

Despite pushing "Obamagate," Trump is totally unable to explain what it actually is. https://t.co/eMgKgF1Qr4
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) May 11, 2020

President Trump today shrugged off reports of White House aides who recently became infected with the coronavirus.

“It can happen. It’s the hidden enemy,” he said. "Things happen" https://t.co/F5qEjtrB1N pic.twitter.com/FsPCeBNuqI
— POLITICO (@politico) May 11, 2020

It took one @PhilipRucker question to expose Trump’s latest "Obamagate" conspiracy theory as complete nonsense https://t.co/uHCgU7RO5A
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 11, 2020

"On Monday, President Trump made the same claim about coronavirus testing that he did in early March.

'If somebody wants to be tested right now,' Trump said at a Monday news conf, 'they'll be able to be tested.'

Two months later, it's still not true." https://t.co/5b0snFscnN
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 12, 2020

"This might be the wrongest thing Trump has said about coronavirus." (There the competition is tough.) https://t.co/YGtNolUUD1
— Ron Charles (@RonCharles) May 12, 2020

Covers: I Saw Her Standing There

Little Richard, who died yesterday was a huge influence on the Beatles. He covered “I Saw Her Standing There”.

I've posted Little Richard's version of "I Saw Her Standing There" before as an example of when an artist "covers" a song in such a way that they almost – almost! – obliterate your memory of the original. It's SO. GOOD. https://t.co/8kEp3Svgaw
— Sheila O'Malley (@sheilakathleen) May 10, 2020

CDC vs. the White House

The White House is more interested in what plays well politically than they are in public health.

A trove of internal documents show administration officials repeatedly balking at CDC scientists who vehemently oppose a White House plan to fever screen at airports. https://t.co/5x9mbivpvI
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 10, 2020

"None of us signed up to be warriors in Donald Trump's battle between public health and the economy," says emergency room doctor Rob Davidson.https://t.co/OViKwt8tXh
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 10, 2020

If Trump did this with a gun or a knife, it would be called "Premeditated Murder."https://t.co/YrNaA6hXLE
— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) May 10, 2020

Despite resistance from scientists at the CDC, the Trump White House is pushing a return to its failed experiment in relying on temperature screening of air travelers to detect coronavirus. https://t.co/JnO7w8GuWt
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) May 10, 2020

Republican attacks on blue states

Trump and McConnell are using the pandemic to attack blue states. In fact, blue states pay more in taxes than they get back. Also, Trump is using the PPP to help swing states important for his reelection chances.

The context for the debate over "bailing out" states hard hit by coronavirus: how much states get for each dollar they give to the federal government. https://t.co/lE8PGu5S9A pic.twitter.com/6DQGc7VEyr
— Philip Bump (@pbump) April 28, 2020

The @WhiteHouse is skewing #COVID19 related resources and funds on a per capitalist basis to 8 election swing states. NYS, the epicenter, has received less per capitalist aid than swing states OH, FL, WI, MN, PA — even less than Alaska. This is pure politics, ugly. https://t.co/JrMlamdaJL
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) May 10, 2020

Blue state bailout? According to Friday jobs report, the state with highest % of workers seeking unemployment aid is … Kentucky https://t.co/s1efK8wcBf pic.twitter.com/HuraDD0EwO
— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 10, 2020

I don't know who needs to hear this, but telling states they need to end sanctuary cities in order to receive life-saving supplies for their constituents is the same kind of quid pro quo that Trump tried to extort from Ukraine. https://t.co/pMXaYC27YM
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) May 5, 2020

McConnell knows the "wealthiest and most productive states are overwhelmingly blue.."

11 of the 15 states "least reliant on federal transfer are led by" Dems

11 of the 15 states "most reliant on federal transfers are led by" Republicans

– @davidfrum:https://t.co/mVIicO103X
— Ari Melber (@AriMelber) May 2, 2020

NY's Covid death toll is 8X that of 9/11 & Trump is taunting them for not getting more federal aid. https://t.co/JXpDPPNl6R
— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) May 1, 2020

Trump on funds for "Democrat states". "If we do that we're going to have to get something for it." pic.twitter.com/Yd0dnvXXV4
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 30, 2020

Trump and McConnell have cited structural issues in state budgets to cast doubt on giving them federal relief. But Pelosi‘s call is specific to coronavirus-induced spending and lost revenue.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 30, 2020

6 of the 10 states with the biggest budget shortfalls voted for Trump in 2016, including the swing states of Florida and Michigan https://t.co/1e5CwNM83J
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) April 30, 2020

At some point, it may occur to Mitch McConnell that, if huge numbers of Kentucky cops and teachers are all laid off because of Republicans refusing to provide aid to states, all of those laid off workers and their families will be more inclined to vote for Amy McGrath. https://t.co/xbRwfRzPbL
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) April 30, 2020

A) lots of Red states need help too

B) Conditioning taxpayer aid based on the party of the Governor is definitely an abuse of power https://t.co/guEurufWsn
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) April 30, 2020

File under stories that it's insane anyone even had to write, given that state economies are being crashed by A VIRUS. https://t.co/bOQmowpf0t
— Ezra Klein (@ezraklein) April 29, 2020

Donald Trump just said he's considering withholding #COVID19 financial assistance from blue states unless they agree to do away with sanctuary cities.

This man is a monster. #TrumpPressBriefing
— Kendall Brown (@kendallybrown) April 28, 2020

"a 2017 Associated Press analysis noted that “High-tax, traditionally Democratic states (blue), subsidize low-tax, traditionally Republican states (red) — in a big way.” Republicans, Who Do You Think Is Bailing Out Your State? https://t.co/Twc7fdaFJG
— Manohla Darkness (@ManohlaDargis) April 28, 2020

FACT (please RETWEET to counter Trump administration propaganda): "blue" states *subsidize* "red" states. We've been doing it for many years and without complaint. Trump's claim that blue states are takers and red states givers *can't be allowed to stand*. https://t.co/2sm3Je7qfZ
— Seth Abramson (@🏠) (@SethAbramson) April 27, 2020

Rick Scott says Florida lives within its means so why should they have to bail California out. Senator, California runs the biggest budget surplus in the country. And your state is going to need a bailout. Get some facts and if you don't want the bail out don't take it.
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) April 28, 2020

Florida gets about $3,000 more per resident each year from the federal government than it puts in, for over $60 billion each year https://t.co/fdczYw1hZw
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) April 27, 2020

Context on state dependency and "bailouts," based on the ratio of federal giving to taking.

Three of the four most dependent states are red states: KY MS WV (the exception is NM).

The four least dependent states are blue states: CT NJ MA NY.

Source: https://t.co/frWDvCixMK https://t.co/RcID14Li4f
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 27, 2020

If Trump and Scott don't want to help New York's budget problem, maybe the state could figure out a way to capture the $22 billion it sent to the federal government from 2015 to 2018 in excess of what it received. https://t.co/yYaxDRUrwR
— Philip Bump (@pbump) April 27, 2020

McConnell says there will “probably” be another state and local funding bill – and says on Fox radio that he “wasn’t say they had to take bankruptcy” but floated it as “an option.” He says he was raising concerns about state and local aid covering “age-old” budget problems
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 27, 2020

More places to buy masks online

see my earlier post

I started a new one because the list was getting long

Old Navy

Old Navy’s face coverings are made out of leftover excess fabric. They come in packs of five for $12.50 and in an array of colors and patterns. https://t.co/MOy2ENUUZH
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) May 10, 2020

"Face masks have been recommended by the @CDCgov to help minimize the spread of coronavirus, and in some states it’s now required to wear a mask where social distancing might be difficult to do." https://t.co/UnaLHTrElw
— Reviewed (@reviewed) May 10, 2020

More about the terrible Justice Department decision about Flynn

Former Fed. Judge Gleeson & 2 former justice officials: “If prosecutors attempt to dismiss a well-founded prosecution for impermissible or corrupt reasons, the people would be ill-served if a court blindly approved their dismissal request….” https://t.co/WWNzmJI3fl
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) May 12, 2020

"They’re treating the Michael Flynn story like it's a bigger deal than the deaths of 2,000 Americans a day."@brianstelter rips "right-wing media" for extensive coverage of @GenFlynn and the Russia investigation. pic.twitter.com/I2fNW4whGY
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 10, 2020

This is significant, because DOJ’s argument for dismissing the case against Flynn relies on McCord’s words to claim that Flynn’s lies were not “material” to an ongoing FBI investigation. https://t.co/z6cjeINWXO
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 10, 2020

Must read: The long list of people who thought Flynn’s lies were material https://t.co/SItqAnL1V6
— Nicolle Wallace (@NicolleDWallace) May 10, 2020

“Barr’s supporting role in Trump’s war on the Mueller legacy has been clear for some time.” So has Putin’s role in undermining everything pointing to his hand in Trump’s plot to take over the presidency, though @JeffreyToobin doesn’t go there:https://t.co/x8IMgWeIdE
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2020

Anyone notice how Barr’s move to dismiss the case against Flynn came right after a Trump-Putin call that Trump told reporters had nailed VE-Day as a perfect time to show “what a hoax” the whole Russia investigation was? So Trump is still in bed with Vlad. Right up to his hairdo.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 9, 2020

Trump: ‘I would certainly consider’ bringing Michael Flynn back to work at the White House https://t.co/gPlzWj9ObH
— Raw Story (@RawStory) May 7, 2020

REPORTER: How will history look back on your decision to drop charges against Flynn?

BILL BARR: “Well, history is written by the winners. So it largely depends on who’s writing the history.” pic.twitter.com/GVr2bIaavc
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 7, 2020

THREAD. The AG dropping the case on Flynn turns the entire purpose of the Special Counsel regs on its head. The SC is appointed *precisely* to insulate an investigation from influence by a political appointee, namely, the AG. 1/
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 7, 2020

Another very highly respected DOJ attorney withdrawing from a case, this one about Michael Flynn. Something is deeply wrong. https://t.co/aPHtYWzsnp
— Neal Katyal (@neal_katyal) May 7, 2020

No, it’s worse than that.

The DOJ doesn’t care if you lie to the FBI … as long as you’re Donald Trump‘s friend.

Everyone else is still subject to the same law that has been on the books for decades. https://t.co/D6uUls8xrd
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) May 7, 2020

Can one of my lawyer friends help me with this one cause I can't figure it out. Barr says Flynn is not liable for his actions or lies because therewasn't a crime. How do you know in advance there is not a crime until you investigate. Andhow do u investigate w/out talking to folks
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) May 9, 2020

That's a good lead, come on. pic.twitter.com/HYMsYzdhvD
— Sam Dolnick (@samdolnick) May 9, 2020

Vice President Pence: "I'd be happy" to see Michael Flynn back in the Trump administration https://t.co/6DnVbZt6en pic.twitter.com/Pds6piICKw
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 10, 2020

Conspiracy theories about the coronavirus death toll

The Trump cult does not believe in science or facts. This will make it harder for us to improve the situation.

As the death toll keeps going up, @realDonaldTrump will continue to attack the numbers as being false or manipulated and sell his followers on another great conspiracy.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) May 11, 2020

"Since the outset of the crisis, elements of the right have sought to bolster the president’s political standing and justify reopening the economy by questioning the death toll." @allmattnyt @jimrutenberg https://t.co/Le4JMlyGU8
— Michael Tackett (@tackettdc) May 9, 2020

"At this moment of national trauma, our president can’t seem to muster even a poor imitation of compassion for the victims," writes @djrothkopf. What is more, rather than waging a war against the disease, he is waging one against the statistics." https://t.co/EyQo7Jkysa
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) May 7, 2020

Trump hasn’t even attempted to show compassion for those who have died but he will almost certainly stand in front of the American public and tell them that their friends and loved ones didn’t actually die and it’s all a hoax against him. https://t.co/dqLyRjWjW1
— b-boy bouiebaisse (@jbouie) May 7, 2020

An increasing number of conservatives are convinced the medical community and the media are inflating the coronavirus death toll for political purposes, despite nearly all evidence indicating that, if anything, the figure is an undercount https://t.co/ARg2mpCg3q
— POLITICO (@politico) May 7, 2020

This is going to be a big test of the media–how many will shift the death toll into the category of "politicized" issues where one person believes one thing & another person believes another and be realllly careful about saying who's right because we can't "appear to take sides" https://t.co/Kawih5TLPg
— James Poniewozik (@poniewozik) May 6, 2020

This has a narrative that has saturated right-wing media. A version of the theory has been floated by personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Tucker Carlson, and more. As I wrote back in April, won't surprise me one bit if Trump latches on to it. https://t.co/Mv8NNvD8IL https://t.co/wVbEvAVB9y
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) May 6, 2020

The US has abdicated world leadership

The world really needs us now but Trump has bailed out. He doesn’t even care about everyone here. He only cares about his base. This will cause long-term damage to our standing in the world and other countries like China will take our place.

The US — usually at the head of the table helping to coordinate in global crises — has declined to take a seat at virtual international meetings convened by the World Health Organization and the EU to coordinate work on potentially lifesaving vaccines https://t.co/2a3f0Kw53C
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2020

"A country that turned out eight combat aircraft every hour at the peak of World War II could not even produce enough 75-cent masks or simple cotton nasal swabs for testing in this pandemic." https://t.co/1ldzV1Ve1A
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) May 9, 2020

.@SteveSchmidtSES: "There has never been a moment — not under a Democratic president, not under a Republican president — in our lifetimes or in the last 75 years where the United States has appeared weaker to the rest of the world than it does now."https://t.co/khibG6FFPB
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 12, 2020