Pence's office blocks public health officials from appearing on CNN

[demmiblue]

Source: CNN

New York (CNN Business)Vice President Mike Pence's office has declined to allow the nation's top health officials to appear on CNN in recent days and discuss the coronavirus pandemic killing thousands of Americans, in an attempt to pressure the network into carrying the White House's lengthy daily briefings in full.

Pence's office, which is responsible for booking the officials on networks during the pandemic, said it will only allow experts such as Dr. Deborah Birx or Dr. Anthony Fauci to appear on CNN if the network televises the portion of the White House briefings that includes the vice president and other coronavirus task force members.

CNN often only broadcasts President Donald Trump's question and answer session, which sometimes includes the health care officials, live on-air.

After Trump leaves the podium, CNN frequently cuts out of the White House briefing to discuss and fact-check what the President had said. A CNN executive said that the network usually returns to such programming because of the extensive length of the full briefing that includes Pence, which can run in excess of two hours.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/09/media/pence-office-tv-bookings-coronavirus/index.html

[aeromanKC]

1. Other networks should get CNN's back

They should copy what CNN is doing.

[Mike 03]

3. That's a great idea...

MSNBC, Bloomberg, any news entity (except Fox of course) should just boycott the conferences. They are mostly worthless.

[handmade34]

27. mostly? worthless

nah... they are totally worthless... trump campaign rallies is all they are and are actually harmful

[certainot]

54. and what trump says is well coordinated with $90MIL/week in FREE talk radio

reinforcement (1200 stations at $1000/hr x 15 hrs/day)

limbwaugh has been transitioning from calling it a hoax for 2+ months and enabling trump delay, to now saying it's dems fault, death rates are greatly exaggerated and with downgraded models for death numbers it's approaching regular flu numbers, and that 'herd mentality' may have been what kept california numbers down compared to NY.

all ignoring, density differences, the early contagious euro travel to NY, the highly contagious nature of covid, what it has done in italy (herd mantality?), and what the sudden explosions of cases are doing to medical staff and capacities

fuck you republicans. fuck you dumbshits

[flibbitygiblets]

15. +2 Why the hell is MSNBC still giving trump a virtual daily campaign rally lie-fest?

Yes, I turn it off when it comes on too. But lots of people don't. Misinformation is being spread, and a dangerous liar is being legitimized and given opportunity to change the narrative from the fact that the severity of this outbreak in the US is squarely his fault.

Also I love that they care so much about it, which DEFINITELY means more networks should follow suit.

[padah513]

30. Look whose program is on when the briefings start

Chuckles and you know he's not going to preempt Trump.

[stillcool]

38. I don't think he makes those decisions..

doesn't matter what time-slot the rally falls in, MSNBC makes the decision to pre-empt every time.

[scarletwoman]

59. Chuck Todd is the Political Director for NBC News.

So yes, he could possibly make such decisions.

[stillcool]

62. what does that even mean?

I assumed it was just a title.

[scarletwoman]

63. It means he's in charge of all NBC News political programming. (nt)

[Chicago1980]

39. Doubt that's it...

Since when does the anchor have say and not the network?

[scarletwoman]

60. When the anchor is the Political Director for NBC News. (nt)

[flibbitygiblets]

40. I thought about that, but is it really the Toad's call?

I would think the network would be giving the orders on something this important?

[scarletwoman]

61. Chuck Todd is the Political Director for NBC News.

It might very well be "his call."

[flibbitygiblets]

66. Jesus, that explains a lot. Today they're going to air it on Ari's show

SHIT.

[scarletwoman]

68. Yeah, SHIT is right. (nt)

[certainot]

51. probably because chuck todd will throw another tantrum. both-sider-todd just

summed up his piece on gridlock in congress over new emergency funding - in which trump admin and motherfucking republicans want a mere 250BIL and dems want 600 or something - by admonishing both sides for not being able to act like adults

up yours todd

[PatSeg]

44. MSNBC

has been cutting away from the press briefing frequently, almost always when Pence is speaking. Yesterday, they even cut away when Trump was lying.......er speaking. If anything of significance was said, they would cover it afterward. They also cut away to provide fact-checks on what was said.

Perhaps the best way to handle the briefings is to not air them in real time and then later show segments that are newsworthy, with commentary and fact checking where necessary.

[Mike 03]

2. Doesn't CNN have a coronavirus Town Hall tonight? Dr. Fauci usually makes

an appearance.

This is disgraceful beyond words. I wonder if Dr. Fauci will stand up against this. He seems like the kind of person who has limits to what he will take.

[gab13by13]

4. It takes a lot of courage to stand up to a powerful mob.

[flibbitygiblets]

16. Yes, Fauci is a private citizen, doesn't HE get to decide what he does?

Or are we already in full on dictatorship now?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

24. He has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. NT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Fauci

[DENVERPOPS]

31. One millimeter away

One millimeter away from a Corporate Fascist Tyranny............Actually, it should be Fascist Tyranny because Corporate and Fascist would be redundant. Fascism IS when corporations take over government.....So, Fascist Tyranny......

[LastDemocratInSC]

36. Mussolini said the correct term is "corporatism"

[DENVERPOPS]

43. My father had a snapshot

he took as a grunt in WWII, it is a picture of Mussolini and his Mistress hanging dead by their feet from a cross bar......

[Talitha]

49. I saw a picture of that scene online - gives one hope, doesn't it?

[SheltieLover]

5. Then they should resign & start talking en masse

And they should campaign for Joe!

This murderous madness has to stop!

[turbinetree]

6. So the asshole rapture "guy" and his treasonous boss are all in on censure.............

you think a authoritarian playbook is now fully exposed there media are you going to play nice again..................FUCK that Happy Horseshit...........................

[FiveGoodMen]

7. The 1st Amendment shouldn't protect lying

Furthermore, there are situations (like testifying in court, talking to LEOs, etc.) where it definitely IS a crime to lie.

When you're functioning in official governmental capacity, lying to the public should be illegal as well.

[turbinetree]

11. I agree, this is more than that, people are dying and if they want to lie

they should be held accountable for those deaths..................this is not some rose color picture we are dealing with and the media needs to hold this to that standard and not play along in this matter...............we already know what the jerks in the white house are going to do, and even their propaganda outlets, from the right.....................they will come under review when this is all said and done.................they should not be protected under that amendment, that was not its intention.............

[Marcuse]

35. Trump's First Amendment rights are not at issue. CNN's are.

[pandr32]

37. +1

[Bernardo de La Paz]

8. More demands for fealty and kow-towing. . . . nt

[House of Roberts]

9. That's not what I'm seeing most days.

I flip back and forth from MSNBC to CNN. What CNN isn't carrying is the Trump-only portion of the presser, at the beginning. As usual, they're lying about what they want, but conditioning that Trump gets covered, not so much Pence and the others.

[olegramps]

10. This administration uses the same tactics of the Mafia gangsters shakedown rackets.

It is no different than the fascist regimes of Mussolini and Hitler's dictatorships who destroyed their governments. Pence is an especially creepy beaded eyed weasel who is a filthy kiss ass bootlicker. For years many of us have been warning that they are fascists and they are out to destroy the our Democratic Republic and replace it with a dictatorship. We have a front row seat to its destruction and death without a whimper as 30% rejoice and 70% are apathic.

[DENVERPOPS]

32. His looks bother me

He looks like a perfect model for the Arian nation.....

[BlueIdaho]

12. Government Censorship?

Fuck that wax dummy - we have a right to know!!!

[bluestarone]

13. And THIS is not QUID PRO QUO?

FUCKING A RIGHT IT IS! Come on news people, REPORT it as it really IS!!

[Botany]

14. Didn't Germany do this back in the day?

[Zorro]

17. The administration has to control the message

Their message is "Don't worry, be happy and bless President Donald J. Trump, Sir for being our great leader in these times".

[MyOwnPeace]

23. Coming straight from Pravda, er........

Faux Spews - the "OFFICIAL" newscasts of your FAVORITE Rulers.

[DENVERPOPS]

33. Across the nation

all of us should start calling Fox out for what it truly is: ......Pravda

This will at least confuse all the Trumphumpers because they have no clue about anything in history.......or science......or math.....or pretty much fucking anything for that matter......

[machoneman]

18. I don't get why the other networks continue and not boycott what Pence, under Trump's orders.....

is doing here. They could easily force Pence to drop this silly move.

[Ad Infinitum]

19. Sad but True

We must keep emphasizing all of his many failed schemes.
Plus his gaggle of thieving children hanging on "Daddy's"
coattail. Stealing everything not nailed down.


I didn't think anyone could be worse than GWB, Trump
is evil on steroids.

[marble falls]

20. Pence only believes in the religion part of the First Amendment. He thought is was a menu.

[dhill926]

21. Good boy, Mikey....

here's a little treat for you....

[robbob]

22. I'm afraid tRump might have been right about ONE thing:

when he bragged (so inappropriately) about his daily briefings having “the highest ratings” on tv. Apparently all he cares about. So once again the news networks have shown they have ZERO morality and are only concerned about making a buck.

OTOH, I do think the more he babbles the more he shows the nation how truly incompetent and shallow he is, and hope that some day soon he will have a full psychotic meltdown on live tv...

[MyOwnPeace]

25. "soon he will have a full psychotic meltdown on live tv..."

If only a couple of the reporters present would do a "tag-team" - hitting him with a question to set him off, then follow up with one or two more like-questions, I think we could see something worthy of

[Eyeball_Kid]

50. The evangelicals will surmise that he's speaking in tongues.

He's getting close to babbling right now. Fill his gut up with Adderall and he'll be singing the Divine Comedy.

[ancianita]

26. Come ON, CNN! If experts go on anyway, what's Pence going to do, fire them? They'd be celebrities.

The American Governors Association could set up network bookings for the nation's top health officials.

CNN just shows it's a willing governmental feed.

Not cool.

[TruckFump]

28. Censorship much?

Fuck that little weasel! 😡

[ffr]

29. White ass haired snowflake!

Mother needs here pillow and blankee? Here's your wambulance, you snowflake!

[littlemissmartypants]

34. How about broadcast on a closed loop to the studio?

It will look like it's going out but it will only be in the studio. It may only work one time but there you have it. Or broadcast on mute those portions they don't want to signal boost (like trump) and release a transcript days later. Who's going to read the damned thing anyway?

[sinkingfeeling]

41. Could someone remind me again about how this is a free country

and people have rights?

[bucolic_frolic]

42. Anyone from the Fake Administration should be excluded from view

delegitimize them the way they delegitimized the Constitution

[riversedge]

45. I wish msnbc would cut its coverage also.

[blakstoneranger]

46. WOW!!!

A president who lies so much, everthing he says has to be fact checked. Kinda makes you wonder if you're being fact checked 100% of the time, why the hell do you lie!

[SWBTATTReg]

47. How do the hell does pence and ilk get away w/ this? There is something called ...

freedom of speech, they have no right to stifle free expression.

[Eyeball_Kid]

48. This was ordered by Trump. Trump has his hands in everything. n/t

[marlakay]

52. Don't we have plenty of scientists and experts

That don’t work for the president?

CNN could easily put up people from Universities etc

[Varaddem]

53. I think Chuck Todd is head of news programming or something

Considering that he figured out that Republicans lie a few weeks ago, I think his time would be better spent doing fake lip reading of the pressers.

[Ad Infinitum]

55. Synchronicity

Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result only works if the FACTS

have changed in very observable ways. Telling the TRUTH has become revolutionary

ACT


"Republicans" should equal a vile, vicious, vindictive, Vassals of Evil

trading lives for money. Remember and keep memory alive going forward.

[captain jack]

56. The WH works hard to put this propaganda together! It can't work if you don't watch! n/t

[IcyPeas]

57. YOU will watch!!

[Fritz Walter]

58. Here's an idea: CNN should start featuring the head of the WHO

That would set the MAGAts hair on fire, since they are preaching that the WHO has no credibility. Unlike COVID Donnie and his stooges.

I cut cable 5 years ago, so if they're already featuring WHO experts I'm missing it.

[BComplex]

64. Then CNN needs to find other experts, and leave the government health officials to trump.

He's, after all, slavehold owner of all federal employees.

[Firestorm49]

65. What is this, fricking Russia?

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

67. Don't want to embarrass the dotard

[Blue Owl]

69. Mother's obedient little errand boy

n/t