THE DAILY NEWSLETTER  - TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020

Media Winners & Losers

MEDIA WINNER:
Jon Karl 

President Donald Trump was particularly testy with reporters at Monday's coronavirus press briefing. 

Trump snapped at Fox News’ Kristin Fisher for pressing him on coronavirus testing issues, and followed that with invective for ABC's Jon Karl for a question about hospitals saying they aren't getting needed supplies. 

Karl was referencing an HHS survey of 323 hospitals, conducted by an official appointed during the Obama administration, and that led to Trump accusing Karl of being a "third-rate reporter” who “will never make it.”

"Look, he can insult me all he wants. I don't care. It doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter," said Karl on The View Tuesday. "What matters is getting to the bottom of what is happening with the federal response and how people should be responding to this crisis. That's the story."

Referencing both outbursts, Fox News Channel's chief political anchor Bret Baier said they were both "legitimate questions," and defended Karl's professional credentials.

"Jon Karl is not a third-rate reporter, he's been around," said Baier on Tuesday. "[Trump] was a bit salty yesterday, it seemed, to some of those questions at the press briefing.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Jon Karl spoke with Mediaite founder and ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams Tuesday about his clash with the president, and on Trump's attacks against the press in general. "I think among the fakest things right now are the president’s attack on fake news,” he said, in the fascinating interview.
MEDIA LOSER:
Stephanie Grisham 

Ex White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham got that "ex" today, breaking early in the day, and moved back to her prior role as chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump.

President Donald Trump’s campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany will now serve as the new White House press secretary.

It is bad enough to be ousted, or appear to be ousted, especially after so recently seeming to have been off-message and out of the loop. But being replaced the the -- let's say "controversial" -- McEnany is essentially insult to injury.

But if that wasn't bad enough, Grisham, who never held a single press conference during her time as press secretary, was the subject of a day-long bashing on social media and in commentary across the web.  

"And so Stephanie Grisham becomes a Jeopardy question: She was the White House Press Secretary but never held a press briefing," said the Washington Post's Ruth Marcus, a summary of the general reaction to Grisham's tenure.

"Stephanie Grisham has no speaking appearances in the C-SPAN Video Library," noted C-SPAN's Communications Director.

"Stephanie Grisham is quitting a job she never performed," wrote a member of USA Today's Board of Contributors.

Maybe the most on-point comment was from CNN contributor Keith Boykin, who wrote simply "How do you leave a job you never did?"

Ouch. It was a rough day, and rough way to leave. The only question now is: how long until we find out when her book comes out?

The A-Block

Too Naive or Stupid

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly reportedly submitted his resignation on Tuesday after being recorded calling a Navy captain "stupid" in a speech to sailors.

The move comes just one day after Modly apologized for verbally attacking ousted USS Theodore Roosevelt Captain Brett Crozier, who was relieved of duty after blowing the whistle about an on-ship coronavirus outbreak.

Decline, decline, decline

Center for Disease Control Director Robert Redfield predicted that the coronavirus’ death toll could be well underneath expectations if Americans continue to uphold social distancing practices.

In a Monday radio interview with Tuscon radio station KVOI, Redfield was optimistic when asked about the recent prediction models for the American body count from Covid-19.

Inflammatory fluid

CNN host Chris Cuomo live on air Monday night shared recently taken X-rays of his lungs after testing positive for the coronavirus. 

“So this weekend I had the fever start to go down a little bit, and I started to feel it come into my chest, so I went to get a chest x-ray, and I want you to see this just so you can see what we’re looking for and not," he said, introducing his lungs.

TMI

Tracy Morgan shared a little too much information during an interview with Hoda Kotb on The Today Show Tuesday, joking that he got his wife pregnant “three times” when asked about self-isolation amid the pandemic.

“Tell me about what life is like being at home for Tracy and his family,” Kotb asked, and that's when she and the audience got more, perhaps, than was bargained for.

steak-umm bless

In a sign of our wild times, the hot piece of thoughtful coronavirus commentary burning up social media right now was authored by a sentient brand of wafer-thin frozen meat rectangles, otherwise known as Steak-Umm.

No, seriously. It was good.

"Hook, line and sinker."

Following a tweet from NBC News touting China having no more new reported coronavirus cases, critics on Twitter ripped the outlet for regurgitating talking points from the Chinese Communist Party, Tuesday.

Ill-advised, and ill-received.

Good news

A Detroit man named Allen Marshall spent his $900 in savings to provide nurses with free gas as they risk their lives on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Marshall purchased the gas from a station near the Detroit Medical Center and stood outside holding a sign with a message.

Must-See Clip(s) of the Day

Well that's terrifying.

Authorities in Louisiana used the siren heard in The Purge horror movies to signal the start of a 9 p.m. coronavirus curfew, prompting complaints from local residents.

"Last night a ‘Purge Siren’ was utilized by the Crowley Police Department as part of their starting curfew.  We have received numerous complaints"

Ya think?!?

The siren  was recorded by a number of concerned citizens, including a video that went viral on TikTok.

Introducing Mediaite+

Mediaite is introducing a new premium experience today, allowing you to enjoy the site free of advertisements and with additional exclusive reporting. This is a project that had been in the works before the recent coronavirus outbreak — it was then put on hold, but we have decided to move forward with a free first month for everyone.

Today, we’re proud to launch Mediaite+ — a brand new subscription service designed to give you even more of the industry content you’ve come to expect from us over the years. Many have been asking for a Mediate experience without ads (including on videos!), and now, we’re able to deliver. No more side banners. No more auto-play or required video commercials. READ MORE HERE.


 

Links We Like

Ohio Governor Says State Will Seek Release of Some Inmates in Response to Coronavirus
via Reason
The Trade-offs We Make When We Depend On Billionaires To Save Us
via Vox
Scientists Don’t Know If Hydroxychloroquine Is Useful — Or Even Safe — For Coronavirus Patients
- via FiveThirtyEight
There Is No Plan for the End of the Coronavirus Crisis
- via New Yorker
Twitter
Facebook
Visit Mediaite
Copyright © 2018 Mediaite LLC All rights reserved.

Write to us:  tips@mediaite.com

Problems with these e-mails? Update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.