Originally Posted by DeanFL
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I researched - WH Press Briefings, and got a transcript of today's --- I've edited to include ONLY the PRESS QUESTIONS for a taste... and her admonition at the end.
And with that, I’ll take questions.
Peter.
Q Kayleigh, I want to ask you just a couple questions. The first one: Why is the President so supportive of flying the Confederate flag?
Q For clarity, I’m asking you about the Confederate flags. My question is: Why is the President so supportive of flying the Confederate flag?
Q The President said that NASCAR saw bad ratings because they took down the Confederate flag, banned the Confederate flag. Does he believe NASCAR should fly the Confederate flag? And why don’t they fly it here?
Q Let me ask you about some of the President’s comments this weekend. The President said that 99 percent of coronavirus cases are totally harmless. Which members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force agree with that statement?
Q — just to follow up quickly, though. So if you don’t die, is it not harmless?
Q Kayleigh, to follow on Peter’s question, what is the President’s position? Does he think NASCAR made a mistake by banning the Confederate flag?
Q But let’s drill down on the Confederate flag. Does he think it was a mistake for NASCAR to ban it?
Q But what is his position on it?
Q Wasn’t he saying that NASCAR’s rating were down because they banned the flag? That’s what he said.
Q Does he think his supporters should not take the flag to Trump rallies? Has he considered banning the Confederate flag from Trump rallies?
Q Kayleigh, why is it Bubba Wallace’s responsibility to apologize for an investigation into a noose that he didn’t report and he never even saw? It was NASCAR that found this, that reported this. And even the FBI referred to it as a noose, even if they said it wasn’t a specific crime against Mr. Wallace. Why is the President even suggesting that Mr. Wallace should apologize?
Q He has.
Q In interviews, he’s been very clear that —
Q — the FBI found this was not intentional.
Q Why is he directing this at Mr. Wallace?
Q He was a victim of a suspected hate crime.
Q Who was charged? It was an open investigation, Kayleigh —
Q — into a noose. The FBI said —
Q — it was a noose.
Q But you’re suggesting that Mr. Wallace —
Q — should apologize for an investigation that someone else initiated, suggesting he was possibly the victim of a hate crime?
Q The Governor of South Dakota flew back on Air Force One after having contact with somebody who had tested positive for the virus. Why was that allowed to happen? Did she have contact with the President on the trip back? And has the President continued to test negative since that interaction?
Q But why — the original question is: Why was she to allowed to fly back on Air Force One with the President, when it was known that she had had contact with somebody who had tested positive for the virus?
Q On executive orders, the President has set a pretty brisk pace on those this year. And as a candidate, he had been critical of President Obama’s use of executive orders, but he seems to have really stepped up the pace on these. And I wanted to ask, you know, what does he find — what is the strategy behind issuing more than one a week so far this year? And I know he’s getting ready to issue more in the coming weeks.
Q Hi, Kayleigh. With regard to the President’s reference about the 99 percent being harmless, does the President worry at all that by downplaying the severity of the virus, that it will lead Americans to be less careful?
Q And just to follow up on the NASCAR thing: You were saying that we’re taking the tweet out of context, but this is what he tweeted. He says, “Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX? That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!”
Q Is the President comparing Smollett to Wallace?
Q Hold on. Hold on. Just that one thing it wasn’t clear in your response — and that’s why I asked about it again, and it follows up on Paula’s question — is: Why should Mr. Wallace have to apologize for that when his whole team and all of these colleagues came around him to show support?
Q No, he’s saying he has to apologize.
Q He’s saying he has to apologize. That’s what we’re trying to ask you, Kayleigh, is
Q — why should he have to apologize about that?
Q But you haven’t answered that question. I mean, you’ve been asked it, but you haven’t answered it.
Q You haven’t answered it.
Q Kayleigh, on the Confederate part: Why would the President not praise NASCAR for removing the Confederate flag, particularly given the history of that flag, the symbol that it has for African Americans, and also what it represents in terms of just the treasonous acts and the insurrection against the Republic?
Q Why would he not praise them for taking that down, even if it’s a ratings (inaudible)?
Q But, Kayleigh, the Confederate flag is a different issue.
Q Kayleigh, why — what exactly does the President see as positive or uniting then about the Confederate flag? Why does he — why did he decide to tweet about it then, this morning?
Q And, Kayleigh, to follow up —
Q Thank you. The President argued on Friday, and then again on Saturday, that many of the problems the country faces stem from, quote, “extreme indoctrination and bias” in the education system. If that’s the case, is he working with Secretary DeVos to address what he sees as a major problem?
You know, what — what steps is he taking to (inaudible) this? And could you give us an example?
Q Thank you, Kayleigh. I have question about masks. The President has, sort of, equivocated on the issue of masks, and we know that a number of Republicans are starting to say that it’s the single-most important thing that Americans can do to protect each other. What is the President’s message to Americans who hear those messages and say that they simply don’t want to wear a mask? What does the President say to those (inaudible)?
Q Thank you, Kayleigh. I wanted to say, first off, point of fact: Bubba Wallace did not make any kind of false report. And I’m wondering, in general, why the President thinks that issue is worth his time and focus right now in the midst of a deadly pandemic? And then also, you’ve said he has no opinion on the Confederate flag. Why can’t this White House unambiguously state whether or not it supports displays of the Confederate flag and —
Q — Confederate monuments, which are much more —
Q — a part of this question than Gandhi?
Q But you said Bubba Wallace made a false report; he didn’t.
Q But why is this cultural stuff worth his time and —
Q — focus during the pandemic?
Q And what about on an unambiguous statement on the Confederate flag? Are we capable of doing that?
Q Exactly. But why not?
Q Thanks, Kayleigh. Two quick questions, if I may. Does the President support the Cleveland Indians and the football team here in Washington considering changing their names?
Q And the other question: Who came up with the list of historical figures that the President wants honored in his — in his garden of statues that he put out this executive order about? Who came up with the list of people to be included?
Q Thank you, Kayleigh. The President signed the Payroll Protection Program extension over the weekend. There’s $132 billion in the pot. What does the President think that that money should be used for if it’s still there after August 8th? And then, in a CARES 4, specifically, what should be there to help small businesses?
Q Would he veto a bill then that did not have the payroll tax relief in it?
Q Thank you, Kayleigh, so much. As President Trump wants to reopen the country, what will be the criteria to cancel the travel bans? Because we know that the bans are still in place for European countries where the situation is under control. And, on the other hand, there is no ban on hotspots like Russia, India, or Mexico, for example. So what is the criteria?
Q Kayleigh, can I ask one more question?
Q European countries, and now the UK, are starting to open for touring visitors, but the U.S. is still banned. How do you think the world is looking at the United States right now?
Ending from The Press Secretary>>>>
And finally, I’d end with this: You know, I was asked probably 12 questions about the Confederate flag. This President is focused on action, and I’m a little dismayed that I didn’t receive one question on the deaths that we got in this country this weekend. I didn’t receive one question about New York City shootings doubling for the third straight week. And over the last seven days, shootings skyrocketed by 142 percent. Not one question. I didn’t receive one question about five children who were killed.
And I’ll leave you with this remark by a dad — it broke my heart — a dad of an eight-year-old lost in Atlanta this weekend: “They say black lives matter…you killed a child. She didn’t do nothing to nobody,” was his quote.
We need to be focused on securing our streets, making sure no lives are lost because all black lives matter — that of David Dorn and that of this eight-year-old girl.
Thank you.
END 1:51 P.M. EDT
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