By Steve Rhodes
Politico’s Playbook on the extraordinary press conference that took place in Helsinki this morning after Donald Trump’s extraordinary personal meeting with Vladimir Putin:
ON MEDDLING … AP’S JONATHAN LEMIRE got the last question: “Who do you believe,” the U.S. intelligence community or Russia? And can you warn Putin to not meddle again?
TRUMP: “All I can do is ask the question. My people came to me, Dan Coats came to me and some others. They said they think it’s Russia. I have President Putin. He just said it’s not Russia. I will say this. I don’t see any reason why it would be . . . I have confidence in both parties.”
Wow.
But I can’t help but notice that Lemire violated a fundamental rule of interviewing – particularly in press conferences – that we see violated again and again by our most elitely positioned reporters:
Don’t ask more than one question at a time!
Doing so allows the subject being questioned to pick which question they want to answer – usually it’s the last (and least consequentional) one – or to just muddle the picture in part by conflating the questions to their advantage.
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Journos all over Twitter are congratulating Lemire (and Jeff Mason, the other American reporter allowed to participate) for having the courage to ask “tough” questions.
We should all thank these terrific journalists today! #FirstAmendment https://t.co/3xWSlU8qy1
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) July 16, 2018
I’d say the bar is pretty damn low if we think the most obvious and pressing questions are also the “toughest” questions that take courage to ask. My god.
But it just goes to show how rarely that actually happens.
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Trump just couldn’t help making a hash of it anyway. Here’s his full answer:
Here’s the transcript of Trump’s answer when he was asked whether he believes Putin or U.S. intelligence. pic.twitter.com/i4xs4H4QKh
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 16, 2018
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At least one Republican member of Illinois’ congressional delegation hasn’t (completely) lost their mind:
The American people deserve the truth, & to disregard the legitimacy of our intelligence officials is a disservice to the men & women who serve this country. It’s time to wake up & face reality. #Putin is not our friend; he’s an enemy to our freedom.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) July 16, 2018
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On the “Pakistani gentleman” mentioned by Trump:
It’ll get lost in the rest of the madness, but worth repeating that Trump is making a completely false smear of an American individual. His Justice Department has explained at length that Imran Awan didn’t do anything wrong with regard to servers: https://t.co/d3AsRMqVPB
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 16, 2018
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As far as the DNC server goes, it’s being looked at by top men.
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No, seriously, this DNC server business is pure bunk just like everything else that comes out of Trump’s mouth. Most disheartening, though, is that 40 percent of the American public believes this crap. How do we overcome that?
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New on the Beachwood . . .
Small Type
The glorious world of baseball minutiae.
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Chicagoetry: Wells At Dearborn
Private contractors to clean toilets, run chow halls, build gyms, train bomb-sniffing dogs, service the phones. A TGI Fridays, a Nathan’s, a KFC, an ice cream stand, pizza by the slice . . .
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A Little Girl’s Daddy Is Never Coming Home
Our city is in crisis.
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How The Fight Against Affirmative Action At Harvard Could Threaten Rich Whites
A corrupt admissions process favoring legacies, families of note, prep school athletes and kids of donors favors wealthy whites.
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ChicagoGram
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ChicagoTube
Chicago Art Life.
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TweetWood
A sampling.
Is SNL on this week? I’d like to find out what they said to each other while alone. https://t.co/BAFo9wOtR1
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) July 16, 2018
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INCREDIBLE MOMENT:
Q from AP reporter: Who do you believe Putin or US intelligence community who said Putin ordered election meddling?
President Trump: I don’t see any reason why it would be Russia. I have confidence in both parties…What happened to Hillary Clinton’s emails?
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) July 16, 2018
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A woman of color.
Log Cabin Republican Leader Calls Police on Woman Over a Coupon https://t.co/OiVkZlcnLn
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) July 15, 2018
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Well, Evanston … https://t.co/Y2iCAKwIcp
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) July 15, 2018
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The Beachwood Tronc Line: Full house.
Posted on July 16, 2018