President Trump today at the White House said to me: “Be nice. Don't be threatening.”
I’m not the first human being, woman, black person or journalist to be told that while doing a job.
My take: Be steady. Stay focused. Remember your purpose. And, always press forward.
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Yamiche Alcindor
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Yamiche Alcindor’s Tweets
Video of my question to today on his administration's disbanding of the White House team responsible for coordinating responses to pandemics.
He called my question nasty & said he knew nothing about it.
I call it a relevant, fair, and truth-seeking question.
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WATCH: @Yamiche asked the president about a reorganization of the National Security Council that dismantled a key pandemics team in 2018.
President Trump: "I just think it's a nasty question... You say we did that, I don't know anything about it."
Thanks so much for all the texts, tweets and notes of support.
Everyday, I feel honored and privileged to dig for truth as a White House correspondent.
I’ll make sure to keep asking questions on behalf of the American people.
I'm simply asking the questions the public wants to know.
Kellyanne Conway says it's wrong to call President Trump's walk to St. John's Church a photo-op. That is "calling into question" Trump's faith.
Note: Trump walked over from the White House to the church, held up a bible, and posed for photos. Most would call that a photo-op.
Derek Chauvin's lawyer: You called officers a bitch, right?
Genevieve Hansen, off-duty firefighter on scene: "Mmhm ... I got quite angry after Mr. Floyd was loaded into the ambulance & there was no point in trying to reason w/ them anymore because they had just killed somebody."
THREAD: President Trump says these protests are professionally organized and the result of domestic terrorists and anarchists. Based on my reporting on the ground today, the vast majority of people gathering outside of the White House are everyday Americans demanding change.
I know I’m doing something right when is threatened by my reporting and making baseless claims about bad grammar.
As the great Beyoncé said, “Boy bye.”
President Trump just now: "When somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total."
Fact Check: That is definitely not true.
My Q: You said you don’t take responsibility for slow response to coronavirus but your administration disbanded the White House office on pandemics?
President Trump: “That’s a nasty question...When you say me, I didn't do it. We have a group of people [in the administration].”
My Q: When will everyone who needs a coronavirus test be able to get a test?
Pres Trump: “No-one is talking about this except you, which doesn’t surprise me."
My Q: What about people w/ symptoms who cannot get a test?
Trump: "Yeah, well, OK. I’m not— I'm not hearing it."
The next four witnesses, who watched George Floyd plead for his life as Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck, are not being shown on camera because they are so young.
Let that sink in.
Too young to be shown on camera but witnesses in a murder trial.
President Trump was playing golf in Virginia when Joe Biden became the president-elect.
Wow. Supreme Court rules 7-2 that New York investigators can get President Trump's financial records.
The White House just released the first official portrait of Judge -- soon to be Justice -- Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The photo was taken by Lelanie Foster, a young black photographer from the Bronx.
A telling moment.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to President Biden just now: "U.S. leadership has been sorely missed over the past years."
President Trump just said he likely was distracted by the impeachment trial and that impacted his response to coronavirus.
That is a remarkable admission.
My Q to President Trump just now: Overall, U.S. unemployment rate fell by 1 %. Black unemployment rate went up .1%. Asian American rate went up by .5%. How is that a victory?
His response to me: “You are something.”
Note: It’s a crucial question.
Former VP Joe Biden: "You're the worst president that America has ever had."
WOW.
President Trump on Dr. Fauci: "He's got this high approval rating...Why don't I have a high approval rating?...Nobody likes me. It could only be my personality. I don't know."
Pres Trump: I am signing the first-ever executive order to affirm that it is the "official policy of the United States Government to protect patients with pre-existing conditions."
Fact: The Affordable Care Act signed by Pres Obama made covering pre-existing conditions U.S. law.
Why did Trump end WH briefing? asked Trump why he sees this as "a global competition" when 80K have died. He said: "Ask China."
He tried to move on but wouldn’t let ask her Q.
He called on me but I motioned for Kaitlin to ask her Q so Trump walked off.
George Floyd's brother, Philonise, on his conversation w/ Pres Trump on : "It was so fast. He didn't give me the opportunity to even speak. It was hard. I was trying to talk to him but he just kept like pushing me off like 'I don’t want to hear what you’re talking about.'"
I am still laughing at Julia Louis-Dreyfus saying 10 minutes ago, “If we all vote there is nothing Facebook, Fox News or Vladimir Putin can do to stop us.”
My goodness.
I’m home & still processing that I saw peaceful protesters teargassed outside the White House so Pres Trump could walk to St. John's Episcopal Church.
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who oversees the church, said she is “outraged” to see it used in a photo-op.
I’m speechless.
Thanks to for passing me the microphone & letting me ask my second question.
I asked: Which health professionals are telling you that more people will die from the economic impact than coronavirus?
Trump didn’t answer directly and instead just repeated his claims.
CONFIRMED: Joe Biden has selected Pete Buttigieg to serve as secretary of transportation.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says she plans to hold daily White House briefings Monday through Friday.
What a change.
The NYT had to sue to get virus data broken down by race. Sue.
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Black and Latino people in the U.S. are 3 times as likely to contract the coronavirus than their white neighbors — and nearly twice as likely to die, according to new data we obtained by suing the CDC nyti.ms/3e0ZlZk
Here is what was happening outside the White House as President Trump was giving his Rose Garden address and saying he is an “ally of all peaceful protestors.” Peaceful protestors being tear gassed outside of the WH gates. I confirmed because I was teargassed along with them.
This DNC virtual roll call is one of the first examples of a convention aspect that seems stronger than the traditional way of doing things. It’s fascinating to see the diversity of the United States and Americans in so many places with cultural and geographic differences.
Some exciting personal news:
I am pregnant with a baby boy due in June. I'm feeling blessed after a tough few years trying to get here.
With that in mind, I wrote an essay dedicated to other women whose paths to motherhood have hit roadblocks.
today.com/parents/essay/
Jacob Blake's uncle on President Trump: "Our nephew was shot seven times in the back. Nothing could justify that...We don't have any words for the orange man. All I ask is that he keep is disrespectful foul language far away from our family."
Important story: A Florida officer who knocked over a seated protester just before a peaceful protest against police abuse turned violent has been reviewed by internal affairs for using force 79 times in his roughly three-and-half years on the force.
I'm so honored to receive this year's 2020 Gwen Ifill Award from the International Women’s Media Foundation. I miss Gwen's necessary voice this year and I am blessed to have been able to receive her guidance while we had her. I hope we at the are making her proud.
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Every day, @Yamiche carries on #GwenIfill's legacy of leadership, mentorship, and challenging expectations of how women of color should report. We're thrilled to honor this incredible, #fiercewomanjourno with our 2020 Gwen Ifill Award. iwmf.org/awards/gwen-if
Daunte Wright's mom: "The last few days, everybody has asked me what we want ... Everybody keeps saying justice ... There's never going to be justice for us. Justice would bring our son home ... So justice isn't even a word to me. I do want accountability. 100% accountability."
No title. No security. And multiple conversations about how dark Archie was going to be?
I can’t. I cannot.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki: "Let's do this again tomorrow."
Awful, awful news: Civil Rights Icon Rep John Lewis has died.
President Trump to Sean Hannity: “A lot of equipment is being asked for that I don’t think they will need.”
My Q: How will that thinking impact how you fill their orders?
Trump: I never said governors wouldn’t need the numbers they were asking for.
(Note the quote above.)
. with quite a line: “Don't forget, Joe and Kamala can win by 3 million votes and still lose -- take it from me.”
Stunning.
President Trump says nothing about Minnesota as the nation is on edge and leaves the Rose Garden without taking questions.
Sarah Sanders is repeating over and over again that it's the law to separate immigrant children and from their parents.
Fact check: It's not the law. The Trump administration is making the decision to do this and does not have to do it.
Going to bed thinking about saying, “We hope America still loves us.”
Goodness.
We more than love you. We adore you. We cherish you. We admire you. We feel for you. We are rooting for you.
Thanks for taking care of yourself. We all need that example.
John Lewis asked The NYT to publish this on the day of his funeral. It is necessary reading. He writes, “When you see something that is not right, you must say something ... Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part.”
The White House is now undergoing a thorough deep cleaning —far and beyond what is normal — as President Trump delivers remarks at JBA.
Reporter: Do you regret all of the lying that you have done to the American people?
President Trump: What?
Reporter: Do you regret all of the lying that you have done to the American people?
*silence*
Then, President Trump doesn't answer and moves on to the next reporter.
The mugshots of Gregory and Travis McMichael, who have been charged with the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
CONFIRMED: There was no contact from the Trump campaign or the White House to alert the Biden campaign of possible exposure. The campaign learned of the situation from the news reports, a Biden campaign aide tells me.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dictated this statement to her granddaughter Clara Spera: "My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed."
Obama going after Trump in MI: “He’s still worrying about his inauguration crowd being smaller than mine...He’s still talking about that. Does he have nothing better to worry about? Did no one come to his birthday party when he was a kid? Was he traumatized? What’s with crowds?”
Sen Alexander (R-Tenn.) sticking up for Dr. Fauci: “Dr. Fauci is one of our country’s most distinguished public servants...If more Americans paid attention to his advice, we’d have fewer cases of COVID-19 & it would be safer to go back to school and back to work and out to eat.”
Pres Biden, in the longest news conference in presidential history, made news, pushed back on critics, called out lies, took responsibility for mistakes he believes he made, expressed surprise at GOP, talked foreign policy and didn't lash out on reporters.
Quite the change.
Powerful statement by Doc Rivers tonight: "All you hear is Donald Trump & all of them talking about fear. We're the ones getting killed. We're the ones getting shot. ... It's amazing why we keep loving this country & this country does not love us back."
From
Mark Medina
I’m honored to become the next moderator of , a show that meant so much to Gwen Ifill when she helmed this chair. My guiding light will be focusing on the impact of politics on everyday people and vulnerable populations. Join me this Friday.
I repeatedly asked RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel & WH Press Sec Kayleigh McEnany: How is there a mass conspiracy against GOP voters across the country when the GOP picked up House seats?
They refused to answer directly & instead pointed to claims of fraud without evidence.
A note: I followed up the president calling my question "racist" with a policy question about his proposed middle class tax cut because that's what journalists do. We press on. We focus on the privilege of asking questions for a living. We do the work.
President Biden just pulled out a list of Republicans who he says are touting the American Rescue Plan and who are trying to take credit for its impact but who refused to vote for the plan that was passed with only Democratic support. Wow.
Dr. Fauci: If we get 70-85% of Americans vaccinated by the end of the summer or middle of the summer, we will be approaching a "degree of normality" by around the fall.
I’m beaming watching Kristen Welker. Such an amazing moment for her and for all who know of her hard work and dedication to journalism. Go girl!
Video of my exchange w/ Pres Trump today.
My Q is on Trump saying this about governors on Thursday: “I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they are going to be. I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.”
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Watch as Trump gets defensive about his statement questioning how many ventilators Cuomo really needs.
Trump: When journalists get up and ask questions that are so threatening...
Yamiche: I was quoting you directly from your interview with Sean Hannity.
Still struck by this: Genevieve Hansen, the off-duty firefighter on the scene as George Floyd died, said she stayed on scene after Floyd was taken away bc she worried about the Black people and people of color --like Donald Williams -- possibly being hurt by remaining police.
Dr. Conley: "I didn't want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction and in doing so it came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn't necessarily true."
My Q: How would providing facts steer the course of Trump's illness?
President Obama: “When we do form a more perfect union — whether it's years from now, or decades, or even if it takes another two centuries — John Lewis will be a founding father of that fuller, fairer, better America.”
I asked President Trump what he thinks of people seeing his rhetoric as emboldening white nationalists and whether he was concerned that Republicans would be seen as supporting white nationalists.
His response: "That's a racist question."
As he did Tuesday morning, President-elect Joe Biden is visiting the graves of his son, Beau, his first wife, Neilia, and their daughter, Naomi.
Judge Jackson said when she first got to Harvard she was feeling homesick and questioning whether she belonged. Then one day as she was walking through campus, a black woman who she did not know leaned in and said to her, “Persevere.”
It is October 8, 2020 and President Trump is on Fox News complaining about ... Hillary Clinton’s emails.
Pres Trump claims the 1619 project distorts and "rewrites" American history. He says the project wrongly says America was founded on "oppression not freedom."
Fact: At America's founding, kidnapped enslaved black people were exploited. The consequences of slavery continue today.
What is going on right now? The WH, which has a deep credibility issue w/ many, needs to clarify when the president got sick, whether he was ever on oxygen at any time, whether he is on a clear path to a full recovery, and whether he was traveling and holding rallies while ill?
NEWS: Former VP Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden have tested NEGATIVE for COVID-19.
CONFIRMED: A source close to House Managers tells me that David Schoen was not telling the truth when he said Trump’s lawyers had not been given the new video evidence of the Capitol attack. That person says trial rules required giving Trump lawyers the videos before the start.
Mr. President, , I’ve asked you fair & relevant questions on your evolving approach & rhetoric regarding coronavirus. For example, last Sun., I asked: You've said some governors don't need the equipment they're requesting. How might that impact your decisions? 1/3
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A very biased “journalist”. twitter.com/MediaBuzzFNC/s…
Pres Trump has left his VA golf club where he learned of Joe Biden being declare president-elect and is now on his way back to the White House, where a large crowd has gathered to celebrate Trump's projected failure to be re-elected. A tough scene for someone who hates losing.
Dr. Michael Baden, renowned medical examiner, on George Floyd's: The autopsy shows that Floyd has no underlying health problem that contributed to his death.
"He was in good health," Baden said. "The cause of death is asphyxia compression of the neck and back."
WOW.
Soon after he offered public assurances that the government was ready to battle coronavirus, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr sold off between $582,029 and $1.56 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 29 separate transactions.
propublica.org/article/senato
President Obama: “Our Democracy is not going to work if the people who are supposed to be our leaders lie everyday and just make things up. And we’ve become just numb to it. We’ve become immune to it. Every single day. Fact checkers can’t keep up.”
SOME NEEDED CONTEXT:
Activists calling for defunding the police are not always calling for dismantling departments.
In many cases, it means redirecting funds from police departments to other parts of society that help people like housing, education, and communities.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama closing out the DNC says of the presidency: “You simply cannot fake your way through this job.”
Journalism at work, folks.
Bernie Sanders: That is a mischaracterization of my stance.
Rachel Maddow: That is a quote from you.
President Trump has been visibly angry the last two days and he's been lashing out more than usual. Why is he so mad?
Because this story from The NY Times laid out, point by point, what he did wrong.
It is clearly a must read so here it is again:
Jury finds Derek Chauvin GUILTY of all charges in the death of George Floyd.
Quite an ending by the prosecutor saying: You were told George Floyd died because his heart was too big. But, he died because Derek Chauvin’s heart was too small.
President Trump is now lashing out at who literally read his comments back to him about wanting to be appreciated by governors amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Note: Jeremy is asking a very relevant and important question as Trump calls CNN fake news.
President Trump says he will be going to the U.S. Supreme Court to stop ALL vote counting across the country.
“As far as I am concerned, we have already won,” Trump says.
*This is stunning and a nightmare scenario.*
. has said repeatedly today that Pres Trump has not taken a stance in favor of or against the Confederate flag.
Let that sink in a minute.
The president of the United States can't say whether he supports flying a flag associated with treason and supporters of slavery.
Senator Hirono going after Judge Barrett for her language on LGBTQ rights: Sexual preference is an offense and outdated term and I don’t think you using it was an accident. Sexual orientation is a key part of people’s lives.
A poetic day for Joe Biden: Exactly 48 years to the day that he was first elected to the United States Senate, Joseph R. Biden has been elected as the 46th president of the United States.
A Finnish reporter just asked President Sauli Niinistö of Finland what favors President Trump has asked of him.
There were audible gasps in the room.
A moment to behold.
Q: What do you mean by an "invasion" in the suburbs if VP Joe Biden is elected?
President Trump: "They're going to destroy suburbia. And 30 percent of the people in suburbia are minorities. They say 35 percent, but I like to cut it lower."
President Trump just said if he loses the election, he’ll never come back to Michigan.
President-elect Joe Biden, tears in his eyes, says his only regret is that his son Major Beau Biden is not here "because we should be introducing him as president."
A striking scene in D.C.
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Replying to @janerecker
Trump’s DC fireworks display. One woman commented “it looks like the end of the world.” #DCProtests #RNC2020
I ugly cried during Serena & Naomi’s match and took a day to process. Serena was every woman I know standing up for themselves, having to point out misogyny, having to get the job done, and then making sure the woman coming behind you is supported despite the discrimination faced