Who knows? That's not Woodward's decision to make. The public isn't a bunch of toddlers whose reactions are to be pre-judged and managed—as it was done with masks and also with the airborne issue. It was on Woodward to share these important revelations. https://twitter.com/Alagai/status/1303750709825998850 …
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I'm going to go with Woodward could live with his fourteenth best-selling book having fewer scoops in September of 2020. https://twitter.com/samuelt22223/status/1303751811816357892 …pic.twitter.com/fNNnMEF2vW
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Woodward has Trump on tape in February, lucidly recounting basic facts, including severity & airborne transmission, that he was told by Xi. People who say it wouldn't have mattered: you don't know that. Savvy cynicism isn't politics; it's self-justification for paralysis.
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I find this argument baffling. This isn't politics. This is giving up. "Nothing would work, they would spin, no point in releasing information, he'd claim a hoax" etc. etc. Yes, nothing will work if people think and act like nothing will work. https://twitter.com/Alagai/status/1303751365076942848 …pic.twitter.com/y6rvtgCIdI
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People have forgotten the media environment in February. I was begging journalists to take this seriously, being lectured that we should worry about the flu instead—and top newspapers were publishing articles saying we should continue traveling and masks were just superstition.
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People are telling me that everyone knew all this in February. I wish! After much frustration, I wrote an article at the end of February on the need to get ready for the coming pandemic. As far as I can tell, it's the first mainstream mention of the need for "flatting the curve."
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So, no, it's just not true that "everyone knew" in February. It was a month of complacency and/or false messaging. Do people forget what happened this quickly? Yes, I'm frustrated that Woodward had Trump on tape, lucidly stating correct and crucial information, and sat on it.
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Again: this isn't absolving the administration. But it's possible to *also* say that this was crucial information about a once-in-a-century pandemic, and informing the public quickly is a noble way to end a career that started spectacularly—much better than the 14th bestseller.
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Replying to @zeynep
But today, Zeynep? As a first reaction? Isn’t there something a little esoteric about focusing on Woodward’s delay in releasing the news, which we only have because he did finally release it? I don’t defend him. I just say, the main story is that Trump KNEW.
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Replying to @JamesGleick @zeynep
I doubt it would have changed things much if Woodard released the interview earlier. Just look at all of the bombshell disclosures about Trump, sometimes more than once a day, for the past four years.
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I don't have a prediction, but I also would not predict it would not have made a difference. Who knows? The bigger point is at what point is a scoop instead a public emergency, and when does the public's right to know override other considerations.
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Replying to @zeynep @JamesGleick
It would be bad if this was after the election, since it's primary value is to inform voters. Trump has been all over the map on the virus, announcing strong measures one day, and not following through or reversing the next. Bob would not have solved that problem.
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