Joe Lockhart

The desire to leverage the viral coverage continues to be the priority of the press, not public safety.

This nation’s media complex has exposed itself in recent weeks as the craven and self-interested industry that many have long accused it of being. We have watched the populace get swept up in a mass hysteria that is purely media-driven. While this virus is certainly a cause for concern and precautionary steps are the wise play, the reaction has been one of imbalance.

Just behold the toilet paper shortage that is gripping the nation — in response to a flu outbreak. Why those goods in particular are a focus of preppers defies explanation beyond it being a generated reaction. The press mentions it, the public reacts, and the press reports on the reaction, creating more of that demand. But in their desire to maximize and stoke a crisis the press also has feigned concern — they just have been lax in displaying it.

CNN contributor and former Clinton operative Joe Lockhart comes out and declares that all of the hysteria in the nation falls on one source for blame.

When this is all over and we properly examine what was done right and what was done wrong I hope we can have an honest national conversation on the toxic effect of Fox News. They are a critical instrument of Trump and his approach to the crisis.

— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) March 15, 2020

Did Fox News spread the virus, did they tell the President to not do something, or have they told the nation we are all going to die? Unclear – largely because Joe here levels the accusation while providing nothing in the form of evidence to his charge. One thing we might suggest is that this is a fierce example of projection, as the rest of the media complex has been more than eager to report on anything potentially damaging to the administration.

The Hill came out with a piece loudly declaring that over 1.5 million people could possibly die from this outbreak, echoing a similar alarmist report I mentioned being made by a former Obama administration healthcare official. To create this alarming figure they have to resort to modeling, then take the worst-case scenario of that prediction, which is entirely based on little to no action being taken. This is hardly responsible reporting, given the numerous steps that have been put in place for weeks already, and it is not being promoted by Fox.

Let’s recall one week out that as the seriousness of this outbreak was being considered, what did the press focus upon? They were ”correcting’’ those who labeled the virus as Wuhan, dubbing it racist to do so. This kind of PC garbage is what the press felt was important, to say nothing of the fact that in so doing they were acting as the PR arm of the Chinese Communist government.

One of the common themes we have heard for weeks is how the administration is doing next to nothing as a response. A good reason for this is that while giving daily briefing, and sometimes multiple per day, the media has been focused on other matters of import. Take a look at just a few of the reports we were served following these briefings. After one such presser CNN’s Jim Acosta detailed the most important takeaway – one person there opted to bump elbows with the President instead of shaking hands. L.A. Times reporter Chris Megerian had a crucial takeaway from another briefing – President Trump wore a USA hat. Is there any surprise following these content-free field reports that people would get an impression of inactivity on the part of the White House?

Another matter that was of grave concern for the not-Fox-News press corps was the President getting tested for the virus. For days this was the media mantra, that he should be tested and it was irresponsible if he does not do so. Well, the president was tested, and the press continued to be unhappy about it. Andrea Mitchell immediately called into question the administration doing the very thing the press was calling for.

Q: why did @realDonaldTrump take the Coronavirus test when his dr put out a statement last night saying it was not necessary?
Q: why did they announce Google tool and drive in tests when it isn’t happening other than a trial in Bay Area?

— Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) March 14, 2020

There is zero chance they would actually admit he had contracted it.

They'll prop him up like Weekend at Bernie's if they have to…

— Elizabeth Wash Your Hands Thorp (@ElizabethEThorp) March 14, 2020

How does anyone take these people seriously professionally any further? After days of bleating about Trump taking a virus test the announcement of him being cleared is only met with more scorn and derision from the same sources.

These sources all follow the same matrix in their reporting — approach the virus stories from the angle of casting a bad light on the administration. Condemn, criticize, obfuscate, and misdirect are the prevailing tactics. Informing the public and providing guidance are secondary. They all have one other thing in common while engaging in these practices; they are not Fox News, Mr. Lockhart.