”They didn’t stop us from stepping on a rake’’ is hardly a strong defense.

The media rolls onward, continuing in its quest to politicize all aspects of the pandemic we are seized within. In its desire to not help the public and instead sow divisiveness in the administration the New York Times jumped in the Viral Octagon this week to post a lengthy story that undermined the work being done by White House task force physician Dr. Deborah Birx. That piece has lost so much of its luster, and yesterday White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tore into the New York Times from the podium.

‘’It is appalling the attack that I saw on her in The New York Times, based on no facts,” said McEnany at the close of her briefing. This led to a harsh response from Maggie Haberman, who took offense that the press secretary would dare impugn the good character of the news outlet that has been consistently exposed as a hack factory of facts.

WH press office was read into story before it ran. They didn't take the chance to defend Dr. Birx then. Today, per @PressSec, well after story ran, "the New York Times should be very ashamed of themselves."

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 21, 2020

That Haberman felt this was an explanation that excused the paper, and not an indictment on its methods is the laughable aspect. Pushing off responsibility onto the White House to correct or supply the information for their hit piece is sophomoric excuse-making. Her position here is essentially, ‘’It’s their fault for not correcting our work!’’ Not the best way to frame your news outlet’s efforts there, Maggie.

The Times got caught up in its own agenda, as it wants to harm the administration first, and getting the facts becomes secondary work. There is a need to keep framing President Trump’s efforts in the worst possible lighting, laying the causes of his lacking in leadership skills  This follows to the narrative push to elevate Dr. Anthony Fauci’s status, even as he seems intent on discrediting himself at numerous turns.

Dr. Fauci has become a quixotic figure in the administration, and the fact that the press is embracing him is the tip off. Fauci has been a regular source of contradiction, from telling people not to wear masks to mandating them, hailing the use of hydroxychloroquine and then deriding the drug, and taking every shifting position regarding opening the country. Of late Dr. Fauci has been raving about the performance of Andrew Cuomo in New York, when most have seen the disastrous results in that state.

This is perfect evidence as well what the media is up to. To have a member of the administration praising the efforts of Cuomo, whom journalists are inexplicably smitten with, is all the catnip they need. So it made perfect sense when The Times came out with its hit piece on Dr. Birx on Monday; bolstering the status of its preferred surgeon while sowing division inside the White House was a win-win for The Times. Yesterday that came down like a Jenga tower on the back of a flatbed.

The Times was exposed by attempting to juxtapose Dr. Birx and her supposed rosy prognosis as winning the ear of President Trump. “As the pandemic worsened, Dr. Fauci’s darker view of the circumstances was countered by the reassurances ostensibly offered by Dr. Birx’s data,” explained The Times. Just look at how this assessment of Fauci differs from his appraisal of New York. 

The implication is Dr. Fauci is disregarded by Trump for not being a more positive voice and clinging to alleged realities, but at the same time he is touting the great work of Andrew Cuomo despite the glaring failures and disturbing death counts. The press has been desperate to elevate Cuomo and paint Florida as a sign of COVID failure, but New York has a death rate that is ten times that of Florida. New York has had more victims die in nursing homes alone than Florida’s total death count — a state with 2 million more residents.

This becomes a trap of the Times’ own making. They are so desirous at the paper to tout Dr. Fauci in order to slam the president that they failed to properly vet his words in the past weeks. They have created a scenario where they wish to criticize the president for dismissing the guidance of a man who has been exhibiting such questionable positions that it looks better that Trump is looking elsewhere for information. The president is not listening to the doctor who is praising the worst death rates, you say? That sounds more like sound judgement on the part of President Trump.

For Maggie Haberman to lay the blame for her paper’s misguided interpretation of things on the White House press office makes the incompetence of the New York Times look all the more glaring.