Perhaps the only thing gained from Maria Bartiromo’s recent “interview” with Donald Trump is how conclusively it demonstrated his preference for chatting with a lickspittle over running the country.
As The Washington Post’s Philip Bump noted in his excellent write up of this disgraceful excuse for journalism, “Even by the standards of Fox interviews, Bartiromo’s exchange with Trump was remarkably friendly. Bump counted 14 times that she said, “yes.” He added, “Almost no claim made by Trump was challenged in any way, with the exception of his renewed assertion that he could close the border entirely. Could he do that before his new Mexico-Canada trade deal, the USMCA, was ratified, Bartiromo asked.”
Bartiromo only broke from her chorus of sycophancy when she repeatedly tried to get off the phone.
The 8:11 clip posted online (above) seems to begin in the middle of the slobberfest. In it, Bartiromo first began trying to wrap up the chat at about 1:47 when she asked what she plainly hoped would be her last question: “Mr. President, I know you have to run but, you know, all of the 2020 contenders who want to run against you in 2020, you haven’t heard a peep out of them about this [so-called crisis at the border]."
Trump rattled on for about two more minutes. Bartiromo tried again at 3:53. “Mr. President, I know you have to go…” she began. But to no avail because Trump kept talking. “Final question, Mr. President,” she tried again.
But Trump was like the Energizer Bunny of chitchat.
Bartiromo tried yet again at about 4:16: “Mr. President, before you go, real quick… “ And again at 5:14: “Mr. President, I know you have to run. Real quick, William Barr testifies next week. What’s the most important question you think he should be asked if he shows up for the testimony next week?”
The Barr question set Trump off on a tear about the Russia investigation, the FBI and a claim that “Everybody wants to know, where did this start?” Not where did Russian interference start and what can be done to prevent it going forward but the "injustice" of our American agencies looking into the 251 contacts between Trump's team and Russia-linked operatives that he tried to cover up.
That anti-Americanism elicited another round of agreements from Bartiromo.
At 6:48, she tried to wrap again. “Mr. President, thank you so much…” But it took her more than a minute to get him off the phone. Finally, at 8:04, she said, “Mr. President, thank you so much for calling in this morning. I so appreciate it. I know you have a busy day. Thank you, sir.”
It was very clear Trump had no news he wanted to make. He was just chatting. Because he had nothing more important to do. And not for the first time in office.
Watch this shameful display above, from Fox Business Network’s April 29, 2019 Mornings with Maria.
Republished with permission from News Hounds.
