In an unsurprising move, members of the mainstream media hyperventilated with President Trump being cleared by his doctors to leave Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday. He has been there since Friday after being infected with COVID-19.
It started when Trump was walking by members of the gathered press pool outside the facility. Yahoo News' White House reporter Hunter Walker shouted at Trump, "Do you think you might be a superspreader, Mr. President?"
Trump ignored the question and continued to walk towards the vehicle that would take him to Marine One so he could get back to the White House.
Over on CNN, Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter gave his thoughts on the situation:
"It's not a real show of strength but it's a performative show of strength, this is what strong men do in autocratic regimes. Thankfully we’re in a democracy, but this is what you see from strong men who want to appear to be leading, it's Dear Leader sort of approach. That’s what we are seeing on the television screens," Stelter explained. "Meanwhile, there are big questions about the coverup. Why won’t they tell about his testing history, when he was tested. We moved from possibly being a coverup to actually being a coverup. Whether the President's at Walter Reed or back at the White House, reporters will keep demanding answers to those questions."
CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta kept the good times rolling by telling anchor Wolf Blitzer, "But keep in mind this is not just the president returning to the White House. This may be patient zero. This is the virus coming back to the White House."
Acosta said there is White House staff who are "petrified" because of the number of people who work in the White House who have tested positive for COVID-19. He went on to tweet, "Coronavirus in Chief, Trump takes off mask as he returns to WH."
Coronavirus in Chief, Trump takes off mask as he returns to WH. pic.twitter.com/ukCyhU1Nv0
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 5, 2020