ABC's Karl rips White House for 'flagrant violation' of social distancing in Rose Garden

[left-of-center2012]

Source: The Hill

Jonathan Karl of ABC News slammed the White House for positioning reporters closer together than usual for President Trump's remarks in the Rose Garden on Friday, calling the move "a flagrant violation" of government guidelines for social distancing.

Karl, who is also head of the White House Correspondents' Association, said the White House did not place the press pool chairs far enough apart to comply with coronavirus guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The longtime White House correspondent also accused the Trump administration of using reporters as props at the event, where Trump did not take questions from the press.

"This is a flagrant violation of CDC guidelines on social distancing and a move that puts reporters at risk for the purpose of turning the press corps into a prop for a so-called 'press conference' where the president refuses to answer a single question," Karl tweeted to his
more than 250,000 followers

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/media/501344-abcs-karl-rips-white-house-for-flagrant-violation-of-social-distancing-in-rose

[llmart]

1. Hey, Jonathan...

Next time maybe all of you should just not show up. Maybe you should have been doing that from the start. All he's done is make fools out of you and ridicule reporters. When is your last straw?

[luvtheGWN]

2. The reporters could have moved the chairs themselves

to adhere to the social distancing requirement. That would have made a much stronger point and foiled Dotard. And it would have been especially appropriate to have done it with cameras rolling.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

4. They also could have walked out when it became clear it was a rally and not a press conference.

Anytime the press corps isn't allowed to question Trump the event is just a free campaign event. The news media companies should all band together and direct their reporters to not take part in such an event. Leave one fixed camera to record what Fat Donnie says, but don't show it live.

It's wishful thinking, I know, but I would like to see the press stand up to this tyrant. At the very least, push back when he ridicules their colleagues. When he call them fake news, reply, "We've been sent to cover a fake president."

[greenjar_01]

3. The insults don't matter, remember Jonathan? Maybe the physical threats don't matter either?

[scarletwoman]

5. Jeebus! So walk the fuck out!

[Rebl2]

6. Exactly!

They should have all just left, especially since it just became another photo op for him.

[2golddogs]

7. Can't they think for themselves?

How powerful it would have been for them to seat themselves in every other chair. They seem to suffer from a shocking lack of imagination and chutzpah.