What a refresher of a TV interview it was. On Sunday, NBC’s Meet the Press moderator, Kristen Welker, interviewed President-elect Trump in a taped broadcast that featured a range of questions and a discussion that lasted over an hour.
Trump was in full command of every second of the sit down – no teleprompter, no rehearsed lines, no anxious staff behind the lights frantically trying to control the exchange. It was vintage Trump, looking elegant in elegant surroundings, unlike the time when Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz sat down with CNN’s Dana Bash in a dingy restaurant in Savannah earlier this summer.
The interview was different, too, because Welker seemed to acknowledge the gravity of the moment, although her liberal bias made her repeatedly interrupt her subject multiple times, lawyer-style. It was apparent in her opening remarks when she grudgingly admitted: “You are the first president since Grover Cleveland to win non-consecutive terms. Republicans now have control of the House and the Senate. What do you plan to accomplish in your first 100 days in office?”
In 2016, as well, Trump was an aberration to the media elite. This unexpected (and unwelcome) victor had defeated a surefire candidate they had presumed would become the first female President of the United States. Even in 2016, Trump’s victory was historic in the sense that a businessman who had never run for any office in his life aimed straight for the presidency and beat his opponents at all odds, vanquishing political dynasties along the way.
However, Welker, who moderated the second presidential debate for NBC News during the 2020 campaign and had shown her true colors by constantly fact-checking former President Trump and letting then-candidate Biden off the hook, was a transformed journalist on Sunday. She kept repeating the honorific, “Sir,” repeatedly.
Bill Goodykoontz, a media critic for USA Today, was furious. He complained that in “Trump’s first major interview with a broadcast network since he won the election, Trump continued to lie and dodge, and when Welker tried to push back here and there, Trump either ignored her or just said he disagreed.” Perhaps Goodykoontz doesn’t appreciate that Welker was in front of history interviewing a person who defied all odds to beat the media favorite Kamala Harris in a landslide not seen since Reagan-Carter 1980.
On issue after issue, Trump seemed unafraid to speak and was not combative. Before the election and even during his first term, Trump needed the media to communicate his message. Now, the media needs Trump more, and Welker’s attitude showed. We have repeatedly documented in these pages how new media platforms, including tippinsights, podcasts (such as from Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, and Megyn Kelly), and long-form opinions on X from conservatives like Victor Hanson have forced corporate media to adjust.
One of the most significant developments of the 2024 campaign involved the legacy media, which had ascended to their self-appointed perch as the guardians of idealism, democracy, and human rights for decades. Directed by its owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, the Los Angeles Times board announced that it would not endorse a candidate for President, a first in the Times’ history. The decision resulted in Mariel Garza, the editorial editor, quitting in protest.
The next day, it was the Washington Post. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and the owner of the ultra-liberal and anti-Trump newspaper since 2013, penned an op-ed to justify his paper’s EB decision. The op-ed went further than the LA Times: “The hard truth: Americans don’t trust the news media….Lack of credibility isn’t unique to The Post. Our brethren newspapers have the same issue. And it’s a problem not only for the media but also for the nation. Many people are turning to off-the-cuff podcasts, inaccurate social media posts, and other unverified news sources, which can quickly spread misinformation and deepen divisions…By itself, declining to endorse presidential candidates is not enough to move us very far up the trust scale, but it’s a meaningful step in the right direction. ”
As the last nail in the coffin, USA Today and the 200-plus local publications under the Gannett umbrella announced that they would not endorse a presidential candidate either.
It was amusing that Welker mentioned Jeff Bezos during the interview in an apparent attempt to trap Trump. “Will you favor Elon Musk over other leaders of competitor companies, like Jeff Bezos and Mary Barra?” Welker was thinking about Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket company as a competitor to Musk’s SpaceX and Barra, the CEO of GM, a competitor to Musk’s Tesla.
Trump ignored Welker’s line of attack and focused on the media association of Bezos’s Washington Post.
“No, Jeff Bezos called me. We’re having dinner. As you know, Mark Zuckerberg came in. We had a really nice dinner. He asked to have dinner. I had dinner with him. I’m having dinner with everybody. People like me now, you know? It’s something going on that people — I said, ‘Would you have come to dinner with me if I lost?’ I think the answer is no. You know, I said, kiddingly, of course, because I don’t want to sound foolish. But I say jokingly, ‘Would you have been here at dinner if I lost?’ And the answer was, ‘Probably not.’ Look, I’m getting called by everybody. It’s very interesting. It’s different than the first — you know, when I won the first time, I wasn’t nearly as popular as this. And one thing that’s very important, in terms of the election, I love that I won the popular vote, and by a lot.”
To which, Welker, probably thinking that “a lot” was a gross exaggeration, meekly corrected in a quick fact-check: “1.6 percent.” Some things still haven’t changed.
TIPP Picks
Selected articles from tippinsights.com
MAGA v. 2.0: How A Trumpian Milei Is Making Argentina Great Again – Ben Shapiro, The Daily Signal
In Praise Of Giorgia Meloni’s Handling Of A Migration Crisis – Sydney Hudson & Wilson Beaver, The Daily Signal
You’d Better Watch Out: The Surveillance State Is Making a List, and You’re On It – John & Nisha Whitehead, The Rutherford Institute
7 Takeaways From Final Hearing Of Task Force Investigating Trump Assassination Attempt – Fred Lucas, The Daily Signal
Trump’s Efficiency Department Secures Support From Dem Lawmakers – Adam Pack, DCNF
Slash Military Spending: “Defense” Budgets Are Bigger Than Ever Before – Ryan McMaken, Mises Wire
Rising Electricity Prices and ‘Green Energy’ – Trisha Curtis, The Daily Signal
Cruz Leads Brief To Supreme Court Over Mexico’s Lawsuit Against US Gunmakers – Bethany Blankley, The Daily Signal
Radical NLRB Chief Should Be Replaced, Not Reappointed – Carrie Sheffield, The Daily Signal
California’s Reparations Laws Single Out Black Residents – GianCarlo Canaparo & Ashley Poole, The Daily Signal
Nation’s Second-Largest School District Revises Race-Based Grant Program – Nicole Neily, The Daily Signal
TIPP Takes
Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. Israel Seizes Buffer Zone In Golan Heights After Syrian Government Collapses – UPI
Israeli forces seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria, whose rule by President Bashar Assad ended with the takeover by rebels.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday said the agreement had collapsed as Syrian troops had abandoned their positions. The international community, except for the United States, views this area as occupied Syrian territory.
2. Syria’s Al-Assad And His Family Are In Moscow: Russian News Agencies – Al Arabiya
The Interfax news agency quoted the unnamed source as saying: “President al-Assad of Syria has arrived in Moscow. Russia has granted them (him and his family) asylum on humanitarian grounds.”
In one of the most consequential turning points in the Middle East for generations, the fall of al-Assad’s regime wiped out a bastion from which Iran and Russia exercised influence across the Arab world. His sudden overthrow limits Iran’s ability to spread weapons to its allies and could cost Russia its Mediterranean naval base.
3. Syrian Opposition Has Guaranteed The Safety Of Russian Bases And Diplomats – Reuters
“Russian officials are in contact with representatives of the armed Syrian opposition, whose leaders have guaranteed the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions on the territory of Syria,” the TASS state news agency said.
4. Georgian Pro-EU Protesters On Streets Again After Violent Government Crackdown – RFE/RL
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the Georgian capital following a violent crackdown by riot police against demonstrators angered by the government’s decision to suspend talks on joining the European Union.
Many of the protesters were calling for the release of fellow demonstrators arrested in previous rallies. Tensions have been running high in Georgia since the ruling Georgian Dream party won an election that the pro-Western opposition and Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili say was rigged with the help of Moscow.
Related Editorial: Meddlers Of The West Ignite Georgia In A Déjà Vu Of Ukraine
5. Russian Submarine Makes ‘Very Worrisome’ Surfacing To The West Of Philippines – RFA
A Russian attack submarine surfaced in the South China Sea to the west of the Philippines last week, prompting Manila to send a warship and aircraft to track it, said the Philippine military.
The Russian vessel was spotted 80 nautical miles west of Occidental Mindoro province, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone. The AFP said that the attack submarine was apparently awaiting better weather before heading to the port of Vladivostok, in eastern Russia.
6. China Fine Tunes Economic Stimulus As It Braces For New U.S. Administration – A.P.
China is fine-tuning policies, giving manufacturers a 20% made-in-China price advantage in sales to the Chinese government. Government procurement generally amounts to about 10% or more of business activity in major economies.
The moves come ahead of a top-level annual economic planning conference scheduled that will help set China’s strategy for the coming year.
7. 14 Chinese Warships, 7 Aircraft Cited Near Taiwan – A.P.
China’s military activities come amid speculation Beijing might organize military drills around the island in response to Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te’s recent visit to Pacific allies, including U.S. stops in Hawaii and Guam.
Lai’s stops in Hawaii and Guam — from where he had phone calls with U.S. Congress leaders — angered China, which opposes U.S. arms sales and military assistance to Taiwan.
8. S. Korea Pres. Yoon To Step Aside Before Resigning: Party Head – Kyodo News
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will not engage in government work ahead of his impending resignation, the ruling party leader said, a day after an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his declaration of martial law failed.
“Even before his resignation, the president will not be involved in state affairs, including diplomacy,” People Power Party leader Han Dong Hoon said in a statement, without elaborating on when Yoon is expected to step down.
9. A Year Into Javier Milei’s Presidency, Argentina’s Poverty Hits A New High – Al Jazeera
For nearly 40 years, Argentina’s poverty level had consistently hovered above 25 percent. But since the far-right Milei took office on December 10, 2023, that figure has skyrocketed.
Over the last year, the poverty rate reached nearly 53 percent, the highest in 30 years, according to a research team at the Argentine Catholic University (UCA) that has tracked key economic indicators. That spike has led experts and advocates to increasingly question Milei’s “chainsaw” approach to slashing public spending and its consequences.
10. Fed Chair Powell Says Economy Remains Strong, Bitcoin Is ‘Like Gold’: Expert Weighs In – Benzinga
“The U.S. economy is in very good shape right now. It’s in remarkably good shape, we are sort of the envy of other large economies around the world, and I’m going to do everything I can to keep it there during the rest of my term, and I feel very good about where the economy is and where monetary policy is,” Powell said.
“People use Bitcoin as a speculative asset. It’s like gold — it’s just virtual and digital,” Powell said during the discussion.
11. Florida To Invest $1.85B From Pension Fund In Bitcoin – Cryptopolitan
Florida plans to invest $1.85 billion from its pension fund into Bitcoin to take the lead in using cryptocurrency, with support from state leaders and the Florida Blockchain Business Association.
If Florida’s plan works, it could make the state a leader in using digital assets in state investments. This could encourage other states to invest in Bitcoin as well.
12. Up 47% Post-Election, Can Tesla Stock Keep Soaring? – Barchart
As analysts debate its valuation and prospects, Tesla’s stock has been on a remarkable ride, surging nearly 47% since early November. Stifel’s Stephen Gengaro raised the target price of TSLA to $411 from $285 – also the Street high – implying an upside potential of 5.6%.
This optimism also faces headwinds in China, where Tesla’s shipments have faltered amid fierce competition. Among the 38 analysts in coverage, 11 suggest a “Strong Buy,” two advise a “Moderate Buy,” 16 recommend a “Hold,” and the remaining nine analysts advocate for a “Strong Sell.” The mean price target of $241.56 implies about 37% downside from the Dec. 6 closing price.
13. Elon Musk Just Gave Nvidia Investors 1 Billion Reasons To Cheer – The Motley Fool
A report by DigiTimes suggests that Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) start-up, xAI, has struck a major deal with Nvidia.
According to DigiTimes report, Musk was involved in a deal between xAI and Nvidia – reportedly personally contacting Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang and offering more than $1 billion for a cluster of GB200 GPUs. xAI is already working with Nvidia, specifically on the buildout of its supercomputer, dubbed Colossus.
14. Flying With Food Allergies Can Bring Stress, Danger – HealthDay News
A new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that airlines don’t always honor requests to protect the health of people with food allergies during flights.
20% were promised food allergy-related cabin announcements that didn’t happen. 17% were promised allergen-free buffer zones that weren’t established. 23% were promised allergy-free food options that weren’t offered. Food allergies currently affect more than 33 million Americans, researchers said in background notes.
Republished with permission from TIPP Insights
