Donald Trump called a press conference today to address some concerns he wanted to share. The Press showed up to the press conference because overnight, they’d been marinating in a Trump Mea Culpa hope: Trump will finally admit he’s a racist and apologize for the Obama Birther fight. As conservatives groaned about the stupidity of the birther garbage being revisited and then further groaned that Trump would have a press conference (no good could come of that), the media slavered with anticipation.

Once again, Trump surprised everyone. John Hinderaker of Powerline shares the result:

Sometimes you really have to hand it to Donald Trump. The press has been after him recently about whether he believes the Hillary Clinton campaign’s claim that Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. For years, the press has obsessed on “birtherism,” considering it to be a major issue on a par, at least, with a lousy economy and pitiful defense policy. Last night the Trump campaign released a statement to the effect that “Mr. Trump believes that President Obama was born in the United States.” This morning, Trump himself tweeted: I am now going to the brand new Trump International, Hotel D.C. for a major statement. Reporters assumed the statement would be about Obama’s birthplace, and, sensing an opportunity to halt Hilary’s decline in the polls, hurried to the Trump International en masse, with camera crews in tow. The cable news networks cleared time to broadcast the anticipated Trump humiliation live. Instead, they were treated to 20 minutes of military figures endorsing Trump. Live, on CNN and MSNBC!

The media flipped out. It’s glorious.

Donald Trump knows the media and as we’re finding out this election cycle, that’s more important than policy, the opposing candidate, advertising, or really, anything else.

Are other Republicans paying attention? Do they see the mendacity of the media? Donald Trump is teaching a master class.