The 9th of June 2017

John is a reporter from the White House press pool. They were covering a joint press conference with Romanian President Iohannis.

Sorry about the format of this. Best to read until you arrive at a bracketed number and then read what I have written below in the end-note area.

John: Did he (meaning Comey) ask for a pledge of loyalty from you?(1)

Trump: No he did not.(2)

John: So he said those things under oath.(3) Would you be willing to speak under oath to give your version of those events?

Trump: (without hesitation) One hundred percent. (almost running over his own words and a few from John, he followed with) I didn’t say under oath.(4) I hardly know the man I’m not going to say I want you to pledge allegiance. Who would do that? Who would ask a man to pledge allegiance under oath? I mean think of it. I hardly know the man. It doesn’t make sense.(5) No I didn’t say that, and I didn’t say the other. (while gesturing with his hand to signify one from the other, I guess)(6)

John: So, if Robert Mueller wanted to speak with you about that, …

Trump: I would be glad to tell him exactly what I just told you, John.(7)

___________________________________________

(1) John botched the question. No, John, James Comey did not ask the President to pledge his loyalty to James Comey of the FBI.

(2) Donald Trump answered correctly because James Comey did not ask for Trump’s loyalty.

(3) No, John. Since you botched the initial question, that is actually not true as James Comey did not ask Trump for his loyalty.

(4) Donald Trump just realized that he would not be willing to do any of this under oath so he now wants to make it clear that he would not be willing to do this under oath.

(5) All of that which follows Trump’s admission that he would not be willing to do this under oath, was to cover up this statement as Mr. Trump realized that him even saying what he just said is tantamount to an admission of guilt, so he threw in the last bit of brain salad to obfuscate. He probably lost his train of thought when he was answering “100%” because of John’s backwards question.

(6) Trump cleverly restates that we are at zero admissions as I, “didn’t say that, nor the other.”

(7) Which is absolutely nothing.

I know these are troubled times, and nervousness around people of power, especially people of power who can make career ending decisions for you, makes the job of journalism, especially at the White House level, a horrifically scary thing. The media, however, must do a better job when questioning those in power. Our futures depend on it. A mistake like this, and then all of the headlines about Trump’s willingness to testify under oath, please!



(for those who lack the time to view the entire video, the transcript above refers to questions that start at about 35 seconds)