Mediaite reports:
A multitude of reporters on Capitol Hill tweeted out their progress on Wednesday — or lack thereof — as they tried to get Republican lawmakers to react to President Donald Trump’s recorded admission that he downplayed the coronavirus.
As the United States nears 200,000 coronavirus deaths, Woodward’s tape on Trump’s virus downplaying became an instant flashpoint among the political press.
When reporters tried to get congressional Republican reactions, however, many of them deflected questions, offered tepid defenses of Trump, or just ignored inquiries altogether.
Asked to respond to an excerpt from Woodward’s book where General Mattis is quoted saying Pres. Trump has “no moral compass”
Sen. @BillCassidy replied “I can’t comment on someone else’s opinion”
h/t @LACaldwellDC
— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) September 9, 2020
Several GOP senators react to Woodward book saying “haven’t read it”@tedcruz: “haven’t seen the book”@SenRickScott: “I’ve not read it”@SenJohnKennedy: “I haven’t read it.@SenCapito & @senrobportman said haven’t read it, despite being read parts
— Ali Zaslav (@alizaslav) September 9, 2020
When asked about Woodward book saying the president downplayed the severity of the Coronavirus, @MittRomney responded: “It doesn’t sound ideal to me.”
— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) September 9, 2020
“These gotcha books don’t really interest me that much,” GOP Sen. John Kennedy says to @PamelaBrownCNN on @TheLeadCNN. She notes repeatedly that Trump is on record on tape saying he is playing down the virus. “There will be a new one out tomorrow.” He praises admin response
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
Cotton — shortly after he was named to the Supreme Court list: https://t.co/v4SZNVk5hM
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 9, 2020
Susan Collins also wouldn’t take questions about Trump’s comments to Woodward as she left votes on her way to an elevator.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
Joni Ernst, in a tough race, ignores questions about Trump’s comments to Woodward downplaying the virus.
Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican also in a tough race, also didn’t weigh in when asked to respond to the comments. “Haven’t heard them.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
McConnell: “I didn’t look at the Woodward book,” saying a question about what Trump said should be posed to the WH. “That’s a question for the White House.” Says he will read it later
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
There was no discussion at Senate GOP lunch about what Trump said to Woodward about downplaying the coronavirus or the other revelations in the book, per GOP sources
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
Sen. Thom Tillis, a vulnerable Republican, said he wants to see “the full context” of Trump’s comments before fully weighing in. But he added: “When you’re in a crisis situation, you have to inform people for their public health but you also don’t want to create hysteria.”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020
Asked again if he was OK with Trump admitting that he played down the threat, Graham said: “His actions of shutting the economy down were the right actions. I think the tone during that time sort of spoke for itself. People knew it was serious”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 9, 2020