{"id":264,"date":"2020-04-02T00:05:59","date_gmt":"2020-04-02T04:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wfae.report\/insidepolitics\/?p=264"},"modified":"2020-04-02T09:29:02","modified_gmt":"2020-04-02T13:29:02","slug":"with-coronavirus-the-president-cant-have-rallies-but-hes-still-in-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wfae.report\/insidepolitics\/with-coronavirus-the-president-cant-have-rallies-but-hes-still-in-the-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"With Coronavirus Pandemic, The President Can’t Have Rallies. But He’s Still In the Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A week ago on Sean Hannity\u2019s Fox News show, President Trump was adamant he would not cancel the Republican National Convention in August.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody was asking today, \u2018Will you cancel your convention?\u2019 I said no way I\u2019m going to cancel the convention,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have the convention, it\u2019s going to be incredible.”<\/p>\n

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And on Tuesday, former vice president Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee, was asked about the Democratic National Convention by Brian Williams.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you really envision every prominent Democrat in this country from all 50 states inside a hot arena, 104 days from now?\u201d Williams asked.<\/p>\n

Biden said he couldn\u2019t.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to envision that,\u201d he said. \u201cAgain we should listen to the scientists. And one of the reasons why the Democratic convention was going to be held early was the Olympics. We have more time now.\u201d<\/p>\n

On this episode of Inside Politics: The RNC in Charlotte, we\u2019re going to look at how the pandemic has upended the presidential campaign, wiping out \u2013 for now — any traditional campaign events by Biden, and MAGA rallies too.<\/p>\n

And the episode will look at how this crisis has affected the president\u2019s approval ratings \u2013 and those of past presidents in other crises. It will also give an update on the state Board of Election\u2019s recommendations to make it easier for people to vote by mail.<\/p>\n

While President Trump can no longer have Make America Great Again rallies with the coronavirus pandemic limiting large gatherings, he has found a different forum: The near-daily press briefings.<\/p>\n

Those briefings are the subject of a Politico story \u201cTrump Turns a Crisis Into His New Nightly TV Show<\/a>.\u201d It\u2019s written by Michael Kruse, who covers what he calls “Trumpology.”<\/p>\n

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Politico writer Michael Kruse<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere is an element of suspense in them in that we sort of wonder what he’s going to say,\u201d Kruse said. \u201cWhat kinds of tiffs he’s going to get into with various reporters. Who is going to be there of the members of what we’ve come to see is kind of the supporting cast of public health professionals. The doctors, the admiral, the cabinet members.\u201d<\/p>\n

The briefings have drawn a lot of viewers and listeners. In a tweet Sunday, Trump quoted a New York Times article about them.<\/p>\n

He tweeted: \u201cPresident Trump is a ratings hit. … His coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million … roughly the viewership of the season finale of “The Bachelor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cPresident Trump is a ratings hit. Since reviving the daily White House briefing Mr. Trump and his coronavirus updates have attracted an average audience of 8.5 million on cable news, roughly the viewership of the season finale of \u2018The Bachelor.\u2019 Numbers are continuing to rise…<\/p>\n

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n