NYT Reporter Falsely Accuses Trump of 'Spinning' Jobs Number Ahead of Its Release
New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman accused President Donald Trump of trying to spin August’s jobs report numbers by commenting on them a day ahead of their official release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
However, several of her colleagues corrected Haberman pointing out the private-sector produced ADP report came out prior to Trump’s Thursday celebratory tweet: “Really Good Jobs Numbers!”
Haberman had tweeted, “Did potus get an advance look at numbers out….tomorrow? And try to spin them ahead of time, which is deeply questionable as an action by a president?”
Did potus get an advance look at numbers out….tomorrow? And try to spin them ahead of time, which is deeply questionable as an action by a president? https://t.co/WHuXe0A3zx
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 5, 2019
The ADP and Moody’s Analytics report showed 195,000 new positions added in August, a four-month high.
Fox News chief White House correspondent John Roberts was one of multiple media personalities who set Haberman straight.
“Or – perhaps he was quoting the ADP employment report…,” Roberts tweeted.
Or – perhaps he was quoting the ADP employment report… https://t.co/8gYzsBKFmC https://t.co/1k605uGOSq
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) September 5, 2019
Ben White, Politico’s chief economic correspondent and a CNBC contributor, advised Haberman to “cool your engines,” adding, “Trump did not front the jobs number.”
The Federalist’s Sean Davis tweeted, “ADP released its monthly payroll report this morning, which showed that 195,000 new jobs were created last month. NYT’s top White House reporter ignored that obvious fact and instead peddled a baseless conspiracy theory.”
Even New York Times senior economic correspondent Neil Irwin seemed to offer a gentle rebuke of Haberman, tweeting, “Keep in mind the White House won’t get the main BLS employment report, due out tomorrow AM, until late this afternoon. This is very likely about the private-sector ADP report and/or weekly initial claims.”
Haberman appeared to take offense at all the corrections, responding, “This is good twitter, where people reasonably wonder about an unclear POTUS tweet and get shooed by subject-matter-expert reporters, providing WH with sense of justification even though it a POTUS tweet causing the questions in first place.”
This is good twitter, where people reasonably wonder about an unclear POTUS tweet and get shooed by subject-matter-expert reporters, providing WH with sense of justification even though it a POTUS tweet causing the questions in first place. https://t.co/xn77Gmf3cR
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 5, 2019
The Times reporter responded specifically to Fox News’ Roberts.
“Perhaps. But. He could attempt to be clear in what he’s referring to and then it isn’t incumbent upon his aides/some reporters to have to do that post-fact.”
Perhaps. But. He could attempt to be clear in what he’s referring to and then it isn’t incumbent upon his aides/some reporters to have to do that post-fact. https://t.co/rhaTy7vGIM
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 5, 2019
The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake, a frequent Trump critic, was quick to retract a tweet and apparently an accompanying story accusing the president of breaking protocol and raising “issues of possible insider trading.”
Blake tweeted, “Mea culpa: I thought Trump might have been previewing BLS jobs numbers before they came out Friday (since he has done it before).”
Mea culpa: I thought Trump might have been previewing BLS jobs numbers before they came out Friday (since he has done it before).
Seems apparent he was referring to public ADP data.
Deleted this tweet: pic.twitter.com/t4nFoJaWuA
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) September 5, 2019
He added, “Seems apparent he was referring to public ADP data.”
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