Listen: Trump Touts Stock Market Recovery Over Covid Reaction in Newly Released Woodward Audio
CNN’s Jamie Gangel is not just a well-respected reporter and longtime Beltway insider. She also appears to have a friendly working relationship with Bob Woodward, as she has been at the center of on-the-record audio recordings with President Donald Trump used for the new tell-all Rage. Newly obtained audio dropped at noon on Monday revealed the president remained focused on the stock market index even as the death toll from Covid-19 dramatically grew.
Gangel made a bit of news on Friday when she revealed that there was an additional phone call between Woodward on Trump, a 19th recording, in which the two discussed the merits and tenor of the book on Aug. 14th — a date by which nearly 170,000 Americans had succumbed to the coronavirus.
Gangel introduced the new audio Monday by noting the massive death toll was “not what the president is thinking about.” She explained that President Trump, at the time of the conversation knew Woodward’s book had been completed.
“He knows it’s coming out in September, and he calls Woodward because he wants to find out how he’s portrayed in the book,” Gangel said.
The audio opens with Woodward telling Trump, “It’s a tough book, sir. And you — you have your say, and there’s going to be a lot of controversy about it, I expect. The whole business with the Covid and dealing with that is laid out, and so it’s close to the bone, and you helped me get from, and I appreciate that.”
“All right. Well, we have done better than most countries with Covid. You’re starting to see that,” Trump replied before Woodward warns the president that “parts of the book you’re not going to like.”
“What won’t I like, Bob?” Trump asked.
“Just, you know, there’s — it’s tough times, Woodward replies. “The virus as you repeatedly told me and as you’ve said publicly, it’s derailed things, and it’s a — it’s a big reality in people’s lives as you know so I will get it to you and …”
Trump then interrupts with, “You know, the market is coming back very strong. You do know that.” “Yes, of course,” Woodward replied.
Gangel then introduced another portion of the recording in which Trump claims “nothing could have been done,” and “I acted early.”
Trump then asked Woodward, “So you think the virus totally supersedes the economy?” to which the author replied, “Oh sure. But they’re related, as you know.” Trump agreed with “a little bit,” which appeared to surprise Woodward.
“I mean, more than a little bit, but the economy is doing, look …we are close to a new stock market record.”
Watch above via CNN.
