It’s No Wonder #WeLoveYamiche

Coronavirus news is changing constantly. Each day presents new information and an attempt to understand the number of cases, changes in policies, travel restrictions, and more. Getting a straight answer out of Washington continues to be challenging; and with Trump and his cabinet officials, getting the facts is more convoluted than ever.

Thankfully, we have women like Yamiche Alcindor who know how to ask the right questions and stand up to the misinformation from the White House.

Alcindor, National Public Radio’s (NPR) White House correspondent, has been spot-on so much of the time she becomes a trending topic via #weloveyamiche.

Since at least 2018, Alcindor has consistently asked questions that Trump hasn’t appreciated.

Alcindor asked the president this: “On the campaign trail, you called yourself a nationalist. Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists. Now people are also saying…”

Trump interrupted her. “I don’t know why you’d say that. That’s such a racist question.”

In spite of his disdain, she followed up. “There are some people that say that now the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you make of that?”

Trump simply responded with little to nothing, again accusing her of racist questioning.

“Oh, I don’t believe that. I don’t believe that. I don’t believe it. Just — well, I don’t know. Why do I have my highest poll numbers ever with African-Americans? Why do I have among the highest poll numbers with African-Americans? I mean, why do I have my highest poll numbers? That’s such a racist question. Honestly, I mean, I know you have it written down. It’s a racist question.”

More recently, Alcindor interviewed someone who had family sickened by coronavirus, “mainly because the president wasn’t taking it seriously.”

At the press conference, Alcindor addressed Trump. “Are you concerned that downplaying the virus maybe got some people sick?”

Trump’s response was more of a boast than a response. “And a lot of people love Trump. A lot of people love me. You see them all the time. I guess I am here for a reason, and for the best of my knowledge I won. And I think we are going to win again. I think we are going to win in a landslide.”

After spouting off on his love affair with self, Trump expanded on his defense in banning people from China from coming into the United States back in January, “…before anyone in this country died…So how can you say I was not taking it seriously?”

Alcindor asked how the president could justify the rallies he was holding if he wasn’t downplaying the virus.

“I don’t know about rallies…I know one thing. I haven’t left the White House in months except for a brief moment to give a ship the Comfort…”

Alcindor responded, “You held a rally in March.” Trump then denied and immediately retracted, claiming it was before cases had risen in the U.S.

Yamiche Alcindor is the current White House correspondent for the PBS, telling stories about politics, race, and the way that breaking news in various arenas in our country intersect with these.

After covering the presidential race in 2016 for the New York Times, she’s given insight into the impact of the Trump policies on our nation, specifically those policies that impact people of color and folks in the working classes.

Trump and other conservatives don’t like Alcindor, but there’s a good reason for that. This incredible woman has continued her own example of calling politicians and police out on their words and their actions – by asking just the right questions at just the right time.

Throughout Alcindor’s time at PBS, her editors received a wide range of comments, complaints, and words of praise. A past–and possible future–Trump supporter sums it up  with some positive thoughts on this amazing woman’s career.

“Keep it respectful and you will change America! We all want honest, respectful, non-biased reporting. And that’s coming from someone who voted for Trump! And may again, may not. But this war on the virus is really showing everyone’s true colors. And Yamiche shines like a hero when she stands up to the most powerful person on Earth and asks questions that need to be asked!”–Alex Kish, Rittman, Ohio