Gov. Hogan’s Purchase of Korean Covid Tests Looks Like a PR stunt—and Media Fell for It

[Disir]

Despite being the governor of a small state, Larry Hogan secured coronavirus test kits from “13 time zones away,” thanks to “nearly a month of diplomacy talks” and “middle of the night” negotiations. His “tell it like it is” approach provides “a contrast with the president.”

That was the storyline Hogan wanted, and he got it, in no small part because the Maryland governor offers an irresistible profile for the media: a Republican—yes, a Republican!—who criticizes Trump. Having checked that box, little else mattered.

The Hogan-initiated negotiations that led to a South Korean company flying 500,000 coronavirus testing kits to Maryland were glowingly reported on by the New York Times (4/20/20), NPR (4/21/20) and pretty much everyone else. The past few weeks, it’s been hard to watch TV without seeing Hogan, the chairman of the National Governors Association, holding forth on shows like ABC’s The View (4/21/20), Comedy Central’s Daily Show (4/29/20) and MSNBC’s Morning Joe (4/21/20).

Hogan’s victory tour for what he dubbed “Operation Enduring Friendship” was set to continue with a live conversation on April 30, branded “Leadership During Crisis” with the Washington Post, a newspaper that generally loves him (FAIR.org, 11/21/18). But that morning, the bottom of the Post’s front page had a damning exposé (4/29/30) on Hogan’s South Korean gambit.

Gov. Hogan’s Purchase of Korean Covid Tests Looks Like a PR stunt—and Media Fell for It - FAIR

The Maryland governor offers an irresistible profile for the media: a Republican—yes, a Republican!—who criticizes Trump. Having checked that box, little else mattered.

fair.org

Yep. It's all BS.

 

[Billy_Bob]

Yep... A never Trump RINO.. And he's just like all the other democrat liars..

 

[Baz Ares]

So I guess they will be sold on the open market in a few months at a 200% markup?

 

[White 6]

So I guess they will be sold on the open market in a few months at a 200% markup?

Guess he is not a trump supporter if it comes down to taking care for his own state, and being alarmed the the federal government has stepped in and confiscate supplies located, source, purchased and supposedly on the way, only to find out needed provisions purchased had been nationalized and redirected for sale of supplier of the governments choosing. If trump wants supplies from that state, he will have to be ready to use troops, as the governor has, to protect the resources he went out and found on his own. Wouldn't look good on camera, so trump is screwed, only choice at this stage of the resource game is to weakly say it wasn't necessary and gov should have contacted Pence, but since the governors cannot outbid the federal government nor want to be forced to deal with the supply companies the government has redirected supplies (without restriction on pricing from the approved supplier) this was bound to happen.

 

[Baz Ares]

So I guess they will be sold on the open market in a few months at a 200% markup?

Guess he is not a trump supporter if it comes down to taking care for his own state, and being alarmed the the federal government has stepped in and confiscate supplies located, source, purchased and supposedly on the way, only to find out needed provisions purchased had been nationalized and redirected for sale of supplier of the governments choosing. If trump wants supplies from that state, he will have to be ready to use troops, as the governor has, to protect the resources he went out and found on his own. Wouldn't look good on camera, so trump is screwed, only choice at this stage of the resource game is to weakly say it wasn't necessary and gov should have contacted Pence, but since the governors cannot outbid the federal government nor want to be forced to deal with the supply companies the government has redirected supplies (without restriction on pricing from the approved supplier) this was bound to happen.

The Story said the stuff was all here to buy, and cheaper. Where is that stuff being used?

 

[White 6]

So I guess they will be sold on the open market in a few months at a 200% markup?

Guess he is not a trump supporter if it comes down to taking care for his own state, and being alarmed the the federal government has stepped in and confiscate supplies located, source, purchased and supposedly on the way, only to find out needed provisions purchased had been nationalized and redirected for sale of supplier of the governments choosing. If trump wants supplies from that state, he will have to be ready to use troops, as the governor has, to protect the resources he went out and found on his own. Wouldn't look good on camera, so trump is screwed, only choice at this stage of the resource game is to weakly say it wasn't necessary and gov should have contacted Pence, but since the governors cannot outbid the federal government nor want to be forced to deal with the supply companies the government has redirected supplies (without restriction on pricing from the approved supplier) this was bound to happen.

The Story said the stuff was all here to buy, and cheaper. Where is that stuff being used?

National Guard protecting tests from federal government in Maryland

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he had concerns the federal government would interfere and confiscate a shipment of 500,000 coronavirus tests.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Maryland governor orders National Guard to protect 500,000 coronavirus tests at a secret location after they were flown in from South Korea amid fears federal government will try to CONFISCATE them
On Wednesday Hogan mandated universal testing for all nursing home residents and staff in Maryland, as reports came that the tests from Korea have not yet been used, ten days after they landed.

Last I heard, it was starting with nursing homes, per the article, dated 30 April.