After MSNBC host Alex Witt announced Donald Trump will be holding a surprise New Year's Eve "media availability," the New York Times' Peter Baker professed ignorance of what the former president is up to this before labeling it a stunt borne out of "desperation."
According to Witt on Saturday afternoon, "Trump is expected to have a media ability tonight. 9 pm, just hours before we bring in the new year."
"Do you know what this is about and is it expected to be an announcement of some kind, and let me ask you about the timing. What do you think that?" she asked.
"I do not know what it is about, I have not heard any details about it, they haven't slipped out lately, at least that I know of," he admitted.
"Could be another NFT thing? Could be another one?" she pressed.
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"Exactly, it could be a fundraising gimmick, could be, maybe he's just -- look, he's a showman," Baker replied. "That is the essence of his politics, is to keep people on the hook, suspense, cliff-hangers. He kept that show of his, 'The Apprentice' going for 14 years on air even though it was basically the same show week after week. It was hardly a new concept.
"So that has been one of the superpowers in politics, obviously; getting attention, trying to get people to follow him," he continued. "One of the things that this indicates, I think though, is how desperate he is for attention at this point. I don't think he has got the attention that he thought he would after announcing that he is running again. I think the attention, of course, has mostly been negative in the form of this Jan. 6 committee, his taxes being released, continued investigation by the Justice Department."
"So, he is looking for some way to change the subject, to get attention in a positive way, or at least a way that turns on his terms rather than everybody else's terms," he added.
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