I missed the Woodward AMA friday, but saw the reaction on Twitter. Went back today to see if it was as bad as people said.

It wasn’t. It was far worse.

Speaking as a 25-year-plus member, former board member, and supporter of @IRE_NICAR, his behavior was disgraceful.

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Woodward had said he talked to his wife, editor & assistants about the exchange w/ Trump. @karenkho followed with a simple question: Who else (if anyone) he consult when deciding whether Trump's admissions in private about the nature and seriousness of the virus were newsworthy?

Specifically, did he ask a medical professional, someone who could help him answer that question? It's the right question because knowing the virus wasn't "a hoax" wouldn't simple vanish in April and is far more serious than the flu might have save time, and saved lives.

Not only wouldn't Woodward answer the question. He never did. He attacked the question and the questioner instead. He interrupted, he answered questions that weren't asked, and acted like a pompous fool. Who he meant by "you people" isn't clear, but please include me among them.

At one point @karenkho got so frustrated she had to say, "It's a yes or no question." Woodward instead continued to spin like a cornered politician. Don't like the question? Attack the questioner. He must have learned something from all the time he spent with Trump.

Hard to believe anyone listening came away thinking anything else: The answer is no. Woodward, editor, wife and assistant made the call that what this president said privately about the virus wasn't newsworthy. Save it for the book.

In case anyone needs a reminder of the gap between what Trump's private statements to Woodward and public statements to us, on the very day Woodward conducted that interview, Trump make that infamous "It'll all be over in April" comment. The very %$&#% day.

Trump told Woodward in private the virus was transmitted by air, that it was a threat more deadly than the flu. At the time we were being told by the man in the white house it will all vanish with the warm weather, that it's all a lot of fake news.

Maybe Woodward genuinely wasn't sure whether the difference between public and private Trump was newsworthy. But you know who might? Someone who studies or reports on infectious diseases -- which was the point of @karenkho's question to begin with.

I could go on.

Woodward owes @karenkho an apology at least. Given the amount of time he spent demanding one from her, I suspect one isn't forthcoming. The right thing to do is for @IRE_NICAR to write one for him. Agree with @emmacarew here completely. https://twitter.com/emmacarew/status/1309614702411108353

I think the same is true for @shiramstein, who asked a question in the same vein. Professionally, respectfully. And she got the same treatment. The right thing to do is apologize to her as well.

This isn’t the kind of conference I want to be part of. I hope @IRE_NICAR agrees.

Small correction: I misremembered. The infamous “It’ll be gone with the warm weather in April” tweet was from Feb 10, not the 7th. But seriously…