The assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump that played out live on national television should have resulted in the kind of objective, unbiased coverage the country deserved at such a terrifying moment.
Some outlets, however, failed the test miserably.
Take these headlines, for example, in the immediate aftermath:
CNN: “Secret Service Rushes Trump Off Stage After He Falls at Rally”
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Forbes: “Will Surviving Gunfire Be Donald Trump’s Next Appeal To Black Voters?”
Politico: “In wake of the rally shooting, GOP officials have been quick to blame Democrats for demonizing Trump”
There’s more, but you get the idea.
Needless to say, it was abundantly clear that Trump had been shot once he was brought to his feet by Secret Service agents about one minute after being hit.
Shots could be heard before he crouched down to take cover.
His visibly injured ear had splashed bright red blood across his face that was clear to see, even at a distance.
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How about Forbes wondering, just hours after the attack, if it would make Trump more appealing to black voters?
And Politico, scolding Republicans for seizing and pouncing on Democrats, angry that they and their allies in the media have referred to Trump as Hitler for eight years?
Margaret Brennan of CBS News, the former home of Walter Cronkite, even managed to victim-blame Trump for nearly getting killed, after reading a statement from the former president thanking the Secret Service and describing what had happened.
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There are no words.
It somehow got worse over on ABC News Sunday morning during a conversation between George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz, who fancy themselves as serious journalists.
“President Trump and his supporters have contributed to this violent rhetoric as well,” Stephanopoulos, Bill Clinton’s former attack dog, argued.
“Absolutely, George,” Raddatz concurred.
“And let’s remember Jan. 6,” she added.
Many of us will recall forever the iconic moment when a bloodied Trump, surrounded by his Secret Service detail, pumped his fist at the crowd and urged them to “Fight. Fight. Fight.”
It was emblematic of Trump’s toughness and determination and defiance, even after taking a bullet to the ear just one minute earlier.
But on CNN, this was seen as a big no-no, even as the horrific scene was unfolding.
“That’s not the message that we want to being sending right now,” CNN’s Jamie Gangel chided the wounded candidate. “We want to tamp it down.”
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For these outlets, there’s no coming back from this.
Their rhetoric has been building for years without any accountability.
Media figures’ most hyperbolic and personal and dishonest attacks on Trump have not only cost them no consequences, but have probably brought them raises and promotions with each new contract.
As for President Biden and his speechwriters, they have helped foment this deadly environment.
Here’s what the president said on July 8: “We’re done talking about the debate, it’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
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Psaki — Biden’s former press secretary — offered no pushback.
Any questions?
A former president, likely to be the next president, was shot on Saturday.
It’s a miracle he survived the attempt.
What won’t survive is any last shred of credibility many in our media ever had.
Joe Concha is a Fox News contributor and bestselling author.
* Original Article:
https://nypost.com/2024/07/14/opinion/lefty-media-kept-bias-on-full-display-after-trump-was-shot/?utm_source=smartnews&utm_campaign=nypost&utm_medium=referral