In his rally in North Carolina, Donald Trump once again went off script, this time inviting gun rights activists to take care of his Hillary Clinton problem. Speaking to an amped-up crowd about the differences between Clinton and himself, Trump declared, “Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish, the Second Amendment.” “And by the way, if she…
I have just watched Chris Hayes give this story another twenty minutes of free TV air including counterpoint spin trying to invoke “context” that doesn’t remotely square with the statement. What Trump parroted was the Sharon Angle line about Second Amendment remedies. The statement was made to maybe a thousand listeners. The “analysis” has spread the threat to millions. Sharon Angle was a rump Republican held in low regard by many on her side of the aisle as a whacko. She came within a hair’s breadth of upsetting Majority Leader Reid in Nevada after making this terroristic threat. Does the media really have to report something this incendiary? No one is really being persuaded. Trump’s bloviations have far less probability of inspiring nutcase action if ignored. Until such time as he unequivocally calls for armed revolt, is this newsworthy or is it carny barker manipulation?
It would be nice if the media didn’t take it on themselves to explain to viewers he really didn’t mean it.