ABC’s Karl: ‘Stark’ Contrast Between Hillary’s ‘Unity’ and Trump’s ‘Fear’

June 14th, 2016 1:15 PM

According to the journalists at Good Morning America, the reaction of Donald Trump to the Orlando terrorist attack has been “fear,” “anger” and misleading statements, versus Hillary Clinton’s “unity,” “empathy” and “resolve.” 

Talking to George Stephanopoulos on Tuesday, Jon Karl compared, “The contrast couldn't be starker, George. You have Hillary Clinton, who is talking in terms of empathy, in terms of unity,  resolve. And Donald Trump who is channeling the anger and fear of the American people following an attack like this.” 

Karl underlined, “Now [Trump], is again trying to channel that anger and that fear, a very different approach than what we're hearing from Hillary Clinton or from the President.” In an earlier segment, reporter Cecilia Vega also used starkly different descriptions for the two candidates.

According to Vega, “In the battleground state of Ohio... Hillary Clinton's call for tougher gun laws drawing a standing ovation.” In contrast, Trump “veering off script with this misleading statement about the New York-born shooter.” Trump inaccurately stated that Omar Mateen was “born an Afghan.” 

However, how often to journalists make special points of correcting Hillary Clinton’s “misleading statements?” 

On Monday, the journalist at GMA and other network morning shows demanded that Trump “consider” more gun control. 

Transcripts of the two GMA segments are below: 

GMA
6/14/16
7:13

AMY ROBACH: The Orlando terror attack looming large, of course, over the presidential race. Both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton speaking out  about the massacre, clashing with their responses and ABC's Cecilia Vega has the very latest from Pittsburgh. Good morning, Cecilia. 

CECILIA VEGA: Amy, good morning to you. Two candidates, two very different messages about terrorism, about Muslims in this country, even about who is best for the gay community. The one thing that is clear, what happened in Orlando now looms front and center over this race for the White House. This morning, Donald Trump not just doubling down on his controversial Muslim ban, he now wants to expand it, saying people from any country with a history of terrorism should not be allowed into the U.S. 

DONALD TRUMP: We cannot continue to allow thousands upon thousands of people to pour into our country, many of whom have the same thought process as this savage killer. 
                
VEGA: And in the wake of the Orlando massacre, Trump says he's the best candidate for the 
gay community. 

TRUMP: Hillary Clinton can never claim to be a friend of the gay community as long as she continues to support immigration policies that bring Islamic extremists to our country. 

VEGA: Overnight, Trump going even further. 

TRUMP: They want to make women slaves, okay? And yet she's fine with, you know, the women say, “Oh isn't she wonderful?” She's not wonderful for women. 

VEGA: In what was billed as a major terrorism speech, Trump surrounded by Teleprompters, but veering off script with this misleading statement about the New York-born shooter. 

TRUMP: The killer, whose name I will not use or ever say, was born an Afghan of Afghan parents, who immigrated to the United States. 

VEGA: In the battleground state of Ohio —  

HILLARY CLINTON: Inflammatory anti-Muslim rhetoric hurts the vast majority of Muslims who love freedom and hate terror. 

VEGA: — Hillary Clinton's call for tougher gun laws drawing a standing ovation. 

CLINTON: I believe weapons of war have no place on our streets. And —  

VEGA: Trump's latest target, the Washington Post, revoking their press credentials and calling it, quote, “phony and dishonest.” The Post editor firing right back, saying, “The Post will continue to cover Donald Trump as it has all along, honorably, honestly, accurately, energetically and unflinchingly.” And Hillary Clinton and President Obama were supposed to hit the campaign trail together for the first time tomorrow. That's following his big endorsement of her. That trip has since been postponed and we now know that President Obama will be headed to Orlando on Thursday, George. We understand that he will be meeting with the victims' families.

7:16

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s bring in Jon Karl for more on this right now. And Jon, what we’re seeing on the campaign trail now is two quite different approaches to this threat. 

JON KARL: The contrast couldn't be starker, George. You have Hillary Clinton, who is talking in terms of empathy, in terms of unity,  resolve. And Donald Trump who is channeling the anger and fear of the American people following an attack like this. This is a tactic that, worked well for Donald Trump through the primaries. That Muslim ban was one of his most popular opinions —  popular stances in state after state, even though he was roundly attacked by Republicans. Now, he is again trying to channel that anger and that fear, a very different approach than what we're hearing from Hillary Clinton or from the President. 

STEPHANOPOULOS: Offering voters a big choice. Jon Karl, thanks very much.