Most media reports of President Donald Trump's attendance at a Saturday night UFC event at Madison Square Garden claim he was soundly booed, with some cheering. The president and his son called it a positive reaction, but Newsweek disputed their claims. A Vox story said videos taken from different places in the arena varied on the president's reception, and biased and fair reporting was evident as well.
Newsweek magazine's Tareq Haddad writes that Ian Bremmer, a political scientist, said: "Honestly surprised to see Trump booed at Ultimate Fighting Championship. This should be his crowd."
Trump's crowd? Really? In a bluer than blue state he lost to Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016?
Haddad's story includes a tweet from "Keating Thomas" stating: "Trump got booed at a UFC match? That’s like if Bernie got booed at vegan bakery in Brooklyn."
Haddad also wrote:
"A small anti-Trump protest was also staged outside the arena—New York's most storied venue that lies in the heart of the city that Trump had previously called his home.
"A number of people tweeted footage of the booing and added their reactions to the jeering."
Media relished in telling that this was the second time in six days President Trump received negative reactions at a sports event. Last week he was booed at the Washington Nationals World Series game, where fans chanted, "Lock him up!"
The President retweeted video showing his entrance to the UFC event and said he had received a "positive reaction." Haddad questioned that because this video "was filmed so close to speakers that blared AC/DC's rock song 'Back In Black' that it was difficult to distinguish whether the noise was boos or cheers."
Haddad went on to say, "Eric Trump also tweeted to say that the crowd was chanting 'Donald Trump, Donald Trump... USA, USA,' but this was shared with an image as opposed to a video. Signs reading "Remove Trump" and 'Impeach Trump' could also be seen in the crowd."
CNN.com's Kate Sullivan posted a story with quotes from Trump opponents and supporters:
"Sunsara Taylor, a member of an organization called Refuse Fascism, told CNN she was a part of a movement made up of 'diverse political perspectives who agree that the Trump/Pence administration poses a threat to all of us. Our goal is to drive them out through mass non-violent protests.''
Staten Island Republican Sophia Rotunno said, "I'm proud to be an American, and our president loves America and I'm here also to express our First Amendment right."
Writing for Business Insider, Ellen Cranley wrote, "Trump wrote that 'Walking into Madison Square Garden last night with [UFC President Dana White] for the big UFC Championship fight was a little bit like walking into a Trump Rally.' ... The president used shorthand for his campaign slogan and its descendent, 'Keep America Great,' writing 'Plenty of MAGA & KAG present. Great energy. Fantastic job Dana!'"
Different videos posted on social media seemed to contain either more cheers or more boos, depending on where in the audience the footage was shot, Cranley pointed out. "Whether they were sounds of approval or protest, Trump has a point about the lively arena matching the 'energy' of his often-raucous rallies."
Vox writer Catherine Kim posted a tweet by historian and author Kevin Kruse reminding people that other presidents have been booed at baseball games, "in case everyone suddenly forgot." Former President Barack Obama was booed at the 2009 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 2009, President George W. Bush was booed at a Nationals game in 2008 and President George H.W. Bush was "famously" booed at the 1992 MLB all-star game, Kruse wrote.
Kevin Draper of The New York Times quoted Derrick Lewis, an American heavyweight who won his UFC fight Saturday, "'I know everything ain’t going good in the White House,' he said, imploring Mr. Trump to 'turn it around.'”
