On Tuesday night at the virtual 2020 Republican National Convention, former Covington Catholic High School student Nicholas Sandmann wiped the floor with the liberal media, stating before the world that the vicious, unrepentant “war machine” in “attack mode” didn’t care about finding “the truth” of what happened to Sandmann and his classmates January 18, 2019 on the National Mall.
Instead, they sought to destroy his “the reputation and future” in order to teach Americans a lesson that the best not don a MAGA hat or risk being not only cancelled, but brutalized in the public square. Fortunately, Sandmann had the last laugh in securing settlements with CNN and The Washington Post (with other news outlets still under the gun).
Sandmann’s speech began around 9:21 p.m. Eastern and was carried by CNN, the Fox News Channel, and MSNBC, with coverage from ABC, CBS, and NBC still 49 minutes away.
He introduced himself as “the teenager who was defamed by the media after an encounter with a group of protestors on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last year.” After explaining how he and his classmates found themselves on the National Mall after having attended the March for Life, Sandmann posed this question:
Looking back now, how could I possibly have imagined that the simple act of putting on that red hat would unleash the hate from the left and make myself the target of network and cable news networks, nationwide?
Sandmann then gave his recollection of what happened (click “expand”):
I found myself face-to-face with Nathan Phillips and other professional protestors looking to turn me into the latest poster child showing why Trump is bad. While the media portrayed me as the aggressor with a “relentless smirk” on my face, in reality the video confirms I was standing with my hands behind my back and an awkward smile on my face that hid two thoughts. One, don’t do anything that might further agitate the man banging a drum in my face and two, trying to follow a family friend’s advice never to do anything to embarrass your family, your school, or your community.
Before I knew what was happening, it was over. One of Mr. Phillips fellow agitators yelled out “We got him!”, “It's all right here on video” and We won Grandpa”. What I thought was a strange encounter, quickly developed into a major news story complete with video footage.
The Kentucky teen then turned up the afterburners: “My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode. They did so without ever researching the full video of the incident; without ever investigating Mr. Philips’ motives; or without ever asking me for my side of the story.”
Sandmann continued, calling out the liberal media for not caring about what actually happened on the way to destroying a private citizen’s reputation and make him a victim of cancel culture (click “expand,” emphasis mine):
And do you know why? Because the truth wasn’t important. Advancing their anti-Christian, anti-Conservative, anti-Donald Trump narrative was all that mattered. And if advancing their narrative ruined the reputation and future of a teenager from Covington, Kentucky…so be it. That will teach him not to wear a MAGA hat!
I learned that what was happening to me had a name. It was called being cancelled. As in annulled. As in revoked. As in made void. Cancelled is what’s happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left. Many are being fired, humiliated or even threatened. Often, the media is a willing participant. But I wouldn’t be cancelled. I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me and won a personal victory. While much more must be done, I look forward to the day that the media returns to providing balanced, responsible and accountable news coverage.
Pivoting to 2020, Sandmann expressed thanks to Trump for his “unwavering support” “throughout my media nightmare” and invited all Americans to “challenge the media to return to objective journalism and together, I believe we must all embrace our 1st Amendment rights and not hide in fear of the media, or from the tech companies or the outrage mob either.”
“This is worth fighting for. This is worth voting for. This is what President Donald Trump stands for. Thank you all for listening to me tonight. And one more thing… let’s Make America Great Again,” he concluded.
To see the relevant transcript from the 2020 RNC on August 25, click “expand.”
2020 Republican National Convention
August 25, 2020
9:21 p.m. EasternNICHOLAS SANDMANN: Good evening everyone. My name is Nick Sandmann. I’m the teenager who was defamed by the media after an encounter with a group of protestors on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last year. Before I begin, I’d like to thank President Trump for the opportunity to share some of my story and why it matters so much to this November’s election. In January 2019, I attended the March for Life in Washington D.C. where I demonstrated in defense of the unborn. Later that day, I bought a “Make America Great Again” hat because our President, Donald Trump, has distinguished himself as the most pro-life Presidents in the history of our country and I wanted to express my support for him too. Looking back now, how could I possibly have imagined that the simple act of putting on that red hat would unleash the hate from the left and make myself the target of network and cable news networks, nationwide?
Being from Kentucky, the birth place of Abraham Lincoln, my classmates and I visited the Lincoln Memorial. I found myself face-to-face with Nathan Phillips and other professional protestors looking to turn me into the latest poster child showing why Trump is bad. While the media portrayed me as the aggressor with a “relentless smirk” on my face, in reality the video confirms I was standing with my hands behind my back and an awkward smile on my face that hid two thoughts. One, don’t do anything that might further agitate the man banging a drum in my face and two, trying to follow a family friend’s advice never to do anything to embarrass your family, your school, or your community. Before I knew what was happening, it was over. One of Mr. Phillips fellow agitators yelled out “We got him!”, “It's all right here on video” and We won Grandpa”. What I thought was a strange encounter, quickly developed into a major news story complete with video footage.
My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode. They did so without ever researching the full video of the incident; without ever investigating Mr. Philips’ motives; or without ever asking me for my side of the story. And do you know why? Because the truth wasn’t important. Advancing their anti-Christian, anti-Conservative, anti-Donald Trump narrative was all that mattered. And if advancing their narrative ruined the reputation and future of a teenager from Covington, Kentucky…so be it. That will teach him not to wear a MAGA hat! I learned that what was happening to me had a name. It was called being cancelled. As in annulled. As in revoked. As in made void. Cancelled is what’s happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left. Many are being fired, humiliated or even threatened. Often, the media is a willing participant. But I wouldn’t be cancelled. I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me and won a personal victory. While much more must be done, I look forward to the day that the media returns to providing balanced, responsible and accountable news coverage.
I know President Trump hopes for that too. I’m proud to say that throughout my media nightmare I have had President Trump’s unwavering support. And I know you’ll agree with me when I say no one in this county has been a victim of unfair media coverage more than President Donald Trump. In November, I believe this country must unite around a President who calls the media out and refuses to allow them to create a narrative instead of reporting the facts. I believe we must join with a President who will challenge the media to return to objective journalism. And together, I believe we must all embrace our 1st Amendment rights and not hide in fear of the media, or from the tech companies or the outrage mob either. This is worth fighting for. This is worth voting for. This is what President Donald Trump stands for. Thank you all for listening to me tonight. And one more thing… let’s Make America Great Again!
