On Wednesday, the network morning shows all promoted violent left-wing protests outside a Donald Trump rally in New Mexico as a sign of trouble for the “controversial” GOP candidate and even provided a platform for rioters to justify their actions.
At the top of NBC’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer breathlessly declared: “Breaking overnight, protests turn violent at a Trump rally in New Mexico. Demonstrators knocking down barriers and throwing rocks.” In the report that followed, correspondent Hallie Jackson acknowledged “what started as a peaceful protest turned chaotic,” but still saw “purpose” in the melee: “Demonstrators jumping on cop cars, lighting fires, smashing windows. Some, agitators. Others, protesting with a purpose.”
Soundbites ran of some of the activists ranting against Trump and expressing their desire to shut down free speech. One woman proclaimed: “We're here today because the people of Albuquerque specifically do not want Donald Trump in our city.” A man announced: “We're not going to tolerate Trump's hate and his speech. We don't support what he stands for, and this is why the people are her demonstrating.”
Jackson used the opportunity to remind viewers: “It's not uncommon to see protests at Trump rallies. Some have turned violent before, like in Chicago and California. Demonstrations against the controversial candidate often beginning hours beforehand, like in Albuquerque, where protesters surrounded some attendees on their way in, in a so-called walk of shame.”
Turning back to the female protester, Jackson wondered: “But does it help to come out and to have a scene or a demonstration like this?” The woman replied: “No, it does not help, but it's self-defense. Donald Trump cannot come to our city after calling us rapists.”
Covering the chaos live Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, pundits on MSNBC praised the protesters for “expressing their humanity.”
On Wednesday, co-host George Stephanopoulos led off ABC’s Good Morning America in a way nearly identical to Lauer: “Overnight, violent riots break out at a Donald Trump rally in New Mexico. Protesters outside storm barricades.” Correspondent Tom Llamas acted as if it were a stumble for the Trump campaign: “Trump's west coast swing got off to an unruly start. The Trump supporters were fired up but so were demonstrators who refused to leave the Trump rally...”
Llamas noted the presumptive Republican nominee “taking it from all sides” as demonstrators tried to disrupt the rally inside, while “outside things got really ugly.”
CBS This Morning began with co-host Charlie Rose hyping: “Chaos erupts when Donald Trump returns to the campaign trail.” Introducing the report minutes later, Rose asserted: “Donald Trump could face more angry protests today in southern California. Authorities say his first campaign rally in New Mexico ended in a riot.”
Like Jackson, correspondent David Romero made sure to mention that “Demonstrations began peacefully,” before “the crowd became larger and louder” and “protesters began pushing themselves past barricades and rushing towards the convention center's entrance.”
Also like the NBC report, the CBS report featured a clip of one protester asserting: “We need to make sure that he knows that we do not accept the message that he's bringing.”
Starting off a report about the Trump rally itself, co-host Gayle King pointed out: “And there was more chaos inside Trump's rally in Albuquerque. Protesters who interrupted the candidate were pulled out one by one. The disorder overshadowed Trump’s easy primary win last night in Washington State.”
Correspondent Major Garrett insisted: “Trump faced those protesters and struggled to maintain control in a state that Democrats have carried in five of the last six presidential elections....[he] tried to stay focused Tuesday night in the face of persistent interruptions.”
Here is a full transcript of Jackson’s May 25 report:
7:00 AM ET TEASE:
MATT LAUER: Breaking overnight, protests turn violent at a Trump rally in New Mexico. Demonstrators knocking down barriers and throwing rocks. Police responding with pepper spray and smoke grenades. Disruptions inside, as well.
DONALD TRUMP: Get him out. Get him out. Come on, go home to mommy.
LAUER: As Washington state's primary puts Trump within striking distance of making his nomination official.
7:01 AM ET SEGMENT:
MATT LAUER: And we start today talking about politics and protests.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Absolutely, it's the breaking news overnight out of New Mexico.
LAUER: It is our top story. A chaotic scene outside one of Donald Trump's rallies in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Demonstrators clashing with police, even as the presumptive Republican nominee inches even closer to the magic delegate number. We have complete coverage, beginning with NBC's Hallie Jackson. She is in Albuquerque. Hallie, good morning to you.
HALLIE JACKSON: Hi, Matt, good morning. And new this morning, police here say several officers have been treated for injuries after being hit by rocks. At least one person arrested after what started as a peaceful protest turned chaotic.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump Rally Erupts in Violence; Police Injured Amid Protests in Albuquerque]
Protesters throwing rocks.
[JACKSON AT THE PROTEST]: We're behind the police line now.
JACKSON: Pepper spray from police. The tense clash unfolding overnight in Albuquerque. Demonstrators jumping on cop cars, lighting fires, smashing windows. Some, agitators. Others, protesting with a purpose.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN A [PROTESTER]: We're here today because the people of Albuquerque specifically do not want Donald Trump in our city.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [PROTESTER]: We're not going to tolerate Trump's hate and his speech. We don't support what he stands for, and this is why the people are her demonstrating.
JACKSON: All of it escalating after Trump's rally ended. His supporters streaming out, watching as police barricaded a shattered door at the convention center, trying to stop protesters outside from getting in. Nearby, smoke from spinning burnouts adding to the chaos.
It's not uncommon to see protests at Trump rallies. Some have turned violent before, like in Chicago and California. Demonstrations against the controversial candidate often beginning hours beforehand, like in Albuquerque, where protesters surrounded some attendees on their way in, in a so-called walk of shame.
Trump, unfazed. His campaign, dismissive. A top aide tweeting, “Watching thugs and punks in Albuquerque en route to California. They don't know even know what they are “protesting!!”
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN B: It was stop Trump’s hate with love.
[JACKSON TO PROTESTER]: But does it help to come out and to have a scene or a demonstration like this?
WOMAN A [PROTESTER]: No, it does not help, but it's self-defense. Donald Trump cannot come to our city after calling us rapists.
JACKSON: And in New Mexico here, home to a large Latino community, many of the protesters originally mobilized against Trump's immigration positions. The presumptive nominee now heads to a rally in Orange County. Remember, the same place where escalating protests last month ended in the arrests of 17 people. Matt, Savannah?
LAUER: Hallie Jackson in Albuquerque. Hallie, thank you very much.
