President Trump and his family visited the Tree of Life synagogue on Tuesday to pay their respects to the victims of Saturday’s attack. While there, protesters took to the streets to denounce his visit much to the delight of the liberal media. So much so, that ABC spent more time during World News Tonight focused on the protesters than the actual funerals taking place that day.
ABC, like their competitors CBS and NBC, began their evening news program with respective reports on the day’s events at the synagogue. The total time was three minutes and 14 seconds. Of that time, ABC spent a mere 40 seconds covering the service and funerals for the victims. The rest was focused on complaining about Trump’s visit.
“Late today, the President arrived to pay his respects, and he was greeted by protesters filling the streets near that synagogue,” sensationalist anchor David Muir began the segment. Muir chided the visit: “The President and First Lady arriving at the synagogue, against the wishes of some community leaders.” But he never mentioned the fact that the synagogue’s Rabbi Jeffrey Myers said Trump was welcome there.
After senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega rushed past the funerals of three victims and Trump paying his respects, she launched into touting the protests against the President. “But it is a much different trip than the White House had planned. Just a half block away, this scene neighbors shouting down the President,” she said.
“It's not about you! Let the families grieve! This is our neighborhood! You are not welcome here,” yelled an unnamed woman from a front lawn.
Vega read from signs to parrot people who didn’t want him there: “Nearby, more than a thousand protesters carrying signs, saying ‘words matter’, ‘stop encouraging hate’, and ‘you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you fully denounce white nationalism.’”
“The family of one victim, Daniel Stein, making it clear they have no interest in meeting with President Trump. They were angered by his words when he said armed guards at the synagogue could have prevented the shooting,” Vega continued. “Stein's nephew today, telling us, the President is blaming Jewish people for what happened to them.”
In her wrap-up, Vega reassured viewers that the President probably heard what was being screamed at him:
I was standing just a few feet away from the President when those neighbors right here next to me were shouting those words at him, “words matter”, I heard those words clearly. I can't imagine the President did not hear them. He probably did.
Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, they too were touting the protesters. Anchor Lester Holt started by describing it as a “journey shrouded in sadness and controversy for President Trump today” He also noted the “demonstrators who believe President Trump has shirked moral leadership” and “proclaimed he was not welcome in their city.”
NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander talked with a nephew of one of the victims who told him Trump should have just “kept his mouth shut.” Alexander also tried to tie the shooter to President Trump citing his views on immigration.
“Back here in Pittsburgh, the head of the Jewish agency that protects refugees, said the President's announcement [he’s seeking to end birthright citizenship] is offensive, and ignores that the gunman's hatred went beyond anti-Semitism,” he declared.
In sharp contrast, during the CBS Evening News, reporter David Begnaud only mentioned the protesters briefly and kept the vast majority of the report on the funerals and the victims.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 30, 2018
6:32 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin tonight with the somber day in Pittsburgh. The deeply painful task of burying their loved ones. Late today, the President arrived to pay his respects, and he was greeted by protesters filling the streets near that synagogue.
Today, the first three victims were laid to rest. Two brothers and a doctor who ran back in to help. There were long lines of mourners, including members of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Late today, the President and First Lady arriving at the synagogue, against the wishes of some community leaders who said it was too soon. And there were protesters as far as you could see, holding those signs, "words matter" and "denounce white nationalism." ABC's senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega leading us off tonight from Pittsburgh.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: In Pittsburgh today, scenes of unspeakable grief. A line of mourners wrapping around the block for the funeral of Cecil and David Rosenthal, the brothers who never missed a service at Tree of Life synagogue. Also there to pay their respects, coaches and players from the brothers' beloved Steelers.
Today, President Trump and the First Lady, his Jewish son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and daughter Ivanka, traveled to the synagogue. Rabbi Jeffrey Myers there to greet them. The first family following the Jewish custom of leaving stones to honor the dead. But it is a much different trip than the White House had planned. Just a half block away, this scene neighbors shouting down the President.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It's not about you! Let the families grieve! This is our neighborhood! You are not welcome here!
VEGA: Nearby, more than a thousand protesters carrying signs, saying "words matter", "stop encouraging hate", and "you are not welcome in Pittsburgh until you fully denounce white nationalism." The Mayor of Pittsburgh had asked the President not to come until the funerals were over, citing security concerns.
BILL PEDUTO: I do believe it would be best to put the attention on the families this week, and if he were to visit, choose a different time to be able to do it. Our focus is the city.
VEGA: The White House invited top congressional leaders in both parties to accompany the President. Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker Paul Ryan among those who declined citing scheduling issues. The family of one victim, Daniel Stein, making it clear they have no interest in meeting with President Trump. They were angered by his words when he said armed guards at the synagogue could have prevented the shooting.
DONALD TRUMP: If you take a look, if they had protection inside, the results would have been far better.
VEGA: Stein's nephew today, telling us, the President is blaming Jewish people for what happened to them.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: And Cecilia Vega with us live tonight from Pittsburgh. And Cecilia, we know the President also went to the hospital to visit survivors, but the President and First Lady were obviously aware as they were there of the many who did not want this visit?
VEGA: Yeah, David. I was standing just a few feet away from the President when those neighbors right here next to me were shouting those words at him, “words matter”, I heard those words clearly. I can't imagine the President did not hear them. He probably did. David, when he left, he told those reporters including me, who were standing right there, that this scene is very sad, he said, quote, “hopefully we will learn a lot of what happened here.”
NBC Nightly News
October 30, 2018
7:01 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, everyone. A journey shrouded in sadness and controversy for President Trump today, as he visited Pittsburgh and the synagogue that was the scene of Saturday's massacre. Along with first lady Melania Trump, the President warmly received at the Tree of Life synagogue, while demonstrators who believe President Trump has shirked moral leadership, proclaimed he was not welcome in their city. And on a day he tried to console the community, the President igniting more controversy as he opened up another front in the immigration debate. Our Peter Alexander is in Pittsburgh tonight.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: As Pittsburgh's Jewish community begins to bury its dead, Trump arrived here trying to provide comfort to those grieving. The President, alongside the First Lady, his daughter, Ivanka, who converted to Judaism, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, visiting the synagogue where 11 were murdered Saturday. The rabbi welcoming them inside before they laid flowers and ceremonial stones to honor each of the victims.
Nearby, a rally protesting his trip. Among the dead, Daniel stein. His nephew … telling me he's outraged at the President's suggestion, just hours after the tragedy, that the synagogue should have had an armed guard.
NEPHEW OF VICTIM: Donald Trump should have just said, you know, our hearts and prayers go out to the people of Pittsburgh and everybody involved and kept his mouth shut.
ALEXANDER: You felt like he was blaming this community.
NEPHEW: That's exactly what it felt like. It's a stab in the back.
(…)
ALEXANDER: Back here in Pittsburgh, the head of the Jewish agency that protects refugees, said the President's announcement is offensive, and ignores that the gunman's hatred went beyond anti-Semitism.
MARK HETFIELD: This murderer was trying to check more than one box. He checked the Jew-hate box, but he also checked the refugee-hate box and the immigrant-hate box.
ALEXANDER: The president igniting new divisions, even as he seeks to console this community.
