Appearing on Thursday’s NBC Late Night With Seth Meyers, aired early Friday morning, ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos worried about Donald Trump making the liberal media an “enemy” in the presidential campaign, confessing that “it's hard to walk down the street right now” and warning that reporters need “security.”
Host Seth Meyers observed: “...tensions are very high in this election on both sides....is it safe to say that you receive criticisms from both sides in your day to day?” Stephanopoulos complained: “It's hard to walk down the street right now....I have this one woman in my neighborhood....Every time I walk down the street she keys in on me, walks right up to my face and whispers, ‘Disgusting’....Then a few days later, does the same thing....walks right up into my face, ‘Bastard.’”
Meyers sympathized: “You know, there was a lot of talk about how the press covered Trump. But now, there's a lot of talk about how Trump is sort of framing the press as a villain.” Stephanopoulos agreed: “The enemy, absolutely.” Meyers fretted: “And so, for those of you in journalism right now, like, have you ever seen an attack like this?”
Stephanopoulos voiced concern for the safety of his colleagues: “No, I mean, he's singling people out from the crowd. And his – you know, I don't really go out into the rallies so much – but our reporters actually have to have security at his rallies because everybody gets so riled up and he riles them up as well.”
Here is a transcript of the exchange aired early on the morning of November 4:
1:20 AM ET
(...)
SETH MEYERS: And now with you, the fact that you cover, you know, this six days a week, tensions are very high in this election on both sides.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Everywhere.
MEYERS: And it seems like, is it safe to say that you receive criticisms from both sides in your day to day?
STEPHANOPOULOS: It's hard to walk down the street right now.
MEYERS: Yeah.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Because everybody is so keyed up, so on edge. You know, and, you know, both sides are angry. Both sides are anxious. They're yelling. But I do have – it's – I have this one woman in my neighborhood.
MEYERS: Okay.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Who, I guess she's around, 70, let's say. But she's, you know, she's trying – she's wearing a leather jacket, leather coat. Every time I walk down the street she keys in on me, walks right up to my face and whispers, "Disgusting."
[LAUGHTER]
That was one day. Then a few days later, does the same thing. And I see her coming, she keys in on me. Same thing, walks right up into my face, "Bastard."
[LAUGHTER]
Finally the third time, it was a couple of days later, she did it again. And I finally just turned around – and I had picked up a cup of coffee and she was still standing on the corner when I got back – and I just went up to her and said, "Would you please not do that again?" "No problem."
[LAUGHTER]
MEYERS: She agreed to it?
STEPHANOPOULOS: She did. For now.
MEYERS: That story might say more about New York than this election.
[LAUGHTER]
STEPHANOPOULOS: You think it's New York? Yeah.
MEYERS: People feel –
STEPHANOPOULOS: But also, a lot of people are really nice and just want to know what is gonna happen.
MEYERS: Yeah, and another thing – you know, I think the press has played an interesting role. You know, there was a lot of talk about how the press covered Trump. But now, there's a lot of talk about how Trump is sort of framing the press as a villain.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The enemy, absolutely.
MEYERS: The enemy. And so, for those of you in journalism right now, like, have you ever seen an attack like this?
STEPHANOPOULOS: No, I mean, he's singling people out from the crowd. And his – you know, I don't really go out into the rallies so much – but our reporters actually have to have security at his rallies because everybody gets so riled up and he riles them up as well.
(...)
