On CBS News Sunday Morning, Ted Koppel visited the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg and urged Trump critics to “consider the consequences of another Trump defeat” rather than only fearing his win. He compared the celebrations following Fort Sumter being surrendered to Trump rallies and not-so subtly suggested another civil war was on the horizon.
Seemingly walking back some of the media’s hyperbole, Koppel described January 6 as a “mini insurrection” and noted there has never been one that was “more recorded.”
He asked Chris Gwinn, Gettysburg Chief of Interpretation and Education, if he had seen some similarities between what happened in Gettysburg and what has happened up to today. Gwinn answered that seeing the Confederate flag in the halls of Congress was something he thought would never happen.
Wanting more details, Koppel asked the park service official if that bothered him. Gwinn responded that “to see that symbol, that flag, utilized in that way, and to see it in that building was something that I think if you could go and reincarnate some of these union soldiers, these United States soldiers buried in that cemetery, they would be aghast at the sight of that.”
Koppel compared this to the beginning of the Civil War when Fort Sumter was surrendered. “And yet, when the Civil War began with the surrender of Fort Sumter in 1861, there was throughout much of the land wild celebration and no inkling of the price to be paid. Wars rarely begin in a climate of foresight,” he remarked.
He went into further detail as he noted that “there was throughout much of the land wild celebration and no inkling of the price to be paid.”
Seemingly looking to stoke fear, Koppel hinted that the “chest beating” at Trump's rallies could be an indication of what could follow a potential Trump defeat. He showed clips from these rallies as people cheered “we love Trump” and participants shared what they would do if Trump were to lose his reelection.
Koppel noted that “President Trump`s critics and their legion are fearful of what his victory in the election might mean for the country. And he might do well to consider the consequences of another Trump defeat.”
The segment concluded with cherry-picked and ominous soundbites of just a couple of men in the crowd:
MAN #2: We will not go another four years at the pace we`re going. Our side will fight back then.
TED KOPPEL: Tell me what that means.
MAN #2: It means our freedom will not be stolen anymore.
TED KOPPEL: What if it happens again?
MAN #3: Be ready. Just be ready for war.
KOPPEL: Really?
MAN #3: I think some of us are going to go and be a little nuts over it.
Click "Expand" to view the transcripts:
CBS NEWS SUNDAY MORNING
06/02/2024
9:58:18 a.m. EasternTED KOPPEL: I don`t think there has ever been a more recorded mini- insurrection, than what happened on January 6th, and yet we`re still arguing about what happened. Are you seeing some of the same similarities that I`m seeing in what`s happening today?
CHRIS GWINN (GETTYSBURG CHIEF OF INTERPRETATION AND EDUCATION): To a degree.
KOPPEL: I mean, you don`t have to, if it`s too hot a potato.
GWINN: It`s a little hot. It`s a little hot for the park service. What I remember from the January 6th riot, insurrection, is I saw Confederate battle flags in the halls of Congress for the first time. They achieved something that Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia never even got close to. They`re physically in the halls of Congress with the same battle flag that Virginia units on this battlefield carried. And that`s something I never thought I`d see.
KOPPEL: Does it bother you?
GWINN: Deeply. Profoundly.
KOPPEL: Because?
GWINN: We fought a four-year war that cost 700,000 lives. And to see that symbol, that flag, utilized in that way, and to see it in that building was something that I think if you could go and reincarnate some of these union soldiers, these United States soldiers buried in that cemetery, they would be aghast at the sight of that.
KOPPEL: And yet, when the Civil War began with the surrender of Fort Sumter in 1861, there was throughout much of the land wild celebration and no inkling of the price to be paid. Wars rarely begin in a climate of foresight.
ALL: We love Trump.
KOPPEL: So could the chest beating at a political rally provide real insight as to what could happen in the event of another Trump defeat?
DONALD TRUMP: We have to get Biden the hell out of office and send him back to wherever he comes from.
MAN #1: Condition one, be ready.
KOPPEL: Which is what --
MAN #1: I don`t know. I think there`s going to be some real unrest in this country. I think everybody will step up now. In condition one, be ready. Just be ready. That`s why, sir.
KOPPEL: Condition one refers to a firearm with the safety on --
ALL: We love Trump. We love Trump
KOPPEL: -- a live round in the chamber and the hammer cocked.
MAN #1: Condition one.
TRUMP: We will never, ever, ever, ever back down.
KOPPEL: President Trump`s critics and their legion are fearful of what his victory in the election might mean for the country. And he might do well to consider the consequences of another Trump defeat.
DONALD TRUMP: He`s the most corrupt president --
MAN #2: We will not go another four years at the pace we`re going. Our side will fight back then.
KOPPEL: Tell me what that means.
MAN #2: It means our freedom will not be stolen anymore.
KOPPEL: What if it happens again?
MAN #3: Be ready. Just be ready for war.
KOPPEL: Really?
MAN #3: I think some of us are going to go and be a little nuts over it.
