[Above image: Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference]
Donald Trump appears to have gotten under the skin of not only Democrats, but also fellow Republicans and the news media. Has that subjected Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, to unfair and/or inaccurate reporting?
An article in the Washington Post today is headlined, “Trump slams McCain for being ‘captured’ in Vietnam.”
The article’s lead sentence states, “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump slammed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated Vietnam War veteran, on Saturday by saying McCain was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese [emphasis added].”
Is this report accurate?
In fact, Trump’s actual quote is the opposite of what is presented in the Post’s first sentence.
Discussion
1. The Post did not provide context at the outset disclosing that McCain and Trump have been feuding, with McCain characterizing some Trump supporters as “crazies” and Trump stating that McCain graduated last in his class in Annapolis. The charged rhetoric continued at the conservative Family Leadership Summit in Ames, Iowa this weekend.
2. When a panelist characterized McCain as a “war hero,” the Post is accurate in reporting that Trump initially said McCain is “not a war hero.” But then, Trump immediately modified his statement saying– four times– that McCain is a war hero:
“He is a war hero.”
“He’s a war hero because he was captured.”
“He’s a war hero, because he was captured.”
“I believe, perhaps, he’s a war hero. But right now, he’s said some very bad things about a lot of people.”
3. Did Trump say McCain is not a war hero because he was captured? No, not in the exchanges represented in the Post.
4. Is the Post’s characterization an accident? It would appear not, because it is repeated in the Post’s caption of the video clip, which also states: “Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a decorated Vietnam war veteran, was not a war hero because he was captured by the North Vietnamese [emphasis added].”
Further, in the Post’s second sentence, Trump is quoted as stating of McCain, “He’s not a war hero…He’s a war hero because he was captured,” but the article selectively left out the phrase Trump had uttered in between: “He is a war hero.”
Conclusion
Trump actually said the opposite of what the Post lead sentence and video caption claim. The Post might have been able to get away stating that Trump “implied” McCain was not a war hero because McCain was captured, but even that would have been a subjective interpretation since Trump had actually stated the opposite.
It’s true that Trump stated one time that McCain is not a war hero. But Trump stated four times that McCain is a war hero–and that was not accurately characterized in the article.
For interpreting and characterizing Trump’s true quote in a way that is at best questionable, and for selectively using some quotes and leaving others out, the Post receives Two Little Devils. (Ratings scale at end of article.)
Obviously, all are free to draw conclusions about any candidate or politician. But the news media has a responsibility to do its best to report accurately and fairly–even when reporters find a candidate and/or his positions to be personally distasteful.
More information
Read the Washington Post article and watch the Donald Trump C-SPAN video excerpt:
Other Fact Checks
https://sharylattkisson.com/fact-check-washington-posts-alyssa-rosenbergs-errors/
https://sharylattkisson.com/fact-check-slate-com-vaccines-autism-claims/
Sorry but your article is pure BS, it’s just pure semantics about the definition of the word ‘hero’, don’t try to soften up what he said. Trump clearly believes McCain is not a war hero. His comment “He’s not a war hero…he is a war hero because he was captured”, clearly states that he truly believes that war heroes either die in action or save someone and being captured is simply far from honor.
As a strong Trump supporter, even arguing with friends in support of MR. Trump’s views, his even mentioning a naval aviator, and a POW is not a war hero really hurt a lot of his supporters. There are some things that are taboo. The fact that Mc Cain flew many missions and was shot down and spent 5 years as a pow, tortured, beat up is all true and should never be minimized There is no reason that justifies attacking anyone on a personal level. Trump is correct.. just because you are a war hero, doesn’t make you a good Senator. Mr Trump stick to the record and performance of these Senators and Congressman, you got plenty there to prove your points, and turn our country around and make it great again. I will continue to support you in every way.
If you don’t believe in sarcasm, then you are absolutely correct that Donald Trump really called John McCain a war hero (contradicting what he said at the outset). When he said “he’s a war hero because he got captured,” it’s clear that what he meant was “he’s only considered to be a war hero by everyone because he got captured.” If you watch the video, it’s clear that’s what he meant. The fact that he then follows with “he’s perhaps a war hero” is him backtracking because he knows he’s angered some people in the room.
Speaking of lacking context, you left out that Trump said simultaneously: “I like people who didn’t get captured.” Watching and listening the only reasonable conclusion was that he doesn’t like people who got captured. Your perfume on his manure doesn’t make it edible.
A simple understanding of a statement made involving many undercurrents that was directed at one individual, not the many you assume.
Let me explain how I understand it. McCain insulted Trump supporters. Trump let him know he believes the people still fighting in the jungle were as deserving or even more deserving of hero status than McCain himself. Which they were and are.
Thank you Sharyl. The truth is refreshing. McCain is in fact a tired old man, resting on his laurels of yester-year. He has done nothing to help the veterans nor the Republicans in a very, very long time. I say…”Go Trump!”
In my opinion, Trump’s statement was intentionally malicious. That is his style…black and white, winner and loser. I’m pretty sure this is Trump’s way of calling McCain a loser because he was captured.
I’m a VET and say that Trump is 100% correct! McCain was NO WAR HERO! He was in-fact a TRAITOR! He got those medals because his Father and Grandfather were 4-Star Navy Admirals. However, McCain was a COWARD! He sold out America on day four of his capture! He gave away Classified Information which cost 100s of American lives, not even to include the fact that McCain also made over 30 videos for the Communist Party to use as propaganda! McCain is a disgrace to both the fake US CORPORATION as established by the ACT of 1871, and a disgrace to America! I’m a VET and say “hey news look into the truth of McCain’s Medals!” McCain got those medals for selling out America, much like him getting rich off of selling out the voters to which ever lobbyists pay him the most for his vote! McCain is all that is wrong with government! Should we give Bergdahl those same medals because he was a prisoner for 5 years? The same applies here! He’s not a hero, and none of those medals would hold up to scrutiny… his medals are what true vets call boilerplate awards with nothing to back them up!
He was tortured!!! I’ll bet you never even left stateside or saw combat. Mr. McCain was over there 5 yrs because he refused to leave until his comrades were released as well!! Watch “You’ve Been Trumped”. Trump is a narcissistic, egomaniacal BULLY!!! He does not have the temperament to be president!!! Can you say MEGALOMANIAC!
Democratic candidates are laughing all the way to the bank.
Trump-Senator McCain
I believe Trump supports our military and our veterans. I would like to hear him state that he would have a military and the will to use it to rescue captured American’s any where, any place, any time. I want to know the Commander in Chief would not leave a pilot in captivity for five years. I would like to know that our Commander in Chief would rescue vulnerable diplomats, government agents and our military without doubt, and swiftly.
I would also love to hear a President tell so many of the bureaucrat agency heads in our government….YOUR FIRED!
Thank you so much for your commitment to journalistic integrity.
Keep up the good work Sharyl! Thanks for taking a stand against news organizations who try to make the news instead of reporting facts.
I’ve now read the Post “version” and watched the entire Luntz interview. Great job Sharyl for setting the record straight. Your recounting is spot on to what he said. The GOP candidates with the most to say about it are those at the bottom of the polls, unsurprisingly.
Nice job Sharyl as usual. I didn’t even know you had a website until I heard Trump mentioned you this morning for your honest reporting of him in Ames. I will definitely bookmark it.
you are a terrific reporter love your pieces
This frugal journalism (becoming common in this site) does not speak well of the post.
‘frugal’? Explain what you mean. She fact-checked everything.
Thank you Sharyl Atkisson ,for your professionalism in so challenging a political climate.
Awesome article, the way journalism used to be.
Really enjoy reading your information – wish you were a continuing member of Fox News..Thanks again for all you have done for the industry…
McCain is a self-proclaimed “progressive” – might I remind everyone the source, the origin of that appellation is with the Fabian Socialists? Marxists? Communists? Hillary Clinton and Barack Obeyme both refer to themselves as progressives.
McCain has used his cover as a “war hero” and a POW for his underhanded Senatorial dealings over the decades to enrich himself and his state and sell out US sovereignty to globalist powers.
Call it Stockholm syndrome if you really want to be kind, but I think that is another bit of slight-of-hand.
McCain has helped to incrementally – progressively – engineer the overthrow of the US government, the founding of the “North American Union” and the police agencies and regulations necessary to keep us all in line during the transition, like it or not.
He’s a political criminal and deserves the fate of Ceaucescu or Mussolini. As a vet myself I’m more ashamed of McCain’s legacy than Trump’s pronouncements. Get ’em Donald. Give ’em hell!
If you listen to the video, when he said that McCain is a war hero because he was captured, his tone was sarcastic and as he followed the statement up with “I like people who aren’t captured.”
Perhaps because he feels hero status should be given to all? That the guy still fighting deserves it more? Or none deserve it at all unless they did something really outstanding, which McCain did not. Meaning he did nothing more outstanding or more deserving than the guys still out in the jungle fighting. That’s what I take from the statement.
Didn’t you leave a segment of Trump’s own quote out though? He said something like “I like people who aren’t captured.”
Well stated on Trump comments on McCain. Just found your site. Keep up the good work. You saved me looking up anther smear on words.