[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/
Donald Trump is used to cracking heads, some of those whose heads are being cracked will complain so there are two choices, 1) step up the game or 2) don’t show up. I recall the term “ugly American” referring to America’s aggression in the ’60s. We need more of that era’s “ugly Americans” on the world stage to keep us safe and America strong, Trump among them.
Ugly American started in the 40’s. Americans go overseas, meddle in the affairs of Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan and leave a mess for the natives while politically connected contractors like Haliburton and the Carlyle group profit.
Trump told the truth again. The more I see and hear of him the more confident I become of his qualifications to be president. I was uncertain at first. I though his mouth would do him in but he has proven the opposite.
Sharyl, Trump also said that he prefers heroes who weren’t captured. That is even worse in my opinion than saying McCain is not a hero in the first place.
A hero is someone who shows bravery and carries out some act of heroism. Trump got that correct. But a hero can also be a term associated with a POW, and for that reason America termed him and all POWs heroes. It is clear that is what Trump said. So what’s the big deal. The Post’s writer was just out to stir up controversy. And it seems Trump’s $ million donation to McCain’s once upon a time presidential ambitions was overlooked. This is just more media effort to destroy Trump, and misusing and embarrassing both persons. More media scum!
U insulted every veteran who served this country just to make a draft dodger look good.
did not insult me but if your a girly man i can understand you being insulted
FLASHBACK: Hillary Clinton supporters slam McCain’s military service. Newsworthy (but ignored), is the fact that Clinton failed to reject her supporters “shameful” comments.
https://www.outsidethebeltway.com/democrats_attack_mccains_military_experience/
FASTFORWARD: Hillary Clinton rejects Trump’s comments regarding McCain’s military service
https://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/hillary-clinton-slams-trumps-shameful-comments-on-mccains-war-record-120321.html
I find it hysterical that liberals and its media empire didn’t reject democrat rhetoric regarding McCain’s military service in the past, but are NOW “standing up” for him. Politics(?), nahhhhh.
I voted for presidential candidate McCain. Ironically, McCain has the nerve to call me crazy? Hey McCain — Trump aside — why don’t you apologize for calling me crazy?
Sharyl,
You forgot to mention, in the context of your analysis, that Trump also said, “I like people that weren’t captured.”
With that tidbit, and having viewed the video to form my own opinion, I must conclude that the Post got the story mostly right, your linguistic analysis notwithstanding.
Little known facts about the rest of McCain’s war record…..he crashed 5 planes (the number he was issued) and almost single handedly sank an aircraft carrier killing 136 sailors. He also graduated 894 out of 899
Mr. Trump starts to say something like “McCain is not a war hero because of valor in combat, he’s a war hero because he was captured.” He stops at the 6th word to rephrase, then simply to say the last 8 words. If he owes anyone a correction, he provided it in the same sentence. His favorite war heroes were not captured POWs, but men decorated for valor in combat. Yawn. Will the media and the GOP establishment collaborate to destroy him over this?
That would be great if it weren’t for the fact that McCain has several medals for valor.
Regardless of what you think of the man or his politics – Trump is the conduit, the means for American’s to voice their angry screams of disgust over our corrupt crony capitalist government. The time is beyond late, it is now or never for the country. Trump has tapped into the fact that the country is fed up, and with his help ( be it temporary or not) it is our last chance to stick it to the oligarchs and “Bring America Back” to the people. Let’s all hope and pray he is locked on this time around to go all the way. When you stop and think about it, his age and personality (too old to give a damn) and financial independence from the Uniparty bosses are the only way to break their backs. All they have is money and ridicule to control the candidates. With Trump, neither one works. This includes the MSM. And it is sooo satisfying to watch the bastards squirm.
My question is: Was Philip Rucker paid by a PAC or candidate for president to print the misleading article on Trump?
I was a Trump supporter until he opened his mouth yesterday. I agree with his stance on immigration, but after yesterday I’m done with him (and since his comment, I took a look at his Twitter feed which looks like it was written by an angry third grader with it’s constant name-calling and slamming anyone who isn’t 100% supportive of him).
His exact words as paraphrased in this article do not reflect the tone and body language of what he was saying. He clearly, when you put it all together, suggested that McCain is NOT a war hero because he was captured and Mr. Trump even said “I prefer soldiers that aren’t captured”.
I can’t speak for everyone else, but yesterday was enough for me to jump off the Trump bandwagon and run FAST the other way.
So now that you are not a Trump supporter, who do you go with? Jeb?
It actually got me to consider him seriously for the first time. The fact is that this pathetic and tired act of isolating and demonizing people with contrarian views has gone too far. It is bad enough when these Saul Alinsky communists do it, but it is even more sickening when GOP candidates do it (e.g. Perry, Rubio et al) If Donald Trump doesn’t believe McCain is a hero, so what! If Donald Trump believes McCain wears pink underwear, so what! America needs to grow up and get back to respecting others rights to express their opinion without being immediately pressured for an apology. The fact that these GOP candidates are doing this has caused me to scratch them off my list. I’m down to Trump, Cruz, and Carson who are showing that they’re the only adults in the room that don’t go off on some dopey demonization tour. I was very disappointed that Scott Walker took this bait; pathetic.
Which is exactly what the mainstream wants you to do. If you are willing to vote for a bought and payed for by special interests politition then you are just part of the continuing problem!
I am 87 year old white female and grew up during the depression. My 37 year father died leaving my 30 year old mother with 6 small children oldest 11 years and youngest 2 months. We grew up on a farm (without electricity) . I and my sisters and brothers worked in the fields to survive. (We were dirt poor). We have a corrupt administration. America needs DONALD TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT. He has my family and my vote. WAKE UP AMERICA. Save America – VOTE TRUMP.
John McCain called thousands of people “crazies” because they do not agree with illegal amnesty. Sounds like John cares more about the illegals more than the American people who oppose this. I hope this comes up if McCain decides to run again in Arizona.
The problem here is not Trump’s comments about McCain directly. It is the “He’s a war hero because he was captured, I like people who weren’t captured”. It isn’t about McCain, it is about his disrespectful comments toward POWs in general.
Regardless of what McCain has or has not done, anyone who flies a combat aircraft through a screen of air defense missiles over enemy territory is an American hero. He wasn’t just “captured”, he was shot out of the air over enemy territory.
Trump seems to imply that McCain was some sort of idiot for being captured (by saying that he likes heroes that WEREN’T captured) and in doing so disparages all POWs as being somehow lesser heroes for being captured.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT , WHAT ,MCCAIN DID WAS WAY ABOVE THE CALL TO DUTY AND HE SAVED MANY LIVES BY DOING IT. HATS OFF TO MCCAIN.
I wish the media would give one tenth of this kind of scrutiny to what Obama says and, what Hillary says and, what Sanders says and, what the rest of the looney left says on a day to day basis.
They outright lie to the public every single day and their echo chambers repeat it verbatim unchecked. Then, they’re shocked when a reporter dares ask any question of substance of their president…as they conveniently forget their own behavior during the Bush Administration when every question was accusatorial in nature.
If true this is the same as in 2012 when Obama said ” If you have a small business, you didn’t build it.” Conservatives circulated this leaving out that the previous sentences were all about infrastructure, and he was clearly saying a small business owner didn’t build his own infrastructure ( roads etc ) but that didn’t stop the GOP from circulating the edited version.
I suppose the point Trump was making is, that it should NOT require you to be captured, and then decline a POW exchange because you don’t want people to think your father being an Admiral had anything to do with it, nor that you co-operated with the enemy– in order for you to be thought a “hero.”
I suppose Trump was saying, and rather infelicitously, “OK, some people wanna call McCain a ‘war hero,’ though perhaps it’s open to debate– but even if he IS, etc. etc….”
I beleive, he meant that their was others who did save a unit or should I say their platoon, that have never been recognized as heros, I have a letter that my brother sacrificed and could have died, when he went in and dismantled land mines, it was stated as heroic, he went through hell, but the letter is all he got, and spit on when he came home, and called a baby killer, he was a true hero, as many others were , who layed their life on the line to save others, he never received any recognition except the letter, I hold dear. He died in 2010 of agent orange . He was a true hero , and the world doesnt even know his name, the same for many others, I think Trump meant you only get labled hero if you were captured. Just my opinion, and it doesnt mean much. God Bless the USA, God knows we are living in times, we need God to send someone who can get America back on track, the turmoil we have now is terrable.
Finally TRUTH in the MEDIA – The only reason why everyone is twisting what Trump said is because he’s leading in the polls and the only ones who have come out against Trump are the ones who barely register in any of the polls. Ted Cruz even though he’s unfortunately not doing as well as I’d like in the polls has always stood up for Trump. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump would make great running mates – Could you imagine how many great things could get accomplished when they take office
The media these days SELDOM IF EVER reports the facts as they are! The problem is the same as with all the candidates running for office, BIG CORPORATIONS OWN EVERYTHING, thus all reports are reflecting only what their owners want reported and how they want it reported!
I think what many are missing is that it was Frank Luntz who made McCain’s military service the issue. Was he doing a George Stephanapolous, trying to change the subject from fact that McCain, Mr. Amnesty, called 15000 patriotic Americans who are outraged over Obama’s lawless amnesty “crazies?” Here’s what the Donald should have said: “Frank, Sen. McCain’s military service, which I respect, of course, is not the issue. The issue is his relentless support for amnesty, and his causing people who disagree with him “crazies.” Then there’s also the pathetic ’08 campaign … I don’t understand why you chose to make it about military service. Did Reince Preibus or Mitt Romney tell you to do that?
I noticed that too. Frank Luntz is doing the bidding for the RNC and it is very obvious to anyone who pays close attention to these things.