Beto O'Rourke has absolutely had it with the media tiptoeing around Donald Trump's overt racism

Jen Hayden

Daily Kos Staff

Tuesday August 06, 2019 · 8:30 AM PDT

2019/08/06 · 08:30

Beto O'Rourke explains how the media is failing on racism — Beto O'Rourke has had it with tiptoeing around Trump's overt racism

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Beto O’Rourke is back in his hometown of El Paso after the horrific, politically and racially motived mass shooting at a crowded Walmart filled with families shopping back-to-school sales. Thus far, 22 people have died and another 24 people were injured. It all happened in minutes. The suspect told authorities his goal was to "shoot as many Mexicans as possible." He was apprehended and awaits charges.

The shooter published a manifesto that contained references to “fake news” and “invasion” from Mexico, directly quoting Donald Trump’s language over the last several years. An uncomfortable pattern has emerged—Donald Trump says something overtly racist and then media outlets and pundits break it down into infotainment, asking if the thing Donald Trump said was really racist or not? Instead of calling Trump’s words and actions what they are, they reach for new terms like “racially tinged” or “It gives cover to racists.” And Beto O’Rourke has had enough. Yesterday he had a viral moment where he said, "Members of the media, what the fuck?"

Today, in an interview with CNN’s Chris Cuomo, O’Rourke delivered a message to Cuomo and the rest of the media, noting that they are indeed part of the problem.

You cannot leave it up to me. Members of the press: You too have to call him out for being the most racist president since Andrew Johnson. pic.twitter.com/bsrrth4p0K
Ã¢ÂÂ Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) August 6, 2019

To O’Rourke’s point, just last night, a sneak preview of today’s New York Times was trending on Twitter because of their absurd headline, which read, “Trump urges unity vs. racism.” The NYT used the front page of their newspaper to cut and paste from Trump’s prepared speech as their headline rather than the true message from Trump, delivered via Twitter only hours before his speech, which doubled down on rhetoric and essentially said if the fake news would report on him and his agenda properly, these shootings would die down.

Tomorrow's NYT print edition.

Not sure "TRUMP URGES UNITY VS. RACISM" is how I would have framed the story. pic.twitter.com/quOibXsp32
Ã¢ÂÂ Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) August 6, 2019

Here’s the tweet that preceded his prepared speech.

The Media has a big responsibility to life and safety in our Country. Fake News has contributed greatly to the anger and rage that has built up over many years. News coverage has got to start being fair, balanced and unbiased, or these terrible problems will only get worse!
Ã¢ÂÂ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 5, 2019

This pattern has got to end. It is far beyond time for the media to quit tiptoeing around the racism of Donald Trump and his supporters. It’s the only way this tragic chapter of American history comes to an end.

Beto O'Rourke has absolutely had it with the media tiptoeing around Donald Trump's overt racism

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