CNN host Chris Cuomo wrapped up the first hour of Prime Time by emphatically ranting about President Trump not ordering American flags be flown at half-staff to honor the five journalists killed during the Capital Gazette shooting. According to his speculation, it was because of Trump’s “insensitivity to the dead” and his hatred for the press.
“It's been four days since the most recent mass shooting that robbed this world of five lives, shattered families, and added another layer of shame on all lawmakers for not doing something to stop the damn shootings,” Cuomo began the segment. “So why did this happen? Is there a protocol that would make it weird to respect the dead journalists?”
Cuomo then proceeded to rattle off other instances where Trump had ordered flags lowered such as the Las Vegas and Parkland shootings. To make the point about the number of victims not being an issue, he cited the lowering of flags for former First Lady Barbara Bush and Reverend Billy Graham.
“So, why would the mayor of Annapolis say he was turned down with such a no-brainer request,” he rhetorically asked himself. “Now, I'm afraid I know the answer and it's because President Trump doesn't like the media.”
After talking about other instances of Trump saying rude or disrespectful things to people in tough situations, Cuomo insisted “Trump, unfortunately, is entirely capable of disrespecting people no matter their predicament if it suits him or his interests.”
Cuomo bitterly spat about Trump’s public declarations of respect for the dead were hollow and meant very little:
And yes, Trump did say that he respects journalists after the mass murder, but why would you believe that? Why would you believe he's not lying again? I don't have time to play all the attacks on the media, you know the truth. And now you know even if they get murdered, the President won’t respect the media appropriately.
“It's the truth. It's as true as it is shameful. Insensitivity to the dead,” he proclaimed as fact even though it was obviously just his personal opinion. “Preserving what,” Cuomo wondered. “[H]is ability to bash the media to his base? Is that what matters? Well, this matters too.”
The angry CNN host then suggested the President actively chose to do the indecent thing “[b]ecause the families of the dead and the dead themselves don't matter to Trump as much as his playing political favorites.”
Cuomo wrapped up his rant by asserting that if the shooting had occurred at someplace like Fox News, or another friendly media outlet, Trump wouldn’t have hesitated. “And it raises, you know, a really ugly suggestion. I wonder if it were an outlet he prefers. Or is he aware of? Would he make a different choice? That might be even worse,” he declared.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN
Cuomo Prime Time
July 2, 2018
9:57:40 PM Eastern [3 minutes 24 seconds]CHRIS CUOMO: Closing argument. Did you see this? “Trump declines request to lower flags in memory of Capital Gazette shooting victims.” Now, I know everything moves so fast now. It's been four days since the most recent mass shooting that robbed this world of five lives, shattered families, and added another layer of shame on all lawmakers for not doing something to stop the damn shootings. So why did this happen? Is there a protocol that would make it weird to respect the dead journalists?
No, the Las Vegas shooting, the Parkland shooting, they warranted flags being lowered. Why not this? Maybe not enough people? No, it's not it either. How do we know? Here’s the announcement of flags being lowered for First Lady Barbara Bush upon her death in April and February marking the death of the Reverend Billy Graham. Important people, but it wasn't about big numbers of people.
So, why would the mayor of Annapolis say he was turned down with such a no-brainer request?
Now, I'm afraid I know the answer and it's because President Trump doesn't like the media. I know that sounds extraordinarily petty and callous, but more facts. Trump is the man who mocked John McCain for being captured during Vietnam and who hardly condemned staffer who mocked McCain’s illness. In fact, he allowed her to stay in a job, and he still attacks McCain with his thumbs down swipes about the Senator's “nay” vote on an insurance bill. A bill, which by the way, would have taken insurance from more people than the bill the Senator eventually voted for.
So, Trump, unfortunately, is entirely capable of disrespecting people no matter their predicament if it suits him or his interests. Look, look at what's happening on the border. Kids ripped from their families, still not returned. Despite that sham of an executive order and promises to fix it all rapido. Mentiras, lies those were. That’s the truth.
And yes, Trump did say that he respects journalists after the mass murder, but why would you believe that? Why would you believe he's not lying again? I don't have time to play all the attacks on the media, you know the truth. And now you know even if they get murdered, the President won’t respect the media appropriately.
It's the truth. It's as true as it is shameful. Insensitivity to the dead. Preserving what, his ability to bash the media to his base? Is that what matters? Well, this matters too. They were good people. They were murdered in cold blood doing a job that's fundamental to your democracy. Certainly, as fundamental as the President’s. The founding fathers were in agreement about a free press before they even know what shape the government would take. Thomas Jefferson said it was a no-brainer, that he would prefer to have newspapers over any government.
So, this isn't about history, it's about now. Maryland’s Republican Governor, Larry Hogan, he didn't think twice about lowering state flags last Friday and right through today. Because he did something decent. The President chose not to. Because the families of the dead and the dead themselves don't matter to Trump as much as his playing political favorites.
And it raises, you know, a really ugly suggestion. I wonder if it were an outlet he prefers. Or is he aware of? Would he make a different choice? That might be even worse.
