CNN and Trump's Disgusting MAGA-Filled Town Hall - Lies and What You Missed
Here we go again (I watched so you don't have to)
Hey there,
Jenn here! CNN disgustingly held a Trump Town Hall yesterday. The audience was filled with MAGA supporters who were so pumped up for all of Trump’s lies that there may as well have been a laugh track on. People *laughed* about Trump being found liable for sexual assault, as one example. It was a horrible display.
I watched it so you don’t have to! I’ve summarized the main points and highlighted some important lies (all of which the audience slurped up as if it were ice cream). Host Kaitlin Collins pushed back on things but the CNN team deserves no kudos for this.
The Town Hall, which took place in New Hampshire, was comprised of Republicans and undeclared voters intending to vote in the NH Republican primary.
Trump is leading the Republican presidential field, despite facing multiple criminal investigations and an indictment.
Trump was recently found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in the E. Jean Carroll case.
Trump is under federal investigation for trying to overturn the 2020 election.
Throughout the Town Hall, Trump maintains that the election was “rigged” and refuses to acknowledge that Joe Biden won.
Trump tries to get lies through about fraudulent ballots, which Katilan Collins pushes back on, saying that these claims have been debunked by GOP officials. Trump responds that those officials were just “afraid to take on the issue.”
Trump continues to insist that there was fraud in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia - there wasn’t.
Trump is asked by undeclared voter Scott Dustin if he will stop the “polarizing talk of election fraud” in his 2024 election campaign. Trump says he will … unless he sees evidence of election fraud. (sigh)
Trump won’t answer Collins when she presses him on this, instead focusing on “winning.”
Trump accuses Kaitlin Collins, who was formerly with Tucker Carlson’s The Daily Caller and who is hosting to a clearly pro-Trump/pro-MAGA audience, of having an agenda.
Trump defends what his supporters did on January 6th. He lies several times in this discussion, including shifting the blame on Rep. Nancy Pelosi and the mayor of D.C. for not providing enough security. Collins points out that Trump had control of the National Guard, not those women. He lies about ordering the National Guard to deploy.
When reminded that it took him three hours to tell his supporters to leave the Capitol after they broke in, Trump insists he urged peace and blames social media platforms for removing his messages. When Collins pushes back, Trump again blamed Pelosi and the mayor of D.C.
When asked about endangering the life of Vice President Mike Pence, Trump says that Pence should have rejected the election results.
Trump again spews lies about election fraud, saying illegal votes were cast in Wisconsin. This did not happen.
Audience member Wayne Beyer asks if Trump would pardon the January 6th insurrectionists. Trump responds that they can’t get a fair trial in D.C. and that he’s inclined to pardon them.
Collins asks about a jury finding Trump liable for the sexual assault and defamation of E. Jean Carroll. Trump claims it is fake (it isn’t), he has never met Carroll (he has) and is a form of election interference (it isn’t).
Trump tries to defend his “grab them by the pussy” comments, which were caught on tape and indisputable. He stands by his comments.
Audience member and GOP activist Danielle Reger asks how Trump plans to tackle the high cost of living. Trump answers, “Drill, baby, drill.” He lies saying the U.S. was energy independent during his presidency.
Trump lies and says that before COVID, the US had the greatest economy in the world, thanks to him.
Audience member Marta Saravia asks Trump’s opinion on the current U.S. debt situation. He believes the U.S. should default.
Audience member Bobby Petrino asks Trump about his stance on the 2nd amendment. Trump dismisses the significance of bump stocks and uses the tired line that ‘it’s the person who pulls the trigger’. He suggests that teachers should act as security … because some have police and military backgrounds. (sigh)
Trump lies about guns in Chicago.
Audience member Julie Miles asks how Trump plans to appeal to female voters in New Hampshire who are concerned about the Dobbs decision. Trump says the Dobbs decision was a “great victory.” He characterizes pro-choice people as radical. He refused to answer what his stance is on a federal abortion ban and attempts to “both sides” the issue.
Audience member Jennifer Simmons asks about Title 42, a border policy related to the pandemic, and immigration. Trump misleads on why the policy is coming to an end (because the pandemic has been declared “over”).
Trump says he finished the border wall (lol).
Trump again claims the election was rigged - it wasn’t.
Trump did not rule out his zero-tolerance immigration policy that separated families at the border.
Audience member Kaitlyn Boissoneau asked Trump about his stance on providing military equipment to Ukraine and dealing with the threat from Putin. Trump says he would have prevented the situation in Ukraine, that he has a good relationship with President Zelenskyy, and wouldn’t directly answer if he’d continue to aid Ukraine if re-elected.
He refused to take sides between Russia and Ukraine.
He refused to call Putin a war criminal.
Collins asks about classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. He deflects and says Biden also had documents and lies about other presidents and officials doing so. Collins reminds him that while others may have had documents, they returned them once they realized. But Trump delayed returning his, which then required a subpoena and raid.
Collins brings up Trump’s call with Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensberger. He says the call was perfect and he did nothing wrong. He lies and says he didn’t ask Raffensberger to find votes for him (there is an audio recording of Trump asking for over 11,000 votes).
Collins asks Trump if he will commit to accepting the results of the 2024 election if he is the GOP nominee. He says he will accept the results if it is an honest election, but does not commit to accepting the results regardless of the outcome.
Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. Not good, CNN, not good.
Reminder: Trump has been accused of sexual assault and/or harassment by more than 26 women. Read more here.
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Jenn