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Assault Is Wrong
Greg Gianforte.
The first question you have to wonder about concerning the assault and battery allegedly committed by Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte is: How could he possibly have put out a miserable, lying cover story when there were at least four witnesses in the room? The second question is: Do you regret early voting yet?
Here’s the account from Greg Gianforte’s press aide Shane Scanlon:
Tonight, as Greg was giving a separate interview in a private office, The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs entered the office without permission, aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg’s face, and began asking badgering questions. Jacobs was asked to leave. After asking Jacobs to lower the recorder, Jacobs declined. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg’s wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It’s unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ.
Whoa. I guess the “liberal journalist” had it coming. Sure enough, there were several Republican provocateurs ready to justify an unprovoked physical attack on a journalist. I’ll come to those, but first, consider that three Fox News journalists and a reporter for BuzzFeed were in the room and saw what happened. Fox’s Alicia Acuna released a statement within hours describing things a bit differently. She and her crew were setting up for a taped interview. Ben Jacobs of the Guardian newspaper entered the room, put a microphone near Gianforte’s face, and asked questions about the CBO report on the Republican health care plan. (Who knew that those were fighting words?) Acuna continued:
Gianforte told him to talk to his press guy, Shane Scanlon. At that point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the reporter. As Gianforte moved on top of Jacobs, he began yelling something to the effect of, ‘I’m sick and tired of this!’ Jacobs scrambled to his knees and said something about his glasses being broken. He asked Faith, Keith and myself for our names. In shock, we did not answer. Jacobs then said he wanted the police called and went to leave. Gianforte looked at the three of us and repeatedly apologized. At that point, I told him and Scanlon, who was now present, that we needed a moment. The men then left.
Jacobs’s cell phone recorded all of it. Alexis Levinson of BuzzFeed was apparently in the room as well. She tweeted “Ben walked into a room where a local tv crew was set up for an interview with Gianforte. All of a sudden I heard a giant crash and saw Ben’s feet fly in the air as he hit the floor.” Greg Gianforte appears to be guilty not just of the attack, but of attempting to smear his victim. Note that he apologized to the people he had not wronged, but not to the one he had.
In the ordinary course of politics, some overheated or criminal supporter of this or that candidate will do something felonious or (more often) tasteless and it falls to the candidate to condemn it and mouth platitudes about respect for civility, your right to say it, and the rule of law. For the candidate himself to be the (alleged) criminal is a little out of the ordinary.
But the age of Trump has corrupted a great many people and shattered norms. Those whose moral compass has long since been stashed in the bottom drawer defending the indefensible piled on to applaud Gianforte’s thuggishness. The Media Research Center’s Brent Bozell tweeted “Jacobs is an obnoxious, dishonest, first class jerk. I’m not surprised he got smacked.” (For the record, I’ve known Bozell for decades and hope this was a momentary lapse of judgment. We’ve all experienced the itchy Twitter finger.)
Laura Ingraham chose to impugn Jacobs’ manhood: “Politicians always need to keep their cool. But what would most Montana men do if ‘body slammed’ for no reason by another man?” She followed up with “Did anyone get his lunch money stolen today and then run to tell the recess monitor?”
Dinesh D’Souza struck the same tone, calling Jacobs a “crybaby,” and also implying that the story was a “scam” perpetrated by Jacobs to swing the election to the Democrat.
None of this is a gray area. You either uphold certain basic standards of decency or you don’t. Some who call themselves conservatives have shown that they are nothing of the kind. To be conservative is to be honorable. These are contemptible, partisan hacks. Let’s close with another Ingraham tweet whose cynicism passeth all understanding: “Loyalty…courage…valor…honor…truth…at risk of becoming lost virtues in Washington, DC.”
Published in General
The Donald body-slammed Jeb’s career.
I am not sure what you are saying here. Your comment is all in different blockquotes and I am not sure which parts you are yours, vs quotes of others.
But, about this:
That is how the law works. On technicalities.
Mona has tried to justify for the last 6 months her lack of support for Trump. She voted for Evan McMullen (spelling?) vs the heinous Donald. I.E. she voted for Hillary. She never admits this, like the rest of the NeverTrumpers.
Retraction is taking something back. It’s a specific way of changing a story. Not all changes are retractions, although I agree a retraction is one way of clarifying a story. Maybe that’s lawyerly to you, but to me that’s just plain English.
“Around” is also one of those ambiguous prepositions, that does sometimes just mean nearby. “I think I left my glasses around here” doesn’t mean the glasses are wrapped around something. Now, I think it’s more natural for “hands around neck” to be used to mean “strangling” rather than “hands near neck”, but we don’t always come up with the natural construction the first time (or, if it’s me, sometimes even fifth) time, and not knowing more, I’d be inclined to give benefit of the doubt to the speaker, since “around” to mean “near” is also quite common.
Of course, I’m also happy to wait and see. Or perhaps to just plain not care about this story either way, other than what I’ve just said.
Mona has completely lost me. Derangement syndrome is too mild a term for what’s ailing her. And it’s too bad. She used to be one of my favorites. I can’t believe she would even reach for this.
I’m not supporting or excusing Gianforte’s actions. It’s the link to Trump that is an outrage. Perhaps Mona belongs to the NeverTrump tribe. That’s just as much tribalism.
Wait, Gianforte’s supposed to lose! What’s happening?
I still say it should be blamed on the violent, anti-Trump resisters, who created an atmosphere in which such behavior is considered acceptable.
I’m all for the beating of Guardian reporters*, but politicians should be held to a higher standard. Shouldn’t Gianforte have delegated that duty to his campaign manager?
*In self-defense only. Don’t arrest me!
Gianforte for the win! As the son of a native Montanan and a former resident of the state myself, I can’t say I’m surprised. ?
Moderator Note:
Video redacted for profanity.Hmm, the video has disappeared.
[Redacted]
Unless they offer to pay the legal expenses of someone who beats up a protestor; in this case, many believe a lower standard is perfectly fine.
An exclusive clip of Gianforte’s victory speech:
You couldn’t do a better job of proving Mona’s thesis right if you were a KGB plant…
[Redacted.]
Trump was very provocative by saying this — I love him for this pugnaciousness that doesn’t even come close to the left’s violence not even their threats of violence. The worst possible result is already in evidence — much of the intellectual right and the libertarians and the elites would rather lose than win in a way that isn’t proper (in their eyes). This is straining at gnats and most of us don’t have any interest in such sophistry.
I’m more interested in making the sabotage (I love Trump’s new word) of the media apparent and clear for all to see. Drawing attention to this is essential — we are in a battle for the truth with the media, the Dems and the left and those who simply won’t fight this battle should step away from the microphone and find something else in their lives to do.
Good Lord. I got spit on by someone dressed like a pussy at a Sarah Palin rally in 2008.
Meanwhile, my dad went to his grave believing I was voting with a bunch of racists because someone “reportedly” yelled: kill him, at a rally. Heard by one guy, investigated. Never confirmed.
If you think Trump has corrupted a “great many people” and “shattered norms” you’ve been asleep – or not paying attention – for years.
Is there a line the right should cross in order to win, then? Ought the right not be as violent as the left in order to make the better things happen?
Is it the violence of the left we abhor, or is it their goals? If it’s the latter, aren’t we justified in doing exactly what they do?
No. She. Did. Not.
You can’t admit to something that’s not true.
Martyrdom is for religion. Its a stupid organizing principle otherwise.
Remember, children, violence is just fine as long as it’s directed against people you disagree with politically.
So if Antifa were right wingers, you’d have no problem with them?
Watching how journalists have acted over the last few years, if one showed up either at my home or business, I would tell them they have 30 seconds to leave, and that they are trespassing and will be removed from the premises. They are not welcome. Their intent is to ruin lives to sell something. If there is a life that is going to be ruined is isn’t going to be mine.
But they aren’t. Odd that.
That wasn’t the question. Is it only the goals of Antifa that you object to or is it the methods?
To connect this idiot’s actions to “the age of Trump” is disgraceful and unfair. Mrs. Charen – we know you despise Trump. You have made that abundantly clear. Sadly, your hatred has now compromised your writings and commentary.
… the age of 0bama has corrupted a great many people and shattered norms.
“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said at a Philadelphia fundraiser Friday night.
The people justifying this are using the exact same reasoning as Antifa.
I wouldn’t go that far.