Andrew Ross Sorkin Clashes With GOP Over Trump’s MSG Rally

CNBC Squawk Box host Andriy Sorkin faced with the Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) for criticizing media headlines condemning the former president Donald Trump Madison Square Garden rally called ‘racist’ in attempt to disavow comedian’s jokes Tony Hinchcliffe from the stage

Several speakers took the stage during the rally, including Hinchcliffe, who joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating pile of garbage” and made other stereotypical mockery about blacks and Israel. Trump’s staff later issued a statement remove the nominee’s gaze from the opening act of the comedian.

When Trump finally took the stage, he outlined his proposed deportation policy and called Election Day “liberation day” from the “occupation” of immigrants, and repeated his charge that Democrats were the “enemy from within.”

Appearing on Squawk Box On Monday, Donalds, who was present at the rally, said the rally was “great” and, as anchors ran through newspaper headlines calling the event “racist,” he began to accuse the media of “trying to inflame everything” instead of talking about “facts” or “essence”.

I was there the whole time. So, to New York Daily Newsis it a racist rally if a black man from florida who is from new york is speaking at the rally? I don’t think so. This is the problem with most media today. They are too busy trying to instill fear instead of talking about facts and substance.

It was a great rally last night. Apparently, Donald Trump was speaking. Did he say something incomprehensible? No, I didn’t. I spoke Did I say something unclear? No, I didn’t. Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Donald Trump Jr, Elon Musk, Howard Lutnyk… Did they say something incorrect? No, they didn’t.

Co-presenter Becky Quick then mentioned Hinchcliffe, noting that the Trump campaign had “distanced itself” from his jokes. Donalds then shared his shock at the comedian’s set.

I disagreed with what the comedian said. None of us did. When it came out, we were all like… I said the campaign was distancing itself. Yes, of course. We were all like, wait, what? How did he get up? No, no, no, no. No one agreed with this. no one dot Point. They say… But he is also a comedian. I didn’t… We didn’t control what he said.

However, Sorkin cut to the chase, rereading one headline that called the rally “crude and racist.” He pushed Donalds back on his claim that the framing was unwarranted.

“It happened,” Sorkin insisted. “Maybe you weren’t kidding, but it happened.”

The congressman responded, “And Becky just said that. The campaign distanced itself from this. They do not agree. I don’t agree. Unfortunately, it was said. It was said, but no one agrees with it.”

The presenter continued to press: “But I have a question for you. And this is what I think. To the fact that there are people who, by the way, may agree with Trump’s policies, but do not want to vote for Trump. And you know some of these people. The reason they don’t want to vote for Trump is because they see either in his character or the people who seem to support him seem to be involved in it or willing to be involved in it, right? Because what you don’t see is you don’t go to other rallies for Harris or you don’t see this kind of vitriol at a Harris rally.”

“You don’t?” Donalds fired back.

“I don’t think you are,” Sorkin said.

An agitated Donalds accused Harris of spending “half her time talking about her opponent as Hitler”.

He added: “Every Democrat official at these rallies calls him Adolf Hitler. You’ve got Hillary Clinton running around out there hawking her book, which frankly no one wants to buy, and she talks about how it’s like 1939. Are you out of your mind? Do you want to talk about rhetoric?’

Donalds continued to criticize the economic policies of the Biden administration, arguing that inflation and President Joe Biden’s “terrible” border policies have affected Puerto Ricans as much as everyone else: “This is a terrible joke on the American people. We have to focus on that.”

Sorkin returned to his point: “I don’t disagree with you on that. I’m just saying you can talk to those people who are watching who are saying, you know what, I agree with Trump’s policies, but I just can’t stand reading these headlines.”

Donalds interrupted: “I don’t want to cut you off, but we have to decide in America today, are we going to fall into the headlines trap of a media that, frankly, is in the tank one way or another? Or are we going to look at the actual politics that matter in your life?”

“Take away the headlines,” Sorkin argued. “You can watch the videos yourself.”

Quick joined Sorkin: “Congressman, I can appreciate all that, but this was a campaign that put this comedian on stage instead of talking about the facts that you’re talking about. And you can also look on social media to find all these criticisms.”

Donalds pleaded with the hosts that Harris “doesn’t answer the questions facing the American people” and that he was pointing to a “comedian” to distract from it: “You all know that.”

Sorkin pressed again: “That’s something people can decide for themselves. But I think there are people who watch the video of that comedian, by the way, the guy who’s on the radio, some of the other comments, and people just watch it. It’s not the media telling them to watch it. You look at it and say to yourself that this is not the best situation.”

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