Chuck Todd calls out Donald Trump for a change
Chuck Todd confronted Donald Trump in a manner the media have been scared to do likely for the fear of a Trump induced ratings backlash. While Trump seemed a bit taken aback, he never backed down. He continued stating that Muslims in New Jersey were cheering after the attacks on 9/11.
“Because somebody repeats something doesn’t make it true,” Chuck Todd said. “That’s the worst …”
Trump continued stating that even in Sarasota, Florida people from New Jersey were saying that it occurred. Todd then lit into Trump.
“Mr. Trump, if I said people have said Mr. Trump is not worth ten billion dollars and people were saying,” Todd said exasperated. “You would say that was crazy. You wouldn’t make a business deal based on re-tweets and based on hearsay. You’re running for president of the United States. Your words matter. Truthfulness matters. Fact based stuff matters. No?”
Donald Trump responded in his Trump-like manner. “Take it easy Chuck,” Trump replied. “Just play cool. There’re these people in this country that love our country that saw this — by the hundreds they are calling. And they are tweeting.” Trump continued rambling about all those who saw the event.
The Washington Post piece “Why Donald Trump may think he saw people cheering on 9/11” said the following.
Journalists have searched news archives for any evidence of such footage and turned up empty-handed. Public officials and law enforcement in New Jersey say Trump’s account is utterly false.
But Trump’s assertion might not be a bald-faced lie. Psychologists suggest that people unconsciously fabricate memories all the time, and that Trump might have done the same.
“I can’t say that he’s not lying,” said Deryn Strange, a psychologist at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “But my research, and the research of my colleagues, certainly supports a more charitable interpretation: that this is a false memory.”
There is a well-circulated video clip of Palestinians celebrating the attacks in the West Bank, as The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler has reported. Newspapers, including The Post, stated that police had detained some people in northern New Jersey who were allegedly partying on rooftops and watching the mayhem in New York. The Newark Star-Ledger later reported that “rumors of rooftop celebrations of the attack by Muslims here proved unfounded.”
Trump might have conflated the two in his mind. “I can easily conceive how he could have developed this memory,” Strange said. “All you need is a suggestion.”
The article may be too charitable to Donald Trump. It is more likely that Donald Trump is simply lying to appease his Right Wing base.