MSNBC and Other Media Embarrasses Themselves in Coverage of Sham Trump Trial, w/ Victor Davis Hanson

Megyn Kelly

6 May 202411:22

Summary

TLDRIn this detailed account, MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell discusses his observations of Donald Trump during the latter's trial. O'Donnell highlights the moment when Trump made eye contact with him, which he found significant and reported by the New York Times. The host also addresses Trump's subsequent avoidance of eye contact, suggesting it was a deliberate act following advice. O'Donnell further criticizes the media's focus on itself and discusses Hope Hicks' testimony, questioning her emotional response on the stand. He also touches on the broader implications of campaign finance violations and compares the treatment of Trump's case to that of Hillary Clinton's. The summary concludes with a call for viewers to consider the stability of gold as an investment in uncertain economic times, promoting Birch Gold as a secure option.

Takeaways

📺 Lawrence O'Donnell, an MSNBC host, attended Donald Trump's trial and discussed his interactions with Trump.
👀 Trump made eye contact with O'Donnell on the first day of the trial, which O'Donnell found significant.
📰 New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman noted Trump's unusual behavior towards O'Donnell in her live updates.
🎭 O'Donnell interpreted Trump's expressions and actions in the courtroom, suggesting they were influenced by his presence.
🚫 O'Donnell criticized Trump for making courtroom mistakes, implying these led to his presence in criminal courtrooms.
🤔 The next day, Trump avoided eye contact with O'Donnell, which O'Donnell suggested was due to good advice.
📈 O'Donnell mocked Trump's hubris, questioning why Trump would consider him noteworthy or impactful.
💭 Hope Hicks, a former Trump aide, testified during the trial, acknowledging Trump's awareness of hush money payments.
😢 Hope Hicks cried during her testimony, which was speculated to be due to the stress of testifying against her former boss.
🤔 The defense may argue the purpose of the payments was personal rather than campaign-related, thus not a campaign finance violation.
💼 The nature of the payment is central to the legal argument, with the prosecution focusing on Trump's knowledge and motivation.

Q & A

Who is Lawrence O'Donnell and what is his significance in the context of the script?
-Lawrence O'Donnell is the host of a prime time show on MSNBC. In the script, he discusses his experience attending the Trump trial and his interactions with Donald Trump, which he perceives as significant and worthy of reporting.
What did Lawrence O'Donnell mention about Donald Trump's behavior during the trial?
-O'Donnell mentioned that Trump made eye contact with him on the first day of the trial, which he found noteworthy. The next day, Trump made a noticeable effort to avoid eye contact, which O'Donnell interpreted as a result of good advice.
What role did Hope Hicks play in the Trump trial?
-Hope Hicks, a former campaign PR person and representative of Donald Trump, testified in the trial. She was compelled by the prosecution to give testimony, during which she acknowledged that Trump knew about the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
Why did Hope Hicks cry during her testimony?
-The script does not provide a specific reason for Hope Hicks' emotional reaction, but it suggests that the stress of testifying against her former boss, the spotlight, and the pressure of the situation could have contributed to her tears.
What was the significance of Hope Hicks' testimony regarding Melania Trump?
-Hicks testified that Trump was worried about Melania's reaction to women coming forward, implying that his concern for his wife's opinion played a significant role in his actions, which the defense might argue had a dual purpose and were not solely campaign expenditures.
What was the argument presented by the defense regarding the nature of the payment to Stormy Daniels?
-The defense argued that the payment to Stormy Daniels had a dual purpose and was not solely a campaign expenditure. They suggested that the nature of the payment could be something other than a campaign expense, thus not constituting a campaign finance violation.
How did Lawrence O'Donnell react to the idea that Donald Trump might be watching his show?
-O'Donnell expressed skepticism, stating that it was unlikely Trump was watching his show and that even if he was, it was irrelevant to the proceedings.
What was the criticism of the modern-day press corps as presented in the script?
-The criticism was that the modern-day press corps, particularly those on left-leaning television, are narcissistic and make situations about themselves rather than focusing on the actual issues at hand.
What was the context of the advertisement for Birch Gold mentioned in the script?
-The advertisement for Birch Gold was presented as a way to secure one's savings through a tax-sheltered IRA in physical gold, which is suggested as a stable investment that can withstand economic instability.
What was the reaction of the New York Times reporter, Maggie Haberman, to Trump's behavior in the courtroom?
-Maggie Haberman reported on Trump's behavior of looking at Lawrence O'Donnell, which she found newsworthy and indicative of a 'final moment in the courtroom.
How did the script characterize the relationship between Donald Trump and the New York Times?
-The script characterized the relationship as contentious, with the New York Times being accused of bias against Trump and promoting false narratives about him, such as the Steele dossier and Russian collusion.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Lawrence O'Donnell's Monologue on Trump's Trial

In this segment, Lawrence O'Donnell, the host of a prime time show on MSNBC, discusses his experience at Donald Trump's trial. He expresses delight over Trump making eye contact with him on the first day. O'Donnell shares his interpretation of Trump's expressions and speculates on the reasons behind Trump's behavior. He also mentions a report by Maggie Haberman from the New York Times, which described Trump's odd squinting at him. The summary touches on O'Donnell's belief that Trump's actions in the courtroom are indicative of his tendency to make mistakes, which have led to his presence in criminal courtrooms. The narrative also includes O'Donnell's commentary on the second day of the trial, where he notes that Trump made a clear effort not to look at him, suggesting that Trump had received advice after the first day's events. The paragraph concludes with O'Donnell's critique of the modern press, accusing them of making situations about themselves and highlighting the perceived bias of the New York Times towards Trump.

05:00

📜 Hope Hicks' Testimony and Its Implications

This paragraph focuses on Hope Hicks, a long-time campaign PR person and representative for Donald Trump, who testified during his trial. Hicks confirmed that Trump was aware of the hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels, a point the prosecution aimed to establish. The speaker believes that the true significance of this acknowledgment is debatable, as the defense may argue the dual purpose of the payment, implying it was not solely a campaign expenditure. The discussion then shifts to the emotional aspect of Hicks' testimony, particularly her moment of crying on the stand. The speaker speculates on the reasons for her emotional response, suggesting the stress of testifying against a former boss and the pressure of the situation. The summary also includes commentary from other MSNBC figures, such as Ari Melber, who emphasized the human element of the trial and the potential impact of Hicks' display of emotion on the jury. The paragraph ends with a critique of the focus on personal emotions during trials and a comparison to the actions of Hillary Clinton in a different context.

10:02

💰 Economic Stability and the Role of Gold Investments

The final paragraph is a promotional advertisement for Birch Gold Group, focusing on the stability of gold as an investment during economic uncertainty. It suggests that traditional savings can be vulnerable to inflation, economic crashes, and unstable markets, but gold has historically retained its value. The advertisement highlights a tax loophole that allows individuals to convert their retirement accounts into a tax-sheltered IRA backed by physical gold. The ad encourages viewers to text 'MK' to a given number to claim a free info kit on gold investments, positioning it as a secure financial strategy for the future.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Lawrence O'Donnell

Lawrence O'Donnell is the host of a prime time show on MSNBC. In the video script, he is depicted as being gleeful about having made eye contact with Donald Trump during the trial. His reaction and subsequent monologues about the incident are central to the narrative, illustrating the theme of media figures becoming personally involved in the events they cover.

💡Donald Trump

Donald Trump is a former President of the United States who is mentioned as being on trial in the script. His interaction with Lawrence O'Donnell, including making eye contact and later avoiding it, is a key element of the story. The discussions around Trump's actions in the courtroom and the implications for his case form a significant part of the video's content.

💡Trump trial

The 'Trump trial' refers to the legal proceedings involving Donald Trump. It is the setting for the interactions between Trump and O'Donnell and is the backdrop for the entire video script. The trial is significant as it is the context in which the media and Trump's behavior are being scrutinized and discussed.

💡Maggie Haberman

Maggie Haberman is a reporter for the New York Times who is mentioned in the script as having reported on Trump's behavior in the courtroom. Her role highlights the media's coverage of the trial and the influence of such reporting on public perception and the trial's participants.

💡Hope Hicks

Hope Hicks is a former White House Communications Director and Trump campaign advisor who testified during the trial. Her testimony and emotional response on the stand are discussed in the script, illustrating the personal and emotional toll of participating in high-profile legal proceedings.

💡Hush money payment

The 'hush money payment' refers to a financial transaction that is part of the legal case against Trump. It is mentioned as something that Hope Hicks testified Trump acknowledged, and it is a point of contention regarding whether it was a campaign finance violation or not.

💡Melania Trump

Melania Trump, the former First Lady of the United States, is mentioned in relation to Donald Trump's concern about how the allegations and trial might affect her. This reference is used to humanize Trump and provide insight into his motivations as presented by the defense.

💡Campaign expenditure

The term 'campaign expenditure' is used to discuss the legal implications of the hush money payment. It is a key point in the debate over whether the payment was made for political reasons or personal ones, which has significant bearing on the nature of the charges against Trump.

💡Nicole Wallace

Nicole Wallace is an MSNBC host who is quoted in the script, expressing a view on the perceived narcissism of media figures. Her comments are used to critique the focus on personal relevance and importance that some media personalities may exhibit.

💡Modern-day press corp

The 'modern-day press corp' is a term used in the script to describe the current state of the media, particularly in their coverage of political events. The phrase is employed critically, suggesting that the media often makes events about themselves rather than focusing on the substantive issues.

💡Birch Gold

Birch Gold is a company mentioned in the script that offers a service related to investing in gold. The mention of Birch Gold serves as an advertisement within the script, highlighting an alternative investment strategy amidst discussions about economic stability and the reliability of different asset types.

Highlights

Lawrence O'Donnell, the MSNBC host, attended the Trump trial and was excited that Trump made eye contact with him.

O'Donnell interpreted Trump's look as a significant moment worthy of New York Times reporting.

O'Donnell suggested Trump made a mistake by acknowledging him in the courtroom.

On the following day, Trump made an effort not to look at O'Donnell.

O'Donnell speculated that Trump received advice not to engage with him after the first day.

O'Donnell criticized Trump for his hubris, assuming he was thinking about him.

O'Donnell mocked Trump's audience size and the attention he received from the New York Times.

Hope Hicks, Trump's former PR representative, testified that Trump acknowledged a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.

Hicks suggested Trump was more concerned about his wife Melania's opinion than the campaign.

The defense is expected to argue that the payments were not solely campaign expenditures.

O'Donnell questioned the focus on Trump's motivations rather than the nature of the payment.

Hope Hicks cried during her testimony, possibly due to the stress of testifying against her former boss.

MSNBC's Ari Melber discussed Hicks' emotional display and its potential impact on the jury.

O'Donnell expressed indifference to Hicks' emotional state, questioning her empathy during the Trump administration.

O'Donnell drew a comparison between the Trump case and Hillary Clinton's handling of campaign expenses.

A promotion for Birch Gold, discussing the stability of gold as an investment during economic uncertainty.

The promotion suggests converting retirement accounts into a tax-sheltered IRA in physical gold through Birch Gold.