'Racist' Trump ad pulled from air as campaigns rush to uncertain end

[webfact]

'Racist' Trump ad pulled from air as campaigns rush to uncertain end

By John Whitesides

 

A voting sign is seen next to debris left over from Hurricane Michael in Marianna, Florida, U.S., November 5, 2018. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NBC, Fox News and Facebook pulled a controversial ad by President Donald Trump's campaign that critics had labelled racist as a bitter election fight for control of the U.S. Congress headed on Monday for an unpredictable finish.

 

Tuesday's elections, widely seen as a referendum on Trump, have been portrayed by both Republicans and Democrats as critical for the future of the country. At stake is control of both chambers of Congress, and with it the ability to block or promote Trump's agenda, as well as 36 governor's offices.

 

A surge in early voting, fuelled by a focus on Trump's pugilistic, norms-breaking presidency by supporters of both parties, could signal the highest turnout in 50 years for a midterm U.S. election, when the White House is not on the line.

 

The 30-second ad, which was sponsored by Trump's 2020 re-election campaign and which debuted online last week, featured courtroom video of an illegal immigrant from Mexico convicted in the 2014 killings of two police officers, juxtaposed with scenes of migrants headed through Mexico.

 

Critics, including members of Trump's own party, had condemned the spot as racially divisive.

 

CNN had refused to run the ad, saying it was "racist." NBC, owned by Comcast Corp <CMCSA.O>, said on Monday it was no longer running the ad, which it called "insensitive."

 

Fox News Channel, which Trump has repeatedly named his favourite broadcaster and is highly supportive of his nationalist policies, also said it would no longer run the spot. Fox News, a unit of Twenty-First Century Fox Inc <FOXA.O>, said it had made the decision after a review but did not elaborate.

 

Facebook Inc <FB.O> said it would no longer allow paid promotions of the ad although it would allow users to share the ad on their own pages.

Trump batted away reporters' questions about the networks' decision to drop the ad.

 

"You're telling me something I don't know about. We have a lot of ads, and they certainly are effective based on the numbers we're seeing," Trump said as he departed Joint Base Andrews in Maryland for a rally in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

Asked about concerns that the ad was offensive, he replied, "A lot of things are offensive. Your questions are offensive."

 

After Ohio, Trump was headed to campaign against vulnerable Democratic U.S. senators in Indiana and Missouri at the end of a six-day pre-election sweep.

 

Opinion polls and election forecasters favour Democrats to pick up the minimum of 23 seats they need on Tuesday to capture a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would enable them to stymie Trump's legislative agenda and investigate his administration.

 

But Republicans are favoured to retain their slight majority in the U.S. Senate, currently at two seats, which would let them retain the power to approve U.S. Supreme Court and other judicial nominations on straight party-line votes.

 

STILL COMPETITIVE

But 65 of the 435 House races remain competitive, according to a Reuters analysis of the three main nonpartisan U.S. forecasters, and control of the Senate is likely to come down to a half-dozen close contests in Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, North Dakota, Indiana and Florida.

 

Democrats also are threatening to recapture governor's offices in several key battleground states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Pennsylvania, a potential help for the party in those states in the 2020 presidential race.

 

Trump, who frequently warns of voter fraud and has asserted without evidence that millions of fraudulent votes were cast in 2016, said on Twitter on Monday that law enforcement should be on the lookout for "illegal voting."

 

Democratic former President Barack Obama delivered donuts to campaign volunteers in a House district in suburban Virginia, where Democrat Jennifer Wexton, a state senator, is challenging Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock in a fiercely contested race.

 

Obama said the country's character and its commitment to decency and equality are on the ballot on Tuesday.

 

"All across the country, what I'm seeing is a great awakening," he said. "People woke up and said 'Oh, we can't take this for granted. We've got to fight for this.'"

 

Approximately 40 million early votes – including absentee, vote-by-mail and in-person ballots – will likely be cast by Election Day, according to Michael McDonald, a professor at the University of Florida who tracks the figures. In the last such congressional elections in 2014, there were 27.5 million early votes.

 

McDonald estimated that 45 percent of registered voters would cast ballots, which would be the highest for a midterm election in 50 years.

 

"The atypical thing that we're seeing is high early vote activity in states without competitive elections or no statewide elections," McDonald said in a phone interview.

 

"There's only one explanation for that: Donald Trump. He's fundamentally changed how people are following politics."

 

Full election coverage: https://www.reuters.com/politics/election2018

 

(Additional reporting by Joseph Ax and Kenneth Li in New York, Steve Holland in Washington and Roberta Rampton at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Editing by Scott Malone, Jonathan Oatis and Frances Kerry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-11-06

[wwest5829]

A great irony. The Donald may, if fact, Make America Great Again...by having the working middle class reject his words, policies and actions. While I am encouraged by the number increases of the total number of citizens voting, I still shake my head in amazement that the remaining division shows too many still supporting The Donald and his ilk.

[bristolboy]

It looks like the Communists are now in power at Fox.

[attrayant]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

NBC, Fox News and Facebook pulled a controversial ad

 

You know it's got to be bad when even Fox "News" pulls an ad.

[Scott]

40 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

You know it's got to be bad when even Fox "News" pulls an ad.

NBC, Fox News pull Trump immigration ad, Facebook blocks paid promotion

NBC and Fox News said on Monday morning that they would no longer air an immigration ad from President Donald Trump that has been widely derided as racially divisive.

"After further review, we recognize the insensitive nature of the ad and have decided to cease airing it across our properties as soon as possible," said Joe Benarroch, a spokesperson for NBC's advertising sales department.

Facebook also took action on Monday, blocking the ad from getting promoted through the company's paid distribution network, though it allowed the ad to remain on Trump's verified Facebook page, where it has been viewed more than one million times.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/all/nbc-pulls-trump-immigration-ad-after-backlash-n931356

 

 

[johnnybangkok]

The race to the bottom continues. 

[Tug]

Does he really think people believe that bs really???sure there are some but the majority really???we are not that stupid btw Donald the majority know the difference between an invasion and a groupe of poor people fleeing violence and poverty 

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

Does he really think people believe that bs really???sure there are some but the majority really???we are not that stupid btw Donald the majority know the difference between an invasion and a groupe of poor people fleeing violence and poverty 

It doesn't have to be a majority, just some doubters. His hard core supporters love it, and it won't push many doubters the for him wrong way.

So yes, I think this will help him 

[farcanell]

Any damage the ad was intended to do, is already done.... pulling it saves campaign funds for attacks elsewhere... a win win for trump.

[candide]

The ad was not only offensive, it was also fake news.

 

The murderer re-entered the USA during the the GW Bush administration, and not during a democrat administration, as claimed by the ad.

[Srinivas]

Networks and Fb signaling their unearned virtues just gave trump double the coverage for free while owing a refund.

 

Remember they initially approved it, sold the spots, then pulled it after their created fake,???? out cry.  

 

when will they learn 

 

and ofcourse it would not fit the,racist media narrative to mention  Trump received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor

1986 30  years ago.

 

That  Rosa Parks.

 

If this is your first time hearing about this, question what else you think you know.

Or dont and carry on the chant Orange Man Bad ????

Edited November 6, 2018 by Srinivas

[dunroaming]

8 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

A great irony. The Donald may, if fact, Make America Great Again...by having the working middle class reject his words, policies and actions. While I am encouraged by the number increases of the total number of citizens voting, I still shake my head in amazement that the remaining division shows too many still supporting The Donald and his ilk.

I guess the moment is coming when we will see if the majority of the American voting public are racist homophobic bigots or just ordinary decent people.  Every country have their fare share of both but usually the decent people outnumber the bigots by a large margin.  I have always thought that the USA was the same but...….

[dunroaming]

40 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

I guess the moment is coming when we will see if the majority of the American voting public are racist homophobic bigots or just ordinary decent people.  Every country have their fare share of both but usually the decent people outnumber the bigots by a large margin.  I have always thought that the USA was the same but...….

Too harsh?  Yes I think it is but passions run very high in the US at the moment and I am just reflecting that.  I hope that the good people of America can take back their country.

[Srinivas]

36 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

I guess the moment is coming when we will see if the majority of the American voting public are racist homophobic bigots or just ordinary decent people.  Every country have their fare share of both but usually the decent people outnumber the bigots by a large margin.  I have always thought that the USA was the same but...….

its  anti trump 24/7 media . example they just gave a TOTAL pass to Hillary for joking that all blacks look alike. not a word from msm.

but

 

Identity politics , straight from Frankfurt School of "social engineering"

 

[bristolboy]

6 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

its  anti trump 24/7 media . example they just gave a TOTAL pass to Hillary for joking that all blacks look alike. not a word from msm.

but

 

Identity politics , straight from Frankfurt School of "social engineering"

 

 

And here's the real story in a nutshell:

Hillary Clinton mocks host for confusing two black people: 'I know, they all look alike'

In a new interview, Hillary Clinton ribbed a moderator for confusing two black politicians by deadpanning: “I know, they all look alike.” 

Kara Swisher, host of the show Recode Decode, had asked Hillary Clinton how she had felt about the comment “when [Republicans] go low, we kick them,” which Swisher accidentally attributed to Senator Cory Booker. 

Mrs Clinton corrected Swisher, pointing out that it was actually Eric Holder, a former Obama administration official, who had said that. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/hillary-clinton-black-people-look-alike-interview-comment-cory-booker-eric-holder-a8609621.html

That's what you call racism? Did you think we were just going to take your word for it?

 

 

[Srinivas]

1 minute ago, bristolboy said:

 

And here's the real story in a nutshell:

Hillary Clinton mocks host for confusing two black people: 'I know, they all look alike'

In a new interview, Hillary Clinton ribbed a moderator for confusing two black politicians by deadpanning: “I know, they all look alike.” 

Kara Swisher, host of the show Recode Decode, had asked Hillary Clinton how she had felt about the comment “when [Republicans] go low, we kick them,” which Swisher accidentally attributed to Senator Cory Booker. 

Mrs Clinton corrected Swisher, pointing out that it was actually Eric Holder, a former Obama administration official, who had said that. 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/hillary-clinton-black-people-look-alike-interview-comment-cory-booker-eric-holder-a8609621.html

That's what you call racism? Did you think we were just going to take your word for it?

 

 

not racism, just media double standard.

I dont fall for your strawman either but thx for trying.

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

not racism, just media double standard.

I dont fall for your strawman either but thx for trying.

If the double standard was about media coverage, then why did you choose that photo of Trump? 

[Srinivas]

2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

If the double standard was about media coverage, then why did you choose that photo of Trump? 

the ellis island one? 

or the other? there is more but you get my point. its not difficult.

I never heard him being called racist till he ran against democrats.

so enough of the bs media for many americans 

 

 

[GroveHillWanderer]

10 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

not racism, just media double standard.

I dont fall for your strawman either but thx for trying.

So just in case you didn't realise it (or are just trying to ignore it as it doesn't fit your narrative) let's be clear that the facts of the story show that Clinton was not saying that she thought all black people look alike, she was poking fun at someone else (Swisher) for confusing two different black people.

[Srinivas]

3 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

So just in case you didn't realise it (or are just trying to ignore it as it doesn't fit your narrative) let's be clear that the facts of the story show that Clinton was not saying that she thought all black people look alike, she was poking fun at someone else (Swisher) for confusing two different black people.

just in case you have reading comprehension issues, I did clearly state she was joking

but media pass.

 

imagjne if that same line came from Trump lol

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

just in case you have reading comprehension issues, I did clearly state she was joking

but media pass.

 

imagjne if that same line came from Trump lol

You mentioned that it was a joke. What you didn't mention was that it was a rebuke. And I can imagine Trump using those same words as Clinton did. But I can also imagine the circumstances being quite different.

[Srinivas]

24 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

You mentioned that it was a joke. What you didn't mention was that it was a rebuke. And I can imagine Trump using those same words as Clinton did. But I can also imagine the circumstances being quite different.

would this count as a joke for ya?

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/07/nyregion/clinton-apologizes-for-gandhi-remark.html

 

Edited November 6, 2018 by Srinivas
findlink

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, Srinivas said:

would this count as a joke for ya?

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/07/nyregion/clinton-apologizes-for-gandhi-remark.html

 

Wiggle wiggle

[bristolboy]

18 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Wiggle wiggle

The difference is, Clinton immediately apologized. Doesn't seem to me that apologies play much part in Trump's repertoire. And given the flood of venom he spews, he has so much more to apologize for.

Edited November 6, 2018 by bristolboy

[Patriot1066]

4 hours ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

So just in case you didn't realise it (or are just trying to ignore it as it doesn't fit your narrative) let's be clear that the facts of the story show that Clinton was not saying that she thought all black people look alike, she was poking fun at someone else (Swisher) for confusing two different black people.

We can more easily see the differences with our own race that is a fact

 

[bristolboy]

17 minutes ago, Patriot1066 said:

We can more easily see the differences with our own race that is a fact

 

No it's not. We can see the differences more easily with the population we grow up with. If that happens to be the same race as yours, then yes. 

[Patriot1066]

10 hours ago, stevenl said:

It doesn't have to be a majority, just some doubters. His hard core supporters love it, and it won't push many doubters the for him wrong way.

So yes, I think this will help him 

It will help him win!

[Patriot1066]

13 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

No it's not. We can see the differences more easily with the population we grow up with. If that happens to be the same race as yours, then yes. 

Sorry you are wrong !

[bristolboy]

17 minutes ago, Patriot1066 said:

Sorry you are wrong !

fMRI used to study race effect on face recognition

"Why are we more adept at recognising faces of our own race? The finding that black and white individuals did not differ in their ability to remember white faces lends support to the hypothesis that expertise in face recognition is based on exposure. In an accompanying commentary, Elizabeth Phelps (New York University, NY, USA) says, “in US culture the same-race advantage is greater for European-Americans than for African-Americans, who tend to have more interactions with members of other races by virtue of being a minority”.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(01)05671-9/fulltext?code=lancet-site

[Patriot1066]

Just now, bristolboy said:

fMRI used to study race effect on face recognition

"Why are we more adept at recognising faces of our own race? The finding that black and white individuals did not differ in their ability to remember white faces lends support to the hypothesis that expertise in face recognition is based on exposure. In an accompanying commentary, Elizabeth Phelps (New York University, NY, USA) says, “in US culture the same-race advantage is greater for European-Americans than for African-Americans, who tend to have more interactions with members of other races by virtue of being a minority”.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(01)05671-9/fulltext?code=lancet-site

Yes ok you win ????