A former basketballer and corporate media talking head took umbrage with the headlining coverage of the latest assassination attempt on the former president as it distracted from bashing him.
Hot takes galore populated the interwebs Sunday after 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh was arrested for allegedly attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump. While many wondered at the motive and political affiliations of the suspect, former NBA shooting guard Rex Chapman found fault with focusing on the story when outlets could be alleging the GOP leader had incited bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio.
“Media — please go to Springfield and cover the story there. Not the one on the golf course in Florida. We’re watching,” asserted the onetime CNN+ commentator on X.
Media – please go to Springfield and cover the story there. Not the one on the golf course in Florida. We’re watching.
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) September 16, 2024
Earlier, Chapman had raised the claim that remarks the president had made during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris had prompted threats of violence in the small Ohio city reeling from the influx of roughly 20,000 Haitians as he posted, “Political violence is bad. Whether it’s assassination attempts or candidates telling lies that inspire bomb threats against hospitals and elementary schools.”
“I can sure as sh*t condemn as assassination attempt against Trump. Why couldn’t he condemn bomb threats against schools and hospitals?” added the “influencer” who once described California Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D) as “Sexy personified.”
As reported, Trump’s running mate Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance pushed back on CNN’s Dana Bash after she made a similar claim that the president inspired threats in Springfield after he brought up reports of Haitians eating cats, dogs, and geese.
“Dana, first of all, let me just respond to a couple things that you said but I want to start with something you said which I think is frankly disgusting and is more appropriate for a Democratic propagandist than it is for an American journalist,” said the senator after noting hospitals were overwhelmed in his home state because of the border crisis. “There is nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals.”
“These hospitals — the bomb threats and so forth — it’s disgusting. The violence is disgusting,” expressed Vance unequivocally. “We condemn it.”
Meanwhile, Chapman appeared to suggest that a “jest” from billionaire Elon Musk, who had pointed out how President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris remained safe from assassination attempts to emphasize that leftist rhetoric and leftist attitudes were allegedly driving political violence, was somehow part of an effort to keep from reporting about the debate and what was happening in Springfield.
“ANYTHING to distract from getting demolished at the debate, JD Vance, and Springfield,” wrote the former player.
I can sure as shit condemn an assassination attempt against Trump. Why couldn’t he condemn bomb threats against schools and hospitals?
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) September 15, 2024
ANYTHING to distract from getting demolished at the debate, JD Vance, and Springfield https://t.co/DfAcCpsjPE
— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) September 16, 2024
Since Chapman brought it up, social media users gladly agreed with the former player that how the Haitians were part of the border crisis wrought by Harris was exactly what corporate media should be discussing.
Yes! Please cover the 15,000 Haitians that Kamala Harris brought to Springfield, Ohio! Cover how this influx is depressing wages and raising rents for American citizens. #Trump2024
— Tom Jarman (@TomJarman1979) September 16, 2024
If they actually covered it, they’d prove Trump right. Careful what you wish for, Rex.
— Joel Schamber (@JoelSchamber) September 16, 2024
Please do. You’ll see a town that has been decimated by people coming here who don’t know a thing about the culture or laws. Listen to the African American man who spoke on video about Haitians ruining Springfield and eating ducks on 8/27. Trump learned about it a week later.
— Tom S (@TomSportsInc) September 16, 2024
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