Mark Ruffalo tells Trump "hands off our vote" at New York midterms rally
At a "Hands Off Our Vote" event in New York City on Sunday, actor Mark Ruffalo told President Trump he would "Hulk out" if voting is restricted or compromised in the Nov. 3 midterms. Variety and the Washington Examiner report the speech with different emphasis.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Actor Mark Ruffalo spoke at a "Hands Off Our Vote" event in New York City on Sunday night, 4 October, and told President Donald Trump he would "Hulk out" if votes were restricted or compromised in the midterm elections. VarietyLC “Mark Ruffalo made a passionate speech at a Hands Off Our Vote event in New York City on Sunday night” Read at Variety ↗ Washington ExaminerR “Actor Mark Ruffalo warned President Donald Trump that he’ll “Hulk out” if votes are compromised in the midterm elections.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ Left · 1Variety reports the midterms are on Nov. 3 and could give Democrats the chance to take back control of Congress; it says the rally was meant to mobilise voters and also featured speeches from Robert De Niro and Mo Amer. VarietyLC “The Hands Off Our Vote rally on Sunday was meant to mobilize voters and also featured speeches from Robert De Niro and Mo Amer.” Read at Variety ↗ Left · 1Ruffalo said "they're going to steal it" and that Democrats would not stop at winning on election night. He raised cybersecurity, naming Elon Musk, and said experts had told him votes are vulnerable when transferred from polling places to county headquarters and then to the states. VarietyLC “we all know that they’re going to steal it. They’re going to do everything in their power”“there is a vulnerability of the votes when they’re transferred from the polling places to the county headquarters and then to the states.” Read at Variety ↗
Left · 1He urged voters to join the group Free Speech for People in challenging insecure voting systems, and said Trump was "calling to throw Democrats out of the country" and "means everything he says". VarietyLC “Ruffalo encouraged voters to join the organization Free Speech for People in challenging insecure voting systems”“He’s calling to throw Democrats out of the country. And he means it!” Read at Variety ↗ Mixed · 2Ruffalo said of Trump: "They're going to try and stop us from taking our country back, and we're not going to let 'em. Trump, we're not letting you! Hands off our fucking vote!" Both outlets quote this passage, with the Examiner rendering it in a slightly different wording. VarietyLC “Trump, we’re not letting you! Hands off our fucking vote!” Read at Variety ↗ Washington ExaminerR ““Trump, we’re not letting ya.”” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ Mixed · 2When an audience member shouted "You tell 'em, Hulk!", Ruffalo replied, "I'm gonna Hulk out. You won't like me when I'm angry," adding that he is "still playing the Hulk". The Examiner says he then led the crowd in a "hands off" chant. VarietyLC “Ruffalo laughed and responded, “I’m gonna Hulk out. You won’t like me when I’m angry.”” Read at Variety ↗ Washington ExaminerR “The Marvel Cinematic Universe actor then led the attending crowd in a chant, yelling “hands off” repeatedly.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Right · 1The Washington Examiner adds context on Trump's election policy: it says Trump tried to restrict mail-in voting, alleging it contributed to fraud, and ordered the U.S. Postal Service to implement strict guidelines ensuring citizenship for mail voters, but the Supreme Court ruled it was too close to the elections for the guidelines to take effect. Washington ExaminerR “Trump ordered the U.S. Postal Service to implement strict voting guidelines ensuring citizenship for individuals who vote by mail. However, the Supreme Court ruled it was too close to elections for the guidelines to be implemented.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets place the speech in Ruffalo's record of political activism. Variety cites his criticism of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, which drew a Paramount accusation of "antisemitic tropes" that he called "appalling and fundamentally dishonest". The Examiner cites a ceasefire pin he wore at the 2024 Oscars and his comments on climate change and the merger. VarietyLC “Paramount accused Ruffalo of invoking “antisemitic tropes,” and he was also called out by Jewish advocacy groups.” Read at Variety ↗ Washington ExaminerR “At the 2024 Oscars, he was seen wearing a pin advocating a ceasefire between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.” Read at Washington Examiner ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Entertainment-trade report treating the speech as a passionate political statement, quoting at length including the claim the other side will try to steal the election.
- Emphasis
- Ruffalo's full remarks, the cybersecurity concerns, the Free Speech for People call to action, the other speakers, and his dispute with Paramount over the merger.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Trump's mail-in voting order or the Supreme Court ruling.
- Charged language
- “passionate speech”“Hulk out”
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Short report presenting the remarks as a celebrity warning to Trump, with background on Trump's attempt to restrict mail-in voting.
- Emphasis
- The Hulk quip, the chant, Trump's mail-in voting order and the Supreme Court ruling, and Ruffalo's history of political activism, including the 2024 Oscars ceasefire pin.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Leaves out Ruffalo's claims that votes will be stolen, his cybersecurity comments, his naming of Elon Musk and Free Speech for People, and the other speakers.
- Charged language
- “riled up the crowd”“terrorist group Hamas”
- For example
-
“the actor riled up the crowd ahead of the midterm elections.” — Washington Examiner
“Trump tried to restrict mail-in voting, alleging the method contributed to election fraud.” — Washington Examiner
What every side reports
- Ruffalo spoke at a Hands Off Our Vote event in New York City on Sunday.
- He said he would "Hulk out" and quoted "You won't like me when I'm angry".
- He told Trump "we're not letting" him stop voters taking the country back.
- The speech ties to the upcoming midterm elections and to Ruffalo's Marvel role as the Hulk.
Where accounts differ
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What the speech was about
- Left
- Variety presents a passionate speech about a high-stakes election, including claims that Republicans will try to steal it and warnings about cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
- Right
- The Washington Examiner presents the actor as having "riled up the crowd" and frames the Hulk line as a reaction to Trump's involvement in elections, supplying Trump's mail-in voting order and the Supreme Court ruling as background.
Mark Ruffalo person
Says the election is high-stakes, warns that Trump's side will try to steal it, urges vigilance on election cybersecurity, and tells Trump "hands off our vote".
“We gotta get this dumbass, fool ass, tired ass, lame ass, duck ass out of office.” — Variety
““I’m gonna Hulk out,” Ruffalo said. “You won’t like me when I’m angry.” — Washington Examiner
Donald Trump person
Not quoted directly. The Examiner says Trump tried to restrict mail-in voting, alleging it contributed to election fraud, and ordered the Postal Service to implement citizenship guidelines, which the Supreme Court held came too close to the elections.
“Trump tried to restrict mail-in voting, alleging the method contributed to election fraud.” — Washington Examiner
Left1 article
-
Sympathetic Detailed account of the speech with extensive quotes and Ruffalo's recent activism, treating his warnings as serious political advocacy.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
-
Mark Ruffalo warns he’ll turn into the Hulk if votes are compromised
Mixed Brief, lightly mocking take on the Hulk line, paired with background on Trump's mail-in voting order and the Supreme Court ruling.
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- 5 Oct 12:44 First VarietyLC Mark Ruffalo Tells Trump ‘Hands Off Our F—ing Vote’ or ‘I’m Gonna Hulk Out’: ‘You Won’t Like Me When I’m Angry’
- 5 Oct 17:40 +4h 57m Washington ExaminerR Mark Ruffalo warns he’ll turn into the Hulk if votes are compromised
- 5 Oct 18:00 +5h 16m Fox NewsR Mark Ruffalo threatens to 'hulk out' at Trump, GOP over voting rights at NYC event
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.