Rally attendee tells live Fox News reporter Trump event is his closest brush with Jonestown
A man interviewed by Fox News at President Trump's Rock Hill, South Carolina rally said he was there because it was "as close as I'll ever get" to the Jonestown massacre. The reporter then suggested he was not a Trump supporter.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2On Thursday 29 October, before President Donald Trump's rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, a man interviewed live by Fox News compared the event to the Jonestown massacre. Raw StoryL “A man at President Donald Trump’s South Carolina rally stunned a Fox News correspondent by comparing the event to the Jonestown massacre during a live broadcast.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Hindustan TimesN “A man at Trump’s South Carolina rally sparked a stir by comparing the event to the Jonestown Massacre, calling it a chance to witness a cult firsthand.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Mixed · 2Asked by Fox News correspondent Lucas Tomlinson why he was there, the man, identified only as Tom, said that in the late 1970s he was too young to go to South America for the Jonestown massacre, but that the rally was "as close as I'll ever get". Raw StoryL ““Well, in the late ’70s, I was a little too young to get involved and go to South America for the Jonestown massacre, but this is as close as I’ll ever get, so that’s why I’m here,”” Read at Raw Story ↗ Hindustan TimesN “But this is as close as I'll ever get, so that's why I'm here.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Left · 1Raw Story reports that Tomlinson asked "Wait! The Jonestown massacre?" and the man answered that there is "nothing like seeing a cult right up front". Raw StoryL ““Wait! The Jonestown massacre?” Tomlinson asked, gradually realizing what had happened.”““That’s right. See? It’s nothing like seeing a cult right up front, man,”” Read at Raw Story ↗
Mixed · 2Tomlinson then told viewers the man might not be a Trump supporter. Raw Story says he stumbled and recast the man as one of the "pro — anti-Trump" people at the rally, while Hindustan Times says the broadcast cut away from him. Raw StoryL ““So maybe this is not a Trump supporter right now,” Tomlinson told viewers” Read at Raw Story ↗ Hindustan TimesN “the broadcast the cuts away from him” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Left · 1Raw Story says the segment aired under a "Fox News Alert" banner, less than an hour before Trump was due to speak at 12:30 p.m. Raw StoryL “The segment aired live under a “Fox News Alert” banner.”“Trump was scheduled to begin speaking at 12:30 p.m., less than an hour after the exchange aired.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets say Trump was campaigning for Sen. Darline Graham against Democrat Annie Andrews. Hindustan Times cites a New York Times/Siena poll released 28 October showing the two tied at 48%. Hindustan TimesN “A New York Times/Siena poll released on Wednesday, October 28, showed both candidates tied with 48% support.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Raw StoryL “campaigning for Sen. Darline Graham (R-SC), who faces Democrat Annie Andrews in the Nov. 3 election” Read at Raw Story ↗
Left · 1Raw Story adds that Tomlinson had just said Fox News moved South Carolina into the toss-up category, a state Republicans "cannot afford to lose". Raw StoryL “Tomlinson had told viewers that Fox News had moved South Carolina into the toss-up category, a state he said Republicans “cannot afford to lose.”” Read at Raw Story ↗ Mixed · 2The outlets give different death tolls for the 18 November 1978 Jonestown deaths of Peoples Temple members under Jim Jones in Guyana: 909 in Raw Story and 918 in Hindustan Times, which calls it a coordinated mass suicide. Raw StoryL “when 909 members of the Peoples Temple, led by the Rev. Jim Jones, died in Jonestown, Guyana.” Read at Raw Story ↗ Hindustan TimesN “the death of 918 members of the Peoples Temple, Jim Jones' cult, in a coordinated mass suicide in Guyana on November 18, 1978.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
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
- Treats the exchange as a humorous on-air embarrassment for Fox News, calling it an "epic live troll".
- Emphasis
- The correspondent's confusion, the Fox News Alert banner, and Fox's own report on Republican weakness in South Carolina.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the NYT/Siena poll.
- Charged language
- “epic live troll”“stunned”
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Presents it as a viral moment that "caused quite a stir", with the attendee's quote in the headline.
- Emphasis
- The quote, the Jonestown background and the tight Senate race polling.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not name the reporter or give the 'Fox News Alert' banner or the toss-up rating.
- Charged language
- “caused quite a stir”“sparked a stir”
- For example
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“a man's explanation of why he is attending it has caused quite a stir” — Hindustan Times
“Trump rally attendee says he is making up for missing the Jonestown Massacre” — Hindustan Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- A man at Trump's Rock Hill, South Carolina rally told a Fox News reporter on live TV that the rally was as close as he would get to the Jonestown massacre.
- The reporter responded that the man might not be a Trump supporter.
- Trump was campaigning for Sen. Darline Graham against Democrat Annie Andrews; the rally was set for 12:30 p.m.
Where accounts differ
-
Jonestown death toll
- Left
- Raw Story says 909 members of the Peoples Temple died.
- Centre
- Hindustan Times says 918 members died in a coordinated mass suicide.
-
How the segment ended
- Left
- Raw Story says the reporter struggled for words and recast the man as one of the 'pro — anti-Trump' people.
- Centre
- Hindustan Times says the reporter said maybe he was not a Trump supporter and the broadcast cut away.
Fox News organisation
Fox News' correspondent Lucas Tomlinson, as reported, was surprised and suggested the man was not a Trump supporter. Neither article carries a Fox News statement.
““So maybe this is not a Trump supporter right now,” Tomlinson told viewers” — Raw Story
“The reporter then says, "Alright, may be he's not a Trump supporter"” — Hindustan Times
Donald Trump person
Trump was due to speak at the rally in support of Sen. Darline Graham; neither article carries a comment from him on the exchange.
“Trump will be rallying in South Carolina in support of Senator Darline Graham” — Hindustan Times
Left4 articles
-
'Wait!' Trump rally compared to 'Jonestown Massacre' in epic live troll of Fox News
Mixed Mocking account of a Fox News correspondent caught off guard, set against Fox's own report on Republican weakness in South Carolina.
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Centre2 articles
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Neutral Short account of the viral quote with background on the Jonestown deaths and the Senate race polling.
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Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 29 Oct 17:03 First Raw StoryL 'Wait!' Trump rally compared to 'Jonestown Massacre' in epic live troll of Fox News
- 29 Oct 17:15 +12m Hindustan TimesN Trump rally attendee says he is making up for missing the Jonestown Massacre: ‘This is as close as I'll ever get’
- 29 Oct 17:18 +15m NewsweekN Trump Critic Tells Fox News SC Rally Comparable to Jonestown Cult Massacre
- 29 Oct 17:45 +42m Raw StoryL 'Who is this legend?' Cheers erupt as Trump rally attendee sneaks 'cult' crack on Fox News
- 29 Oct 18:09 +1h 6m Raw StoryL Trump erupts after ‘sloppy-looking’ protester dragged out of rally: 'They're all losers!'
- 29 Oct 18:43 +1h 39m Raw StoryL MAGA melts down as 'unhinged' rallygoer compares them to death cult: 'Track down this man!
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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