MAGA Gets Physical: Trump’s Candidate Attacks a Reporter
On This Day In 2017
The Shove Heard ‘Round the World: It was a startling moment in American politics. In Montana, Greg Gianforte, a Republican candidate for the House of Representatives, physically attacked Ben Jacobs, a reporter from The Guardian. Gianforte’s violence was caught on an audio recording.
The candidate, after apparently putting his hands around the reporter's neck, pushing the reporter and breaking his glasses, screamed: “I’m sick and tired of you guys! ... Get the hell out here!” (referring to his public press conference).
After his mugshot and booking, Gianforte plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and faced a variety of financial and other penalties assessed by the court.
So Gianforte is a bully and a “loose cannon.” Why is this important? Well, here are three reasons:
The President of the United States openly praised this guy for his inexcusable behavior, calling him “a tremendous person and a tough cookie.” This endorsement from the President sparked widespread concern, again, about Trump’s attitude toward the free press.
New York Magazine, OTDI 2017, issued a stern warning to the nation about the dangers of applauding and normalizing violence. Not enough people listened, and the violence Trump encouraged culminated in Insurrection.
That GOP candidate in Montana was so humiliated by his inability to control himself that he resigned from the race and now has devoted his career to boosting anti-violence causes. No, just kidding. Actually, he won that Congressional race. And then he won his race to become MT’s governor. As governor, he’s devoted his career to signing bills like those which restrict abortion access and which follow typical GOP playbooks to restrict access to voting. Now, in 2024, he’s up for re-election as governor.
Dive Deeper
The Guardian has the details
The Washington Post reflects on President Trump's unsettling praise
@NYMag offers the prescient warning