For those who don’t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week’s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
June 2 marked the first full slate of Sunday shows following the verdict in former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial – a Manhattan jury found him guilty on all 34 counts — and since that was likely the only one of Trump’s trial to be held prior to the 2024 presidential election, Democrats and media talking heads were out in full force ready to deliver the spin.
On ABC’s “This Week,” former Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile — best known for her efforts to hand off debate questions to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ahead of a debate — complained that it was the Republicans who were putting a “spin” on the Manhattan trial.
Brazile complained that “spin” from the GOP regarding Trump’s trial — which mirrors concerns raised by liberal law professor Jonathan Turley and CNN legal analyst Elie Honig, among others — was “getting quite old,” and argued that “to have the presumptive nominee of one major political party facing jail time or facing probation … it’s a huge deal and this is not the place for spin.”
Former DNC chair @DonnaBrazile says the GOP “spin” on Trump’s conviction is “getting quite old.”
“To have the presumptive nominee of one major political party facing jail time or facing probation…it’s a huge deal and this is not the place for spin.” https://t.co/VQaG5qbcPM pic.twitter.com/Ko6dAfBQ6J
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 2, 2024
Politico’s Jonathan Martin also weighed in, saying that Trump’s guilty verdict would hurt him in the “margins” — among the independents and those on the fence — and added that he believed the margins may very well be what decides the 2024 election. “This is definitely going to hurt Trump in those handful of states, especially with an important group of voters,” he said.
Former Pres. Trump’s conviction “fires up his base, but it’s not growing his vote,” Politico’s @jmart says.
“This is a margins election…This is definitely going to hurt Trump in those handful of states, especially with an important group of voters.” https://t.co/Ri8cCmIjJD pic.twitter.com/guK5erTqg9
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 2, 2024
Will Scharf, a member of Trump’s legal team, pushed back — and said that the case against Trump was “replete with reversible error,” suggesting the jury’s verdict and Judge Juan Merchan’s conduct might not withstand an appeal.
“The president’s going to cooperate with the pre-sentence investigation and we’re going to speedily appeal this unjust verdict,” former Pres. Trump’s attorney Will Scharf tells @GStephanopoulos.
“I think this case is replete with reversible error.” https://t.co/JwY684N0mM pic.twitter.com/EHVXMcaUZl
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) June 2, 2024
CBS’ Robert Costa was ready with his analysis on “Face the Nation,” warning that some Republicans might not have the stomach to vote for Trump following his guilty verdict. He argued that even though some of Trump’s supporters seemed more ready to vote for him than ever, the trial could hurt him among those who were less die-hard.
“There’s a real concern that some traditional Republican, suburban Republicans, might look at someone being called a convicted felon and say, ‘I really can’t go there,’ even as it motivates so many of Trump’s core supporters,” he said.
Some top Republicans across the country are privately saying “they’re not ruling out the possibility that Trump could be in prison when he accepts the nomination” from the party in July, @CostaReports says.
“There’s a real concern that some traditional Republican, suburban… pic.twitter.com/8VVWATh2HU
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 2, 2024
But Governor Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) — who is reported to be among Trump’s top vice presidential prospects — pointed to recent polling and argued that a fair of those suburban voters were not even following the trial or its outcome because it didn’t have any real impact on their lives.
“Inflation affects them,” he said.
“Americans are going to come back to the issues that affect them, because this trial outcome doesn’t affect them,” North Dakota’s @GovDougBurgum, who is being considered as Donald Trump’s running mate, says about the Trump verdict’s potential impact on the election.
“Their… pic.twitter.com/qGgmxqvHqq
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 2, 2024
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) joined CNN’s “State of the Union” to discuss the case and he smiled smugly as he chastised Trump: “If you don’t want to be tried in front of a New York jury, then maybe don’t commit so many crimes in New York City. It’s pretty simple.”
SCHIFF: “If you don’t want to be tried in front of a New York jury, then maybe don’t commit so many crimes in New York City. It’s pretty simple.” pic.twitter.com/TFfgRQooig
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 2, 2024
Schiff, who failed to present adequate evidence that Trump “colluded with Russia” in 2016 and failed again to present adequate evidence that Trump instigated the January 6th riot, doubled down: “This is another dangerous appeal to violence,” Schiff said of Trump’s claim that it would be “tough for the public to take” if he were sentenced to jail time.
“This is another dangerous appeal to violence.”@RepAdamSchiff condemns Donald Trump’s recent comment that “it’d be tough for the public to take” if he’s sentenced to jail or house arrest, and “at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.” pic.twitter.com/RQHZ4RxWj9
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 2, 2024
Commentator Scott Jennings warned that Democrats were well on their way to getting out over their skis: “Democrats can overplay their hand on this.”
How should Democrats respond to Trump’s felony convictions?
One GOP pollster suggests caution: “Democrats can overplay their hand on this.”@ScottJenningsKY, @Bakari_Sellers, @KSoltisAnderson and @RepAuchincloss join CNN’s @Kasie to discuss on #CNNSOTU. pic.twitter.com/Ox1CwJ6wl2— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 2, 2024
And since everyone else was playing her favorite song, of course former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was only too happy to sing along. On MSNBC’s “Inside with Jen Psaki,” she and former FBI Director James Comey talked about what it might look like if Trump actually did go to jail.
According to Comey, it “seems unlikely, but I’ve never seen a defendant beg for it more.”
.@jrpsaki: “Do you think Trump’s going to be wearing an ankle bracelet or be in jail after the sentencing?”@Comey: “Seems unlikely, but I’ve never seen a defendant beg for it more.” pic.twitter.com/hBX6cp0cAS
— Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) June 2, 2024
Continue reading this exclusive article and join the conversation, plus watch free videos on DW+
Already a member?