Trump Blasts 'SNL' as 'Democratic Spin Machine,' Hints at Legal Action Against Networks' 'One Sided Coverage'
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Donald Trump on Sunday again blasted "Saturday Night Live" and what he called "one sided coverage" on networks like NBC, hinting at legal action to battle "Democratic spin machines."
"A REAL scandal is the one sided coverage, hour by hour, of networks like NBC & Democrat spin machines like Saturday Night Live," Trump tweeted on Sunday morning. "It is all nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, can't be legal? Only defame & belittle! Collusion?"
Donald J. Trump
✔
@realDonaldTrump
A REAL scandal is the one sided coverage, hour by hour, of networks like NBC & Democrat spin machines like Saturday Night Live. It is all nothing less than unfair news coverage and Dem commercials. Should be tested in courts, can’t be legal? Only defame & belittle! Collusion?
It's not clear why the president felt that an entertainment show like "Saturday Night Live" constituted "news coverage" or what legal grounds he would have to block networks from acting since Ronald Reagan's FCC in 1987 eliminated the fairness doctrine that required networks to provide balanced coverage of political issues.
Saturday night's episode of "SNL," the last new show of 2018, saw Alec Baldwin return to the show to play the president in a sketch that spoofed the movie "It's a Wonderful Life," showing Trump what would have happened if he hadn't won the 2016 election.
"SNL" cast members played members of Trump's cabinet, with Sarah Sanders doing public relations for Facebook in the alternate timeline and Vice President Mike Pence getting a post-politics job as a DJ.
"Wow, everyone looks so different," Baldwin's Trump said. "What are those things on their faces?"
To which Kenan Thompson's angel responded, "Those are smiles."
The real Trump, meanwhile, pivoted on Twitter from suggesting that "SNL"'s satire should be "tested in the courts" to lashing out against his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison last week for violating campaign finance laws by paying off two women — former adult-film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal — to stay silent about alleged sexual encounters with Trump (he has denied having affairs with either woman).
"Remember, Michael Cohen only became a "Rat" after the FBI did something which was absolutely unthinkable & unheard of until the Witch Hunt was illegally started," Trump tweeted. "They BROKE INTO AN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE! Why didn't they break into the DNC to get the Server, or Crooked's [Hillary Clinton's] office?"
Cohen replied to Trump's Twitter attacks in a speech given during his sentencing.
"Recently, the President tweeted a statement calling me 'weak,' and he was correct, but for a much different reason than he was implying," Cohen said. "It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds rather than to listen to my own inner voice and my moral compass."
It's pretty clear to me why - he's an idiot.
Yeah - this has got to be the easiest year for SNL writers.
I'd say they're at risk of unemployment. Who needs writers when the jokes write themselves?
LOL as they openly admit.
"this has got to be the easiest year for SNL writers."
Sure. They just regurgitate left wing talking points and run a biased unfunny "satire" that alienates millions of viewers.
Yet they are still on the air.
Enjoy!
There's no accounting for bad taste.
There's no accounting for a lack of a sense of humor either.
millions that must either watch to become alienated or are too stupid to change the channel
Did you see this particular skit?
It was fucking funny
Too true, and as we can all see, the Trump family is a veritable cornucopia of bad taste.
I wonder what conservatives would have made of this tweet if it had been President Obama:
"A REAL scandal is the one sided coverage, hour by hour, of networks like FOX & Republican spin machines like Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson. It is all nothing less than unfair news coverage and Rep commercials. Should be tested in courts, can’t be legal? Only defame & belittle! Collusion?"
I have a feeling we would have heard screams from conservatives claiming a violation of freedom of speech, trying to silence conservative voices, prejudice, discrimination, possibly impeachment for comments threatening the 1st amendment. The hypocrisy of conservative Republicans knows no bounds.
Still on the air for over 40 years too.
Kind of like how the left refuses to admit networks like CNN and MSNBC are propaganda networks working right out of the DNC? Kind of like the way they scream for the Fairness Doctrine to be brought back because nobody wants to listen to left wing talk radio and they can't compete? I'd love to see liberals reaction to Fox News having exclusive airport contracts where passengers are captive audiences and the airports aren't even allowed to control the tv volume.
You really do want to see state run TV, don't you?
"You really do want to see state run TV, don't you?"
No, but I wouldn't mind the usage of the word "news" being defined and regulated to stop propaganda smear outlets like CNN from being able to use it.
What about FOX?
Fox is not a left wing propaganda site.
No, it's just a right wing propaganda site. Same difference.
FOX actually has people with differing opinions on it even if they are sometimes outnumbered. It's rare to see any real conservative on CNN unless it's washed up Never Trumpers who are no different from liberals anymore.
So then you admit that the others are left wing propaganda organizations.
Most major news organizations are propaganda machines, more interested in ratings, sensationalism, and beating other organizations than actual journalism or facts.
That doesn't mean it doesn't have a bias or agenda.
You're actually a scary kind of person if you want news regulated. Canada regulates news, that's why Fox is outlawed there. You want to be Canada?
CNN or MSNBC probably told them that lie about FOX.
And to think that some 14+years later they are STILL swallowing the swill gleefully.
And some of the progressive liberals DARE to talk about how conservatives watch FOX?
LMFAO and SMMFH
Gee, almost like fools being taken in by Facebook ads, huh?
Juan Williams and Tucker Carlson who are registered Democrats. Shepard Smith definitely leans left.
You are correct when you say that FOX has many people with differing opinions on their shows. That's what I appreciate about the network - it's much more open minded than one-view CNN and MSNBC.
Congratulations.
Thank you, but all I did was post well-known facts so everyone had a chance to read them.
Congratulations on admitting snopes is legitimate
In comment 1.1.25 I did not say that Snopes is a legitimate fact-checking source. What I have found, however, is that on rare occasions Snopes posts factual information, but I always verify through other sources. That's why I supported Snopes with PolitiFact. I could have posted more sources, but I felt that 2 were enough.
uh-huh
sure
Comments 1.1.25 and 1.1.32 are available for all to read, but believe what you wish. Ciao.
See ya!
That is a damn fact! Best 2 years in many for SNL because you can't make this up! Trump and company deserve every bit of scrutiny and ridicule.
Trump's skin is so thin that he can not tolerate people parodying him. SNL isn't a news show so the fairness doctrine wouldn't apply to it.
Exactly. He doesn't even realize that he has the power to change it by simply changing his behavior....
Fairness Doctrine.....
.....be careful what you wish for, right wingers......
SNL was on the air long before trump and they will be on the air a long time after trump is gone.
Funny how trump always whines and cries about people being, "too PC", but as soon as someone or something slams him he cries like a baby about it.
Right.... Because the left always takes it in stride when someone ridicules Hillary or Obama. You all threw a fit when when a rodeo clown wore an Obama mask, for crying out loud.
Did Obama throw a hissy fit over it?
He didn't need to. He had his minions to do it for him. And the guy was fired for offending thin skinned liberals.
So, he didn't.
Trump is showing he's at least as thin-skinned as you're accusing liberals of being, and his thin skin compels him to reveal his ignorance to the world.
I read 6 related articles. No one apologized to Obama and the President's reactions were not mentioned.
So how many people have gotten fired from SNL because Trump was offended? The last I checked the answer is 0.
SNL isn't the Boy Scout jamboree or a State Fair performance, both of which are explicitly billed, run and maintained as non partisan.
Can you find any articles where a former President complained about being insulted?
Not even being hung or burned in effigy has prompted comments from sitting Presidents.
So an entertainer should apologize for making fun of the president according to you? Thanks for proving my point about the left being thin skinned.
"SNL isn't the Boy Scout jamboree or a State Fair performance, both of which are explicitly billed, run and maintained as non partisan."
So NBC and SNL do bill themselves as partisan and anyone who is not a liberal Democrat need not watch? I'm pretty sure their marketing dept would disagree with you on that. I never said Obama himself would complain about his critics. I clearly said his minions did and still do that for him. But I find it ironic that the party that claims its for working people has no problem with a rodeo clown getting fired for daring to poke fun at Obama.
He violated his contract with the Sate Fair, end of discussion. No parties involved other than the employer and the employee.
Most of the people fired from SNL go on to become superstars
but apparently they tend to get fired for pissing off the boss
not making fun of public figures and events.
Oh, so every decision by an employer and every contract signed is above reproach and criticism? And the bitter complaining by the left didn't influence their decision? If a left winger was fired for something so petty they'd be launching a social media campaign in spite of any contract.
1) Hillary was never president, no matter how much you wanted her to be.
2) Were either of these two mentioned in the article?
3) Deflect much?
Proof? Link?
It's odd how every time the same standards are applied to Hillary or Obama it's written off as deflection. I guess that means the double standard isn't worth defending.
I was unaware that the left was screaming for people to be less PC.
You conclusion appears to be based on nothing that I wrote.
Well done!
Ditto for Obama. He didn't call for the guy to be fired. As far as I could find, he didn't say anything about the incident. He has the good sense to know that 1) the rodeo clown has freedom of speech and 2) any response by Obama would have been fanning the flames.
Every time Trump bitches about SNL, he's giving them free advertising, but he doesn't have the sense or self-control to stop.
Cha Ching !!!
Exactly.
Both Hillary and Obama laughed at being roasted at the correspondents dinners and had good times.
Trump scowled and left early when it was his turn; Never to return. He has emotional problems.
Exactly.
Same reason this years White House Christmas (Xmas) Party for the Press was cancelled.
"Both Hillary and Obama laughed at being roasted at the correspondents dinners and had good times."
First of all Hillary doesn't have a sense of humor or any other normal human emotions as far as I can tell and any laughter from her is completely forced and unnatural. Secondly the jokes aimed at them weren't mean spirited or based on their appearance. The jokes from the left aimed at Sarah Sanders and Ivanka Trump have been very personal and tasteless, including mocking their appearance and making jokes about incest. The left has no sense of decency or restraint anymore.
[Removed]
Really? How quickly you've forgotten former Sen. Joe Biden's description of former Sen. Obama. Here are Biden's own bigoted, racist words on a CNN video from 2007:
"I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate, bright, and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a story book, man."
Mr Obama must not have been too upset by it. Look at where Mr Biden ended up
Trump is so full of himself, he hung a bucket on his ass to catch the overflow.
LOL
One thing I will say about this man being president every day he comes up with something new.
To shake one's head about.
Let Trump be trump
At first glance the article is funny but it has a serious component to the story. Donald Trump using his position to threaten the first amendment.
He simply doesn't understand our Constitution or our country for that matter.
Agreed. He's ignorant, and content to remain so.
I believe trump looks as this as a job. One where he's the boss.
and not much more.
Furthermore I don think trump is honored to have the job, more like we should be damn grateful he's doing it.
All sad and troubling to me.
I think you have highlighted a big part of the problem with Trump's view of the Presidency. He think's we work for him and not the other way around.
He's just being trump. It's all he can be. I dont see it ever changing.
True...but that's an incredibly low bar.
Depending on what, whose or which dictatorial standards I guess.
I agree bigly.
In his book, Time to get Tough, Trump said, "The same assets that excite me in the chase, often, once they are acquired, leave me bored. For me, you see, the important thing is the getting, not the having.
He's his own imbecilic Captain Obvious.
He’s a Dick
and can’t go to prison soon enough
and hopefully he rots and dies there
pretty much the whole family deserves to Rot
With Barron being the exception
Either way.. LOL
Tiffany's ok too, stays away from her nutty family.
Too low bar to ever be Potus!
That's exactly it and this should send shivers down everyone's spines
In this instance Trump is right. He should sue the ''National Enquirer'' and his buddy Pecker for throwing him under the bus.
Interesting.....a dick fucked by a pecker.
News headline:
"Trump Fears Leaking Pecker."
Stop! You're killin' me!
LOL That's one headline I'll avoid the video for.
SNL is a sad little relic of a show that used to be entertaining for entertaining for everyone.
many conservatives never did like that show.
It's always been "edgy"
Now it just writes itself.
Art imitating life. trump's
I'm kindas surprised trump hasn't tried to turn this to his advantage somehow.
He'd do a good spoof on himself. Ratings would go up and all would be happy.
AS SLN Would say... "Na gonna happen !" ....lol
SNL used to have a much fairer and even humor where both sides were equally lampooned. Lots of Republicans enjoyed Bush 41 being impersonated by Dana Carvey, including Bush himself. Now the show not only outright insults Trump but also any of his supporters. The show is being fueled solely by TDS and its sufferers who look for constant reenforcement of their delusions.
You are missing the obvious.
Previously those being spoofed could laugh along because the spoof was so far beyond reality.
The reason why it seems so hateful is because it's basically the truth and really can't be called a spoof or comedy.
So, in closing, the questions isn't why has SNL become so left leaning. The question is why has the right become so fucked up.
Trump is a virtual gold mine of material for SNL, (and every late night talk show host), not their fault trump is a buffoon. Maybe trump should act like an adult and he wouldn't be such an easy target.
SNL has a bit of political humor. As all three branches of government are currently run by the gop, what do you expect? For them to ignore the party that has complete control?
When trump and his supporters stop outright insulting others, maybe the same will be returned. It amazes me the blinders some people put on in support of the nastiest most vile president we have ever had.
George W. Bush, despite his many policy failures and Bushisms, looks like Plato compared to the mango Mussolini. Dan Quayle was a idiot but even he was preferred to the Trumpster fire administration.
I don't recall Trump calling his opponents supporters "deplorables" or promising to fire coal miners. Nor he did call others "bitter clingers" or said law enforcement "behaved stupidly". I do recall Trump promising jobs, fair trade and secure borders. If you want to consider that insulting then go ahead.
"George W. Bush, despite his many policy failures and Bushisms, looks like Plato compared to the mango Mussolini. Dan Quayle was a idiot but even he was preferred to the Trumpster fire administration."
I seem to recall the left calling Bush incompetent, an election stealer and a war criminal. I wouldn't be surprised in ten or twenty years the left will look back on Trump with favor compared to whoever is GOP president at the time. The left is known for its hysterics.
The Trump presidency is all about Trump. He's created it that way. It's the way he likes it. The Donald Trump Show. The satire will also be all about Trump. When you're the star of the show you get all the cameras.
Apparently, you weren't paying attention because I argued that he was a war criminal because of the 2003 Iraq invasion. Bush v. Gore and the debacle in Ohio in 2004 strongly suggests that he was not legitimately elected.
Who will the GOP nominate that could possibly be worse than Donald Trump?
Probably true for either party, but Presidents usually stay far, far above the fray.
Not Trump, here are his top 550 insults to people places and things, regardless of party affiliation, JUST FROM Twitter.
Trumps tools, Insults, grandiose promises, intimidation and threats,
Once he became president he added the victim card.
Trump seems to watch it quite a bit.
True ...
Shit, he watches it more than I do, I haven't watched since high school.
Whaaaaaaa! Don't like, don't watch!
Poor wittle orange conman traitor in chief needs a depends change, a blankie, a bottle and a safe space from big ole bad SNL
In a way, it's kind of pointless doing a parody of Trump. Like Sarah Palin, Trump makes a joke of himself constantly. No parody required.
Funny that most on the left don't feel that way about Cortez, Isn't it?
Regardless of how Biased they are he can'tdo anything about it unless laws are broken. Sad how many cheer it though, it is getting to the point where there is no conservative news sources on MSM anymore. There is a name for when you are constanty being presented only one side of a story combined with biased opinions. It'called brainwashing and you can tell it's working when the sheeple that let it happen to them get irate when you point it out.
Do you watch SNL for unbiased news?
Oh yeah, every news outlet across the globe except Fox is complicit, dontcha know./s
When in the fuck was SNL EVER news?
Geez, Thrawn! Weekend Update!
Get with it, Man!
And people seriously defend this guy. He is an absolute, demostrable retard and yet he has millions of defenders. It blows my mind, it truly does. Many of these same people said Obama wasn't qualified, yet defend to the end a guy who doesn't even have the most basic understanding of the First Amendment.