Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus argued Monday that the media was “obsessed” with violence at GOP presidential frontunner Donald Trump’s campaign rallies and added “fuel to the fire” by covering those incidents on a “24/7 loop.”
Priebus told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota that the Republican Party isn’t one that “believes in violence” and noted that Trump has been talking about the violence at his rallies more.
“But I also think, Alisyn, if we’re being fair here and nothing against you or anyone,” he said, “but you know when cable shows are on a constant loop, a couple knuckleheads pushing each other on a 24/7 loop, you know, I mean you create an environment, I think, that just adds fuel to the fire.”
The latest scuffle at a Trump event came Saturday, when video of a rally in Tucson, Arizona showed a protester being punched as he was escorted out of the event. Tony Pettway, who is an airman at nearby Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, later was arrested on suspicion of assaulting the protester.
Priebus argued that media covered the rallies on a “loop” and said he questioned giving the rallies “three hours in prime time” each day.
“I get it. It’s news. I’m not questioning it’s news. I’m not,” Preibus said. “But it’s the obsession that I think that also adds to the problem. Granted, both sides have to disavow violence. I’m not saying that. But I do think that the media is obsessed to the point of it being very noticeable and almost bizarre.”
