MSNBC Host Blasts Media for Ignoring Harris Speech While Covering Trump Presser

MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell criticized the media, including his own network, for airing former President Trump's press conference in full but not broadcasting Vice President Harris' campaign speech.

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell has vehemently criticized the American media for failing to learn from its past mistakes, particularly in its coverage of Trump-related events. He specifically condemned the media's decision to broadcast former President Trump's press conference on Thursday in its entirety while ignoring Vice President Harris' campaign speech.

"It's 2016 all over again," O'Donnell lamented on "The Last Word" Thursday night. "The same mistakes are being made. I have never seen an industry slower at learning from its own stupid mistakes than the American news business. And you cannot expect them, in the next 89 days, to figure out what they have not been able to figure out in nine years: how to cover a Trump-for-president campaign."

MSNBC Host Blasts Media for Ignoring Harris Speech While Covering Trump Presser

O'Donnell emphasized that Trump's press conference was rife with easily disprovable falsehoods and intentional misrepresentations. In contrast, he accused the media of neglecting Kamala Harris' speech, despite her high-profile status as the Vice President and Democratic nominee. "None of the networks, none of them, carried Kamala Harris’ speech live after the Trump appearance," he said.

MSNBC itself was not spared from O'Donnell's criticism. He pointed out that MSNBC had only aired the last few minutes of Harris' speech live while focusing on Olympics coverage during the beginning. However, he announced that the network would "correct that mistake" by broadcasting the entire speech.

MSNBC Host Blasts Media for Ignoring Harris Speech While Covering Trump Presser

O'Donnell attributed the media's skewed coverage to a misconception that candidates' responses to reporters' questions are paramount. However, he argued that "words spoken after their question marks are not necessarily answers and are never answers when they come from Donald Trump."

He further criticized Harris for avoiding formal press conferences and interviews, echoing Trump's assertion that she has shied away from media scrutiny. However, O'Donnell stressed that the media should not allow Trump's tactics to dictate their coverage.

MSNBC Host Blasts Media for Ignoring Harris Speech While Covering Trump Presser

"Reporters understandably and incorrectly believe that the most important thing a candidate can do is answer their questions," he said. "But they don’t know what an answer actually is."

In conclusion, O'Donnell's scathing critique highlights the ongoing challenge the media faces in covering Trump and the unique dynamics surrounding his campaign. He urges the industry to learn from past mistakes and avoid giving disproportionate attention to Trump's falsehoods while neglecting the perspectives of other candidates like Kamala Harris.