NBC News Casts Donald Trump Rally in ‘Nazi’ Light

Here is the actual NBC News headline on Benjy Sarlin’s report from Donald Trump’s rally in Las Vegas on Monday evening: “Trump Audience Member Yells Nazi Salute as Protester Removed From Las Vegas Rally.”

The article describes an altercation that erupted as a Black Lives Matter protester tried to interrupt the speech–ironically, as a black man, Jamiel Shaw Sr., was onstage with Trump talking about the murder of his son by an illegal alien.

Sarlin–whose report omits anything substantive Trump said at the rally–adds: “A large middle aged man shouted, “Sieg heil!” — a Nazi Germany-era salute — as the protester was taken away.”

Sarin is clearly implying that the man, and the crowd, shared Nazi sympathies. He took to Twitter to describe how frightened he was by the event:

The notion that “Sieg heil” might have been shouted ironically–as leftist protestors occasionally do at police–seems  not to have occurred to Sarlin, who perhaps should not leave his “safe space.”

Thanks to his NBC report, Trump’s event is being described by critics as a Nazi rally.

The truth, as I reported (and live-Tweeted), was that the atmosphere was “rowdy,” but enthusiastic. The heckler was standing on the far left side of an audience with some 2,000 people. The crowd was diverse; Breitbart News spoke to several African-American supporters. No racists or “Nazis” were in evidence.

Sarlin’s coverage goes beyond mere bias or even advocacy journalism. It is fabulist propaganda. NBC, like the Los Angeles Times and other mainstream media outlets, is out to frighten the public about what a Trump candidacy means.

There is much that Trump says that is controversial, perhaps even condemnable. But that is evidently not enough for Sarlin and his ilk. And by obsessing over hecklers, the media simply ensure there will be more of them.