CNN continues its fixation on January 6th, 2021, even as the country nears the end of 2024, with a reporter trying to bait activist Scott Presler during an interview about his calls for peaceful action.
Presler, known for his work in voter registration, was asked whether his use of the word “peacefully” was meant to avoid a repeat of the January 6th Capitol riot. His response effectively shut down the line of questioning and highlighted the ongoing media bias.
The exchange occurred when the reporter asked Presler, “I noticed that when you urge people to action, you often include the word ‘peacefully.’ Is that to avoid another January 6th type incident?”
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Presler responded calmly, “With all due respect, it’s to avoid people like you guys saying that I’m anything but. My motto is to just be super cute, have my data and facts, treat everyone with love and respect, and as you can see, an army of people will follow.”
The reporter’s question was an attempt to push Presler into commenting on the January 6th incident, which has remained a topic of intense focus for some media outlets since the Capitol riot.
However, Presler’s response made it clear that his call for peaceful action was simply a matter of responsibility and clarity, given the media’s tendency to misrepresent figures with right-leaning political views.
The reporter’s bias was evident even before she asked the question.
The chyron on screen referred to Presler as a “controversial activist,” a label that many would question, especially considering his work with voter registration.
NEW: @ScottPresler masterfully shuts down CNN reporter’s attempt to paint Trump supporters as violent.
ELLE REEVE: “I noticed that when you urge people to action, you often include the word ‘peacefully.’ Is that to avoid another Jan 6 type incident?”
SCOTT PRESLER: “With all… pic.twitter.com/ljFnjfUVLF
— The Vigilant Fox (@VigilantFox) November 26, 2024
Presler’s efforts, particularly his outreach to groups like the Amish community, played a crucial role in helping Donald Trump secure Pennsylvania during the 2020 election.
This, of course, was something CNN may find controversial, but it’s worth noting that no such labels were applied to Stacey Abrams, despite her own controversies related to disinformation on voting machines and her refusal to concede the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial election.
If CNN were consistent, they would label any activist who encourages participation in the democratic process as “controversial” — but of course, that only seems to apply to those who align with conservative or Republican values.
It’s clear that media bias remains rampant when it comes to coverage of right-wing activists and the press’s treatment of them.
Presler’s use of the word “peacefully” in his calls for action wasn’t an attempt to deflect accusations of inciting violence; rather, it was a way of proactively addressing the media’s tendency to misinterpret his intentions.
If he had chosen not to use the term, the media would have likely accused him of promoting violence through “stochastic terrorism,” as they have done with many conservative figures.
His decision to include the term “peacefully” was simply a matter of protecting his reputation and ensuring that his message was not misconstrued.
This exchange underscores a larger issue: the media’s obsession with January 6th and its continued efforts to use the incident to discredit conservatives, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that such accusations are unfounded.
Despite years of coverage suggesting that Donald Trump’s actions on January 6th were part of a larger plan to overthrow the government, the public has largely moved on.
In fact, the 2024 election results serve as a testament to the public’s indifference to the ongoing January 6th narrative.
Trump’s victory shows that most Americans do not view the Capitol riot as a pivotal event that should dominate the political discourse.
Credit goes to Scott Presler for handling the question with grace and turning it around on the reporter.
Instead of falling into the trap of defending against baseless accusations, Presler rightly pointed out that his use of the word “peacefully” was a response to the media’s own biases, ensuring that he would not be misrepresented by outlets like CNN.
Ultimately, this interaction highlights the ongoing bias in the media and the need for more voices like Presler’s — those who are willing to stand up for truth and make it clear that the narrative pushed by the mainstream media does not reflect the reality of everyday Americans.
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