The extent to which Trump has taken a tragic, unfolding, complex, far-away story and made it about Trump is impressive and startling
— Sam Stein (@samstein) March 22, 2016
We hear all the time that the media is giving free airtime to Donald Trump, but is that really the case? Or is he the only candidate that takes advantage of free airtime that’s available to all the candidates?
Today is a perfect example. While Ted Cruz and John Kasich responded to the awful terror attack in Brussels with press releases, Trump went on air:
"We can't have these attacks anymore…It's time to be smart." – @realDonaldTrump reacts to #Brussels terror attackshttps://t.co/WKDL7FmTkd
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 22, 2016
And going on air generated more media coverage:
Trump: We can't allow these people to come into our country. https://t.co/AU4wIxlQ6w @CNNPolitics #Brussels
— Eugene Scott (@Eugene_Scott) March 22, 2016
"We have to close our borders, make them so strong." – Trump on Fox B. "We're taking people into our country we know nothing about it."
— Celeste Katz Marston (@CelesteKatzNYC) March 22, 2016
Trump responds to #Brussels terror attack with warning for US: https://t.co/VTkZaitfgo pic.twitter.com/Nng8MrqGXG
— The Hill (@thehill) March 22, 2016
Of course, the usual suspects aren’t OK with this:
For the love of God, we don't even know how many people are dead: the story is NOT Donald Trump.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 22, 2016
Fox and Friends is doing a real probing interview of Trump on Brussels. And I mean that in no way.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 22, 2016
While MSNBC and CNN aired French President Hollande's comments on Belgium, Fox News went with Trump by phone pic.twitter.com/C2AHUxCm6r
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) March 22, 2016
And it looks like Hillary Clinton is now copying Trump:
We'll hear from @HillaryClinton coming up on @CBSThisMorning #BrusselsAttacks
— Norah O'Donnell?? (@NorahODonnell) March 22, 2016
Hillary Clinton calls into @TODAYshow: It's unrealistic to say that we're going to shut down our borders.
— Mark Murray (@mmurraypolitics) March 22, 2016
Meanwhile, this is what we get from Cruz and Kasich:
.@tedcruz responds to #Brussels attacks: pic.twitter.com/ADKxS3PzI2
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) March 22, 2016
John Kasich has just released a statement on the #Brussels terror attacks pic.twitter.com/NRrrSczJDI
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) March 22, 2016
A missed opportunity for Cruz and Kasich, right?
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