NBC Gets Humiliated By Botched Fact-Check of Dem City Crime #Political
The problem? Correspondent Tom Costello never directly addressed the President’s point: the topmost dangerous cities were run by Democrats. Instead, he simply argued that crime was on the rise across the country, including in Republican-led cities.
In leading into the segment, fill-in anchor and White House correspondent, Peter Alexander told viewers they were fact-checking the President for their benefit. “For weeks, the President has said violence is out of control in cities run by Democrats. But we wanted to make sure you have the facts. Is there a difference in the crime rate in cities run by Democrats versus those led by Republicans,” he rhetorically asked, teeing up Costello.
After playing three soundbites of Trump making the claim, Costello dropped his so-called “reality check” on the President:
The reality check, homicide rates are up in many cities run by both Democrats and Republicans. Up 13 percent in Republican-led Miami. Up 34 percent in Democrat-led New York. Up 29 percent in Republican-run Tulsa through June. Up 31 percent in Democrat-led Phoenix through July. And Republican-led Ft. Worth, police report a 50 percent increase in homicides just this year.
But figuring out if crime was on the rise was not what you and the network said you had set out to do, Tom. You made it very explicit that you would be fact-checking these claims: “The top ten most dangerous cities in America are run by Democrats. [Transition] The 20 most dangerous are Democrat-run. [Transition] Worse than Honduras, worse than Afghanistan.”
Keeping with the theme that violent crime was going up generally, Costello spoke to former CIA official Jeff Asher, who confirmed his altered argument.
“We're seeing about a 25 percent increase in all cities, the 14 cities that are run by Republicans, very similar change on average of the cities that are run by Democrats,” Asher said.
But what about disproving the idea that Democratic cities were the most dangerous?
Continuing to ignore his own premise for the report, Costello admitted that “Roughly 70 percent of America's 100 biggest cities are led by Democrats. The rest by Republicans or others.” But he conveniently omitted any sort of ranking in terms of violence.
Fortunately, other publications have already compiled such lists!
Upon examination of a USA Today report from this time last year documenting the “25 of the most dangerous cities in America,” ALL of the cities listed are run by Democrats. Forbes also compiled a list of “the 10 most dangerous U.S. cities.” There’s a lot of overlap with the USA Today piece, and guess what? They all have Democrats at the helm.
This flop of a fact-check was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Liberty Mutual and Ford Motor Company. Their contact information is linked so you can let them know about what they’re funding.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
September 1, 2020
7:06:08 p.m. EasternPETER ALEXANDER: For weeks, the President has said violence is out of control in cities run by Democrats. But we wanted to make sure you have the facts. Is there a difference in the crime rate in cities run by Democrats versus those led by Republicans? Tom Costello now with the late nest our series, America's cities, ‘Fact Versus Fiction.’
[Cuts to video]
CROWD: No justice, no peace.
TOM COSTELLO: Amid national protests over racial inequality and policing, President Trump has often repeated the same claim.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: The top ten most dangerous cities in America are run by Democrats. [Transition] The 20 most dangerous are Democrat-run. [Transition] Worse than Honduras, worse than Afghanistan.
COSTELLO: The reality check, homicide rates are up in many cities run by both Democrats and Republicans. Up 13 percent in Republican-led Miami. Up 34 percent in Democrat-led New York. Up 29 percent in Republican-run Tulsa through June. Up 31 percent in Democrat-led Phoenix through July. And Republican-led Ft. Worth, police report a 50 percent increase in homicides just this year.
ROBERT ALLDREDGE (Ft. Worth police chief): We got challenges just as well as other large and small metropolitan areas. We're doing the best that we can with resources that we have.
COSTELLO: In Democrat led Oakland, a 26 percent increase.
SUSAN MANHEIMER (Oakland police interim chief): Cities across this country, major city chiefs are saying the exact same thing, the amount of guns, the amount of gun crime, the significant increases.
COSTELLO: Crime experts say the pandemic and economic fallout are big factors in driving the murder rate higher. Roughly 70 percent of America's 100 biggest cities are led by Democrats. The rest by Republicans or others.
Former CIA officer Jeff Asher now analyzes crime data.
The President claims this is pretty much only a problem in Democratic cities. Is that accurate?
JEFF ASHER: Well, the data that we have right now says that's not accurate. We're seeing about a 25 percent increase in all cities, the 14 cities that are run by Republicans, very similar change on average of the cities that are run by Democrats.
COSTELLO: Very few murders have been connected to the protests over racial inequality. Police report outside agitators from both the left and the right [flash image of Kyle Rittenhouse] have often turned those protests violent.
Over the weekend, the President tweeted that D.C. Mayor Muriel bowser, “clean up D.C. or the federal government will do it for you.”
MURIEL BOWSER (mayor of D.C.): When a president attacks American cities, he's attacking America. And the job of the president is to unite us, not to divide us.
[Cuts back to live]
COSTELLO: Some cities have actually seen a decrease in homicides this year, including Democrat-run Baltimore and Republican-led Jacksonville. Peter?
ALEXANDER: Tom Costello with the facts tonight. Tom, thank you.
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