Re: Trump ramps up rhetoric on undocumented immigrants: 'These aren't people. These are animals.'
Actually, I just found an actual transcript to read rather than the video. While his wording was terrible (typically Trump), you are right, he was replying to a comment by the sheriff and thus was talking about MS-13 gang members.
First, props to you for actually going and finding a transcript.
Second, the sad reality is that most people won't bother to actually do that, and the "controversy breeds readership" mentality of the media is going to continually create stories like this. Despite the most fervent zealot-like Anti-Trumpers loving to suggest that ANYONE who doesn't immediately grab a pitch fork and torch at the first sniff of something problematic, this is precisely why I tend to not go hog wild each time a story like this comes out.
People who don't like nuance when it doesn't help them...people who want to just declare all conservatives/republicans as nazi's or racists...people who's singular desire is to attack and destroy Trump...they will suggest anyone who dares to actually look at things objectively are just "excusing" Trump. In reality, there are some who don't like Trump and aren't a fan, but simply do not subscribe to the "ends justifies the means" mentality of the most fervent anti-Trumpers where EVERYTHING is treated as the worst case scenario possible and any additional digging isn't needed.
For 8 years, one of the common refrains I'd say to those on the right (which would often get me called a RINO) was that when you over react to something, when you engage in hyperbole, when you attack an exaggeration as opposed to reality, you actually weaken yours stance. What's more, you make those people who may agree with you on the broader issue actually argue against you on the specifics, because your exaggeration actually HURTS the ability to attack and criticize the LEGITIMATE issues.
You're absolutely right. The wording was terrible. It's yet another example of Trump having either a poor grasp, or an utter lack of care, for presentation and how things will be spun and presented. It's another instance of him needlessly going "off script" of sorts and being hyperbolic himself in order to make a point, rather poorly. There are undoubtedly ACTUAL things he said about immigration in his speech that I'm sure his detractors would have
legitimate issues in. But instead of focusing on and debating those, or dealing with any of that, we're instead having an uproar over a misconstrued comment he made. And that uproar will go the same way it always goes.....a day or so of people getting horribly upset about the misrepresented statement. Then, once the story has largely passed for the general public, it will be admitted with a handwave what he was actually saying but then transition into "But it's still bad because the IMPLICATION of it...!" for the next few days after. Essentially "Yeah, he didn't say what we said he did....but he actually clearly MEANT it that way because he's bad".
It just gets absolutely tiring, especially because so few will actually do what you did here and take the initiative to look at things yourself and then actually admit your error without equivocation.
