CNN trolls Trump by reporting on the state fair at empty National Mall

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/kaitlan-collins-trump-america-250-cnn-report-b3008418.html

The president has claimed the fair is “packed with happy people” but footage from the National Mall tells a different story

CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins trolled President Donald Trump’s Great American State Fair by showing just how few people showed up to the week-long event.

Standing on the National Mall Thursday among a sparse crowd, Collins said “for a president who often fixates on crowd size, so far the fair on Washington’s National Mall hasn’t exactly lived up to the hype.”

The fair was intended to showcase goods and culture across America’s 50 states. However, when Trump has been accused of ‘hijacking’ events around America’s 250th birthday to make them about himself. The fair was opened with sparse booths and limited attractions. This, combined with D.C.’s ongoing heatwave, has resulted in minimal crowds attending and a lot of mockery on social media.

567 points · 62 comments · view on lemmy.world

62 Comments

lemmylump@lemmy.world · 175 pts · 45d (4 replies)

Reality is not trolling.

SatansMaggotyCumFart@piefed.world · 44 pts · 45d (2 replies)

Reality often has a troll like bias.

agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 45d (1 reply)

Eris you feisty little minx.

Bo7a@piefed.ca · 3 pts · 44d

All hail Eris. All hail discordia.

fnord

merc@sh.itjust.works · 32 pts · 45d

The sites that do things like claim that CNN is "trolling Trump" are doing it to get clicks from left-leaning people. But, the effect is to hurt the interests of left-leaning people.

CNN is factually reporting on the "state fair" thing in an unbiased way, but reporting it truthfully makes Trump look bad.

Calling it trolling makes it seem like it's what Jordan Klepper does on The Daily Show. It makes it seem partisan and biased.

But hey, these news sites are out to make a buck, and people post their stuff to social media sites like this one which generates clicks and revenue. So, mission accomplished.

switcheroo@lemmy.world · 66 pts · 45d (2 replies)

Dump is going to froth his diapers in rage and try to get her fired for this

Thebeardedsinglemalt@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 45d (1 reply)

Didn't Ellison recently acquire CNN? If so she'll very likely get fired and blackballed by all the right-wing propaganda outlets

Zidane@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 45d

Sounds like a plus to me

Burninator05@lemmy.world · 63 pts · 45d (5 replies)

Is it really trolling to make factual statements?

muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works · 25 pts · 45d

At this point yes

modus@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 45d (1 reply)

Journalism == trolling. Nobody told you?

nullspace@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 45d

Journalism is trolling and facts are liberal spin.

bss03@infosec.pub · 4 pts · 44d

You can troll with facts, yes. Trolling is more about intent and tone than accuracy or objectivity.

Reality has long had a liberal bias.

prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 44d

The state of modern journalism is extremely depressing.

ignirtoq@feddit.online · 51 pts · 45d (5 replies)

Following his speech, the president is planning on setting off fireworks for 40 minutes in an attempt to break the world record for fireworks. Firework manufacturers have said this will cost many millions of dollars, but the White House is yet to disclose exactly how much they are spending and how they obtained the funds.

Those USAID funds, and funding for dozens of other programs, aren't going where they're legally supposed to anymore, so probably from there.

justaman123@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 45d (1 reply)

Nah they've already spent those funds, u said was cut months ago

BeMoreCareful@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 45d

He's spent these too probably. It'll just be a dozen interns shaking pill bottles full of pennies and shouting bang

marretics@discuss.tchncs.de · 6 pts · 45d (2 replies)

Is 40 minutes really considered a world record for fireworks? I remember being in Japan and they were going on for what felt like more than an hour at least

zalgotext@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 45d

Almost certainly not. The labor day fireworks they shoot off in Cincinnati every year last at least that long.

prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 44d

Yeah, no shot.

ruuster13@lemmy.zip · 38 pts · 45d

Reality isn't a troll. Reality only trolls a troll.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 36 pts · 45d

First comment on the article, “that’s not ‘trolling’ - that's reporting”

Damn straight.

Eddbopkins@lemmy.world · 24 pts · 45d (1 reply)

My bosses at work who are 60+ all remember how great the 200th was. Everyone voted trump and everyone is disappointed beyond belief at how bad this 250th is.

Zink@programming.dev · 2 pts · 44d

I grew up in the 80s and 90s and I remember hearing a lot of references to "The Bicentennial."

HubertManne@piefed.social · 22 pts · 45d

reporting is trolling now???

PurpleHawkeye619@lemmy.world · 19 pts · 45d (2 replies)

Her reporting isn't trolling.

The Independent running the article after the faire was closed for heat today and therefore no one is there, is next level trolling and im here for it.

BenLeMan@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 45d (1 reply)

You're right, it's terrorism. Or will be declared as such soon enough, mark my words. The days of free speech in the U.S. are numbered.

anarchy79@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 44d

I think they're back to calling it communism now.

Eternal192@anarchist.nexus · 18 pts · 45d (6 replies)

It would be funny if it wasn't actually sad.

Some probably refused to come out of spite but many probably couldn't afford to come and at the moment can't afford to go anywhere.

Perky@fedia.io · 13 pts · 45d (5 replies)

A lot of people probably simply aren't interested in going to an outdoor event during a record-breaking heatwave.

OwOarchist@pawb.social · 11 pts · 45d (3 replies)

Especially not to see:

  • A bunch of mostly-empty booths for each state, which aren't even affiliated with the governments of those states, many of which (reportedly) feature only a stamp to collect to show you've been there, and nothing else

  • A cheap mockery of greco-roman architecture executed in the medium of plywood facades on top of white plastic tents

  • A succession of 4th-rate bands and performers nobody has heard of on a small stage

  • A ferris wheel that (reportedly) is out of order about 50% of the time

That would be disappointing and not really worthwhile even if the weather was beautiful for it, even if it wasn't strongly associated with a would-be fascist dictator and well-known pedophile.

Oh yeah, and to top it off, it's in the middle of DC, which is a pretty liberal city. Not exactly teeming with Trump's target audience.

grue@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 45d

It's disappointing and not worthwhile because the would-be fascist dictator and well-known pedophile decided to make it about him and drove away everyone competent to make it fun.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 45d

Incompetent fascism is embarrassing even to fascists.

NOPper@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 45d

And a stage that literally startwdbfalling apart during an act lol

aceshigh@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 45d

They’ve only had a heatwave recently. The fair was poorly attended before the heatwave.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 16 pts · 45d (2 replies)

There was an event down the road that had considerable people at it. So the heat excuse kinda falls flat.

JeeBaiChow@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 45d (1 reply)

Send deets. Peopoe might want to go.

Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 44d

It was on Reddit on another post with someone mentioning that there was an event a few blocks away from the fair that had a large number of people. Went back but I could no longer find it.

Formfiller@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 45d

Ain’t nobody want to go to a pedophile fair.

Fmstrat@lemmy.world · 15 pts · 44d
Duamerthrax@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 44d (1 reply)

Why did they decide on calling it a "State Fair" anyway? Wouldn't it have made more sense to call it The National Fair?

NerdInSuspenders@leminal.space · 15 pts · 44d

“State Fair” in a non-state as well. Not even a commonwealth.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 45d

And, another video of the speaker series shows former Bachelor contestant turned Evangelical preacher, Madi Prewitt Trout, speaking to a near-empty audience.

Geez you’d think that’d have been a doorbuster.

Treczoks@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 44d (1 reply)

Will there be more visitors than degrees Fahrenheit at Trumps speech today?

HrabiaVulpes@europe.pub · 5 pts · 44d

I don't even know fuhrerheit but I bet there will be more, if you count security and all the trash.

frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io · 8 pts · 45d (2 replies)

Are they asking the booths how much foot traffic they need to justify the state expenditure to be there? Because they are wasting taxpayer money to be bored and hot currently.

SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 45d

Are they asking the booths how much foot traffic they need to justify the state expenditure to be there? Because they are wasting taxpayer money to be bored and hot currently.

It would be a pittance compared to the billions Trump is stealing from taxpayers. At least the people paid to run the booths are regular people and not billionaires.

AA5B@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 45d

My state spent zero tax dollars on this campaign rally, but apparently we had a table. Someone from a Trump organization drove down there and manned a table in our name

BruisedMoose@piefed.social · 8 pts · 44d (1 reply)

Boy, I sure do love an article about a video without a link to the video. I hope that it's just my ad blocker not letting it be shown or something.

matlag@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 44d

That link can be found in another article for which I'm not providing any link.

You're welcome!!

Blooper@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 45d (1 reply)

I really wanted to watch the video but maybe because I'm on moving, that site is a shit show. The ads interrupt the video every few seconds.

Hux@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 45d

Ditto. It is a pretty effective advertising machine, but content delivery seems to be almost accidental.

ramenshaman@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 45d

I'm a simple man. I see Kaitlan Collins, I click.

bayleaf@piefed.ca · 6 pts · 45d (1 reply)
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LaunchesKayaks@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 45d

I hope she did.

some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org · 5 pts · 44d (1 reply)

Controversies surrounding the fair included a Confederate Flag hanging in the North Carolina booth

Great job, North Carolina. We appreciate you letting us know in no uncertain terms to avoid you when planning to travel. Too bad, cause it's a beautiful part of the country.

anarchy79@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 44d

What the fuck did they celebrate in that booth? Because the Union ain't it!

anarchy79@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 44d

Kaitlan is a national treasure.

buddascrayon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 44d

If you check out the AP live feed of the national Mall today on the actual 4th of July. It is still empty as all fuck. LoL 😂

https://www.youtube.com/live/-9P_2DNgyZI

nullspace@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 45d (3 replies)

Not to defend Trump, but it's hot as shit on the east coast. Philadelphia even canceled their 4th of July parade because of the heat.

I don't think people would have shown up regardless of which pedophile was in charge.

jaschen306@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 45d (1 reply)

I mean, he's the party that is continuing to dismantle green energy. So this is sorta like a self inflicted nut punch.

nullspace@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 45d

The best kind of nut punch.

NewNewAugustEast@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 44d

On the same day the government stopped offering incentives for alternatives to oil and coal.

They will be canceling more events in the future.