The Media’s Inauguration Meltdown

Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is difficult to manage – but it’s so easy to observe. Here’s just four examples from the very first hours of the Trump presidency.

I think we all knew that the media would really struggle on the 20^th January 2025 to remain impartial and report the facts around the Inauguration of the President.

Trump derangement Syndrome is difficult to manage – but it’s so easy to diagnose.

Here’s just four examples from the first 12 hours of the Trump presidency.

In order of stupid to stupider to downright idiotic.

Number 1

Within 5 minutes of the inauguration starting and Trump entering the venue….

From the BBC, they posted on X

Awkward air kiss as Trump enters Capitol to applause

From SkyNews

Awkward moment as Donald Trump fails to kiss Melania moments before inauguration oath

Donald Trump awkwardly failed to kiss his wife Melania on the cheek moments before he was sworn in as president for the second time. The incoming president, 78, fell inches short of his wife's face - with the pair air kissing instead. Mrs Trump, 54, wore a wide-brimmed hat for the inauguration ceremony in Washington DC on Monday - which prevented her husband from reaching her cheek - and largely blocked her face from view.

Have a watch

As someone (one of many people who called out the BBC for stupidity in making an article out of this

Awkward to whom? He’s not messing up her makeup or knocking her hat. Smart husband.

And another

Once renowned BBC news commenting on the first Lady's hat getting in the way of a kiss. And you wonder why people hate "journalists" now? When you're all out of a job, look back at this post and realise it was full deserved.

And

No known human does air kisses, ever. You guys can't go 24 hrs without attacking 47 can you?

And

I can remember when you were a world respected News channel…

But this is now breaking news.

Number 2

In case you didn’t read about this, the inauguration is usually held outdoors – but due to an expected polar blast which was to make outdoors freezing (they’re in the middle of winter), they moved the event indoors.

So a lot of the crowd went to the Capital One Arena which is a 20,000-seat multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue.

But here’s what the Telegraph in the UK wrote

Donald Trump's inauguration crowd size compared

Supporters had to brave -4C temperatures to catch a glimpse of the new President when he gave a speech following the indoor ceremony

Somebody fixed it

And you just have to read the comments on their social media pages – and wonder to yourself “why didn’t they take the tone deaf post down?”

But that’s the effect of Trump Derangement Syndrome. It can be so subtle – and so debilitating that it reduces once-credible media to utter jokes.

Number 3

This one really wound me up

Here’s what the NZ Herald printed

Watch: Carrie Underwood’s awkward performance gaffe at inauguration

Country music star Carrie Underwood sang America the Beautiful during US President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony - but her performance didn’t quite go according to plan. Underwood, who has faced some criticism for taking part in the ceremony, was forced to delay her performance due to “technical difficulties” with her backing music, reports People magazine.

Eventually, Underwood mouthed the words “I can just sing it”, and told the audience, “You know the words, help me out here”, before she started singing a capella.

Here she is realising she’s going to have to improvise

Have a listen to this beautiful acapella rendition (with the awkward pause at the beginning).

Beautiful – but the NZ herald says it’s an awkward performance gaffe.

Really? NO.

Interestingly, after I tweeted a blast at the NZ Herald saying

Sickening. The NZ Herald sinks once again to gutter reporting. “awkward performance gaffe” Watch the actual performance below as she calmly, coolly, and professionally overcomes a technical glitch that would have thrown many singers. Pure class - unlike the Herald’s coverage

The NZ Herald title changed to

Carrie Underwood performs without music amid technical difficulties

Sometimes counselling and treatment for Trump Derangement Syndrome can bring around a factual report.

Number 4

And finally – probably the most egregious one

Both 1news – our state broadcaster

And Stuff.

The hopelessly flawed rabid left wing Guardian who long ago left professional journalism said

Elon Musk appears to make back-to-back fascist salutes at inauguration rally

“Appears”. But the implication is clear. And deliberate. Fascist is such a great word to use on people you don’t like.

And the NZ Herald were shouting

Billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk has sparked outrage online after performing what looked like a Nazi salute during his speech to celebrate President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

In an enthusiastic response to Trump’s inauguration speech promise to send American astronauts to Mars, the Tesla, X and SpaceX owner pounded his chest and threw out his right arm in an angular motion toward the sky.

He also turned his back on the audience and repeated the gesture towards the back of the Capital One Arena stage, the Independent reported.

CNN anchors immediately picked up on the gesture.

CNN anchors who wouldn’t know a fact if it hit them in the head – and whose ratings have plummeted dramatically over recent years

But the media were all over it. When you get the chance to call anyone on the right “Nazi” or “Hitler”, the media don’t hold back.

Including the NZ media.

Now before I show you the 6pm bulletins of both 1News and Stuff on 3, I want to show you the full clip – in context. Something you will never get from the media.

Remember we did this during the lead up to the Election and the NZ media were exposed as complete frauds a number of times.

The NZ Media Were Defeated by the US Election

And let me preface it by saying – Musk is not your normal type of guy. No normal person has achieved what he has done – in terms of his space travel, technology, Tesla electric cars, opening up Twitter to free speech.

And you only have to watch him being interviewed to see that he’s… quirky.

In fact, last May, he admitted

During his guest appearance on “Saturday Night Live (SNL)” on May 8th, Elon Musk announced 26 seconds into his opening monologue that he has Asperger’s syndrome, which means he does have autism! Both Autism and Asperger's are neurodevelopmental disorders that affect an individual's social interaction, communication, and behavior. They are both part of the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and have some overlapping symptoms, but they are distinct conditions.

So as you watch this clip, note that he does a number of quirky things that many normal people don’t do.

Have a watch

Let’s watch 1News coverage – and note when they stop the coverage, and the reporter comes back in.

VIDEO

Yep – note that they show half of it – but not the emphasis on the heart, and not the statement.

They do eventually connect the heart message – but it’s an afterthought.

Let’s watch Three News. Slightly better because we do get some of the messaging around the heart – in context. But it’s just this 5-10 seconds of the whole 4 minute speech that makes the 6pm news – and not a sniff around any of the other many many speakers. To be fair, they do show that Musk is slightly eccentric. Have a watch…

VIDEO

Let’s assume it was a nazi salute.

Where have we seen that before.

I’m glad you asked

We have Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – a far left wing politician in the US who is the US version of our very own Chloe Swarbrick. Here she is doing a nazi salute. I can barely breathe

Here’s some others

And even Tim Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate did it!!!! I know – shocking

And here’s Kamala trumpeting killing unborn children – also doing a nazi salute

VIDEO

Musk responded

Frankly, they need better dirty tricks. The “everyone is Hitler” attack is sooo tired

And he links back to an earlier post that says he used to vote Democrats because they were “kind” – where have we heard that word before – but they’re now the party of division and hate. Here come the dirty tricks campaign against him.

Yep – Trump was Hitler, look at the absolute proof. Undeniable eh

Until Obama sat next to Trump at a funeral of Jimmy Carter and told jokes to each other. Shocking. And Biden hosted Trump at the White House during the transition phase.

Yes - Hitler was in the White House a month ago.

Once again, the media has covered itself not in glory – but mud.

As we discussed yesterday, rather than attempting to lift their levels of trust by reporting the facts without bias and without click-baiting with misleading headlines, false statements, and inuendo – the legacy media just continue to build their own grave.

But now even the experienced seasoned journalists are starting to call it out.

We can all see it though, can’t it.

It’s very sad to watch.

That’s me for another episode. Thank you for watching McBlog. I really appreciate you.

From my heart to you…..

Whoops.