“PBS NewsHour” correspondent Yamiche Alcindor was heavily criticized late Wednesday over a tweet describing GOP House candidate Madison Cawthorn standing at the conclusion of his Republican National Convention speech as a “direct rebuke” to those protesting their perceptions of social injustice.
Cawthorn, who was partially paralyzed in a 2014 car accident and uses a wheelchair, closed his speech by urging Americans not to “cower to a mob,” and to “kneel before God but stand for our flag,” FOX reported.
“Be a radical for liberty and be a radical for our republic for which I stand, one nation under God, with liberty and justice for all,” Cawthorn said as he rose from his wheelchair and stood behind a walker.
Alcindor, who is also a contributor to NBC News and MSNBC, responded by tweeting: “Madison Cawthorn made it a point to stand, suggesting that all Americans to should stand during the pledge of allegiance & national anthem. It was a direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality.”
Madison Cawthorn made it a point to stand, suggesting that all Americans to should stand during the pledge of allegiance & national anthem.
It was a direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) August 27, 2020
“If you thought, ‘certainly nobody could attack this man in a wheelchair for standing up at the end of his speech,’ you haven’t met our completely insane White House press corps, currently viciously attacking a paralyzed man for not sharing their far-left political views,” The Federalist senior editor and Fox News contributor Mollie Hemingway tweeted.
If you thought, "certainly nobody could attack this man in a wheelchair for standing up at the end of his speech," you haven't met our completely insane White House press corps, currently viciously attacking a paralyzed man for not sharing their far-left political views. https://t.co/aDNqFg68hj
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) August 27, 2020
“How on earth could you possibly turn the rather moving act of a FREAKIN’ PARAPLEGIC rising for the national anthem into some weird BLM trip?” attorney and National Review contributor Jeff Blehar tweeted. “When someone holds the door open for you, is that a rebuke of BLM too? My patience for takes like this has reached its limit.”
How on earth could you possibly turn the rather moving act of a FREAKIN' PARAPLEGIC rising for the national anthem into some weird BLM trip? When someone holds the door open for you, is that a rebuke of BLM too?
My patience for takes like this has reached its limit. https://t.co/p7EZPmzoj8
— Jeff B., now with 50% more annoyingness (@EsotericCD) August 27, 2020
“The activist below found a way to turn a paraplegic standing up in his wheelchair an act of white supremacy,” Daily Caller reporter Chuck Ross tweeted.
The activist below found a way to turn a paraplegic standing up in his wheelchair an act of white supremacy https://t.co/UQ8VvmvE7m
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) August 27, 2020
“Nowhere did Cawthorn state his standing was a “direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality. And Yamiche Alcindor is not a journalist,” conservative commentator Stephen Miller said.
Nowhere did Cawthorn state his standing was a “direct rebuke of actions by ppl — including black athletes who are currently sitting out games — protesting police brutality.
And Yamiche Alcindor is not a journalist. https://t.co/IybeznJdZ0
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 27, 2020
Alcindor has frequently exchanged barbs with President Trump during Q&A at White House press conferences.
WATCH CAWTHORN’S SPEECH
Alcindor’s tweet comes a day after Bette Midler appropriately received backlash for making fun of Melanie Trump’s accent during her speech at the Republican National Convention.
“Oh, God. She still, can’t speak English,” Midler tweeted, referring to Trump, who immigrated to the U.S. from Slovenia.
Oh, God. She still can’t speak English.
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) August 26, 2020
Trump is the second first lady in history born outside of the U.S. and the only first lady to become a naturalized U.S. citizen, according to whitehouse.gov. The first lady can speak six languages, according to CNN, including Slovenian (her native language), French, Serbian, German, Italian and English.
How many languages can the intolerant Midler speak? At least two that we know of, English and Hate.
Midler doubled down in another tweet: “#beBest is back! A UGE bore! She can speak several words in a few languages. Get that illegal alien off the stage!”
#beBest is back! A UGE bore! She can speak several words in a few languages. Get that illegal alien off the stage!
— bettemidler (@BetteMidler) August 26, 2020
