>> REPORTERS AT NPR ARE NOW
GETTING SPECIAL TRAINING ON HOW
TO DEAL WITH VIOLENT
INTERACTIONS AT TRUMP RALLIES.
BEAT OUR PHYSICAL TRAININGS,
WHERE THEY WOULD USE PHYSICAL
FORCE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
SHOULD ANYTHING GO WRONG AT ONE
OF THESE RALLIES --
>> 
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WAR,
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO THE MIDDLE
EAST TO COVER THE WAR, THEY
ARE SIMPLY COVERING THE
ELECTION AND COVERING
TRUMP RALLIES.
THAT IS HOW BAD IT HAS GOTTEN AT
SOME OF THESE RALLIES.
>>IT IS A BIT OF A WAR ZONE.
MICHELLE FIELDS WAS BRUISED UP,
THAT WAS A BREITBART -- AND THEY
WERE SO PRO-TRUMP THEY BASICALLY
ASKED MICHELLE FIELDS TO LEAVE
AFTER SHE COMPLAINED THAT SHE
GOT ASSAULTED BY HIS CAMPAIGN
MANAGER.
THEY WERE LIKE, SHUT UP
ALREADY.
AND A TIME MAGAZINE SUPPORTER
WAS BY SLAMMED, LET ALONE
ALL THE PROTESTERS WHO ARE
ASSAULTED.
>>AND THERE IS THE VIOLENT
RHETORIC THAT ENCOURAGES
PEOPLE TO ACT VIOLENTLY.
DONALD TRUMP HAS SAID THAT HE
WANTED TO PUNCH A PROTESTER
IN THE FACE.
THIS IS THE GUY WHO IS RUNNING
FOR PRESIDENT, TALKING
ABOUT HOW HE WANTS TO PUNCH
SOMEONE IN THE FACE.
>>NOT ONLY THAT, HE JOKED ABOUT
HOW HE PROBABLY WOULDN'T KILL
JOURNALISTS.
YOU HAVE BEEN
THERE, JORDAN.
>>I HAVE BEEN TO AT LEAST SIX OR
SEVEN OF HIS EVENTS.
BEYOND JUST
THE VIOLENCE THERE IS A
MEAN-SPIRITEDNESS AND ALMOST
LIKE A HYENA MENTALITY AMONG HIS
SUPPORTERS.
SO WHEN THERE IS A
PROTESTER SHOUTING, IF YOU DON'T
HAVE SOME REAL TOP-NOTCH
SECURITY, THEY ARE LUNGING AT
PROTESTERS EVEN WHEN THEY ARE
NOT STRIKING.
I WAS JUST IN
OHIO, THERE WAS ONLY ONE
PROTESTER KICKED OUT BECAUSE
THEY MOVED IT OUT OF CINCINNATI,
WHERE THEY KNEW THERE WOULD BE A
LOT OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE,
TO A MORE WHITE SUBURB.
AND THE
PROTESTER WHO GOT KICKED OUT, I
WAS RIGHT NEAR HIM AND PEOPLE
WERE LUNGING AT HIM AND THE
SECURITY GUARD BROKE IT UP.
WHEN
THEY ARE CHANTING USA, USA, I'M
NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST BUT I DON'T
SEE IT AS PATRIOTISM, I SEE IT
AS VITRIOL.
THEY ARE ANGRY.
THEY
ARE CHANTING IT BECAUSE TO THEM
SOMETHING HAS BEEN TAKEN.
I
PERSONALLY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED
FROM EVEN LEAVING THE MEDIA
SECTION.
A LITTLE BEHIND THE
SCENES -- AT TRUMP RALLIES WE
ARE ALL PUT IN THE BACK IN THE
MEDIA PAN, THEY CALL IT, LIKE A
SHEEP HERD.
AND MOST CAMPAIGNS
LET YOU OUT OF THE MEDIA SECTION
TO ACTUALLY REPORT, TALK TO
SUPPORTERS, THAT KIND OF THING.
THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAS BROUGHT
ME ANOTHER REPORTERS, I THINK WE
HAVE VIDEO OF IT --
>>YOU WON'T TELL ME WHY I CAN'T
WALK OUT?
>>Y'ALL CANNOT.
I DON'T WANT TO
BE RECORDED.
>>DO NOT RECORD ME.
>>HE IS NOT GOING TO
TELL US ANYTHING.
USUALLY AT OTHER EVENTS THERE IS
A SECTION THAT BLOCKS OFF
THE SUPPORTERS FROM THE MEDIA,
BUT YOU ARE ALLOWED TO
LEAVE THE MEDIA SECTION.
>> THAT IS INSANE.
SO YOU ARE
NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THE MEDIA
SECTION TO GO INTERACT WITH THE
TRUMP SUPPORTERS?
>>IT IS EVEN WORSE.
IN
BURLINGTON, VERMONT, TRUMP MADE
THE BALL THE DECISION TO GO INTO
BERNIE COUNTRY -- LITERALLY
BECAUSE I JUMPED OUT OF THE
MEDIA SECTION TO GET AN UP CLOSE
SHOT OF PROTESTERS GETTING
KICKED OUT, OUR PRODUCER ERIC
DID THE SAME THING, THEY
SHADOWED ERIC WITH A TRUMP
STAFFER TO MAKE SURE HE KEPT HIS
CAMERA ONLY ON TRUMP, SO HE
DIDN'T TILT TO SHOW THE
PROTESTERS GETTING KICKED OUT.
>> THEY PHYSICALLY WOULD TURN
HIS HAND IF HE TURNED IT?
BUT I
WASN'T STANDING NEXT TO HIM SO I
DON'T KNOW, BUT THEY STAYED NEXT
TO HIM AND I GUESS TO SEE IF HE
IS COMING OFF TRUMP.
>>WHEN YOU WERE TALKING TO THE
GUY WHO WOULDN'T LET YOU LEAVE
THE TRUMP -- THE PRESS PEN, DID
ANY OTHER REPORTERS, LIKE, DID
MARK HALPERIN EXPERIENCE THAT?
>>I WOULDN'T SAY MARK HALPERIN
AND OTHER REPORTERS THERE ARE
TOO INTERESTED IN LEAVING THE
PRESS PEN.
I PRIDE MYSELF IN
BEING MORE AGGRESSIVE, WANTING
TO ACTUALLY -- I DON'T WANT TO
SIT THERE AND TYPE ON TWITTER, I
WANT TO GET OUT AND TALK TO
PEOPLE.
WHEREAS THE HELPRINS OF THE
WORLD, THEY ARE CHUMMY WITH
TRUMP.
THEY ARE NOT BEING PUSHY.
>>SO THEY ARE NOT REPORTING ON
THE STUFF?
BECAUSE I SAW YOUR
REPORT ON THAT, IT WAS
UNBELIEVABLE WHEN I SAW IT. AND
I'M LIKE, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
DAVE WIGLE, HE PROBABLY HAS A
PIECE ABOUT THIS IN THE
WASHINGTON POST, ABOUT HOW THEY
WON'T LET HIM -- THEY DIDN'T DO
ANYTHING ON IT.
IT IS WEIRD, IT
IS ALMOST LIKE THEY ARE AFRAID
TO REPORT HOW HORRIBLE DONALD
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN IS.
>>IS INCREDIBLE, ALL THESE
RIGHT-WINGERS TALKING ABOUT THE
TYRANNY UNDER THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION AND HOW THEY ARE
SO CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND AT
THE SAME TIME YOU HAVE A
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO IS
VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION IN
EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE.
HE IS
VIOLATING THE FIRST AMENDMENT,
WHICH I WOULD ARGUE IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT.
HE'S NOT LETTING
JOURNALISTS TO THEIR JOBS, WHICH
IS, GO OUT AND SPEAK TO THE
PROTESTERS, SPEAK TO THE
SUPPORTERS, FIGURE OUT WHAT IT
IS.
HOW DOES HE HAVE THE RIGHT TO
TELL YOU OR ANY REPORTER
THAT THEY NEED TO STAY IN THEIR
LITTLE SECTION?
>>IT GOES FARTHER THAN THAT,
THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS THAT THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS BLACKLISTING
REPORTERS FROM POLITICO,
HUFFINGTON POST, OBVIOUSLY,
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN CRITICAL,
BUZZFEED, PEOPLE WHO WRITE A
CRITICAL POST THAT DAY, THEIR
CREDENTIALS GET YANKED.
THEN
THEY WAIT IN THE GENERAL
ADMISSION LINE TO GET IN LIKE A
NORMAL CITIZEN, A LOT OF THEM
HAVE TO WAIT FOR HOURS, AND
SOMETIMES THEY ARE YANKED OUT IF
IT IS SPOTTED THAT THEY ARE
WITH THE ORGANIZATION.
THIS IS NOT FREEDOM OF THE
PRESS.
>>BUT
THE PRESS IS REVOLTING EN MASSE
AGAINST STUFF LIKE THIS, RIGHT?
>> NO, BECAUSE HE IS --
>>CHUCK TODD WON'T LET HIM
CALL IN AT HIS CONVENIENCE
ANYMORE, SO THAT IS A BIG DEAL.
WHAT A PUSHBACK.
>>IT HAS TO DO WITH ACCESS, BUT
MORE IMPORTANTLY WITH HOW
DIFFICULT IT IS TO BE A
PRINCIPLED JOURNALIST.
YOU HAVE
TO PUT YOURSELF IN SITUATIONS
WHERE THERE WILL BE CONFLICT OR
BACK-AND-FORTH.
A LOT OF
JOURNALISTS LIKE THEIR CUSHY
JOBS WHERE THEY TWEET ALL DAY.
VERY EASY.
THEY DON'T WANT TO
STIR THE POT, THEY DON'T WANT
TROUBLE.
BUT TO BE FAIR TO THE
GUYS ON THE GROUND, THEY GET
PRESSURE FROM THEIR EDITORS.
DON'T LOSE ACCESS.
WHY ARE YOU
OUT THERE IF YOU DON'T HAVE
ACCESS?
HE'S THINKING, IF I
CROSS THESE TRUMP GUYS THAT I
GET BLACKLISTED AND I DON'T KNOW
IF I GET FIRED, OR I GET CALLED
BACK TO THE HOME OFFICE, ALL THE
SUDDEN I DON'T HAVE THIS JOB.
SO
THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRESSURE
POINT TRUMP HAS THAT HE USES.
TO
GIVE YOU GUYS CONTEXT, WE WERE
AT A BERNIE RALLY IN LOS ANGELES
A COUPLE DAYS AGO, THEY HAVE A
PRESS SECTION.
WE ARE IN THE
PRESS SECTION.
THE PRESS CAN GO
IN AND OUT OF THAT SECTION.
I
DON'T THINK IT WOULD HAVE
OCCURRED TO THE BERNIE SANDERS
CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE THE PRESS
DID NOT INTERACT WITH HIS
SUPPORTERS.
THEY WOULD BE LIKE,
THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT WHY YOU
ARE HERE.
COVER THE RALLY, TALK
TO MY SUPPORTERS.
TRUMP DOESN'T
WANT YOU TO TALK TO HIS
SUPPORTERS.
HE HAS GOT YOU BOTTLE UP AND HE
WON'T LET THE PRESS OUT,
THAT IS CRAZY.
IT IS UNPRECEDENTED.
I'VE NEVER
HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
>>HE SAID HE LOVES THE POORLY
EDUCATED SO I DON'T KNOW WHY HE
WON'T LET US TALK TO HIS
SUPPORTERS.
BUT THERE HAVE BEEN
TIMES WHEN I WAS INTERVIEWING A
TRUMP SUPPORTER AND I'VE FELT
LIKE HE MIGHT TAKE A SWING AT
ME, AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING OVER
THE TOP.
I'M A LITTLE MORE
AGGRESSIVE THAN AN NBC REPORTER,
BUT I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THE
HORSE RACE OR THE PROCESS.
I
WANT TO KNOW, I PUSH THEM WITH
FACTS.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT HIS
TAX PLAN WOULD GIVE HIM 100
BUCKS AND A PLUTOCRAT 1 MILLION
BUCKS?
I PUSH THEM, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
1 CUP SUPPORTER IS LIKE,
GET OUT OF MY FACE.
AND I HAVE PEOPLE ONLINE
SUPPORTING HIM SCREAMING
OBSCENITIES AT ME,
THIS AND THAT.
IT IS A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT.
>> I'M AMUSED BY THE IDEA OF,
GET OUT OF MY FACE WITH YOUR
FACTS, OTHERWISE I WILL PUNCH
YOU.
>>I WAS RUNNING IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I CAME ACROSS A
TRUMP SUPPORTER, AND I ASKED HIM
SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
HE WAS HOLDING
A TRUMP SIGN, I WAS LIKE, LET ME
GRAB MY PHONE AND ASKING SOME
QUESTIONS.
I ASKED HIM, WHAT IS
YOUR FAVORITE TRUMP POLICY.
MAKE
AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, THAT WAS
HIS ANSWER.
AND WHEN I POSTED IT
ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL, SOME
COMMENTS WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW
I WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE FOR HIM.
WHY, BECAUSE I AM ASKING HIM
QUESTIONS TO POINT TO HIS
IGNORANCE?
>>THAT GOES TO SHOW YOU WHAT A
HORRIBLE STATE JOURNALISM IS IN
THIS COUNTRY.
PEOPLE HAVE
FORGOTTEN WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO
BE.
IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A
WATCHDOG OF THE GOVERNMENT, YOU
ARE SUPPOSED TO CHALLENGE THE
PEOPLE IN POWER AND HOLD THEM TO
ACCOUNT.
BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE
THAT FOR SO LONG IN THIS COUNTRY
THAT PEOPLE ARE LIKE, WHOA, THAT
SEEMS RUDE IF YOU DON'T JUST
REPORT WHATEVER THEY SPOONFEED
YOU AND YOU ASK THEM
AGGRESSIVE QUESTIONS.
>>IT IS RUDE IF YOU ARE NOT
PLAYING PATTYCAKE WITH THEM.
>>WHETHER IT IS A GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL OR ANYBODY.
WHETHER IT
IS A SUPPORTER -- WHOEVER YOU
ARE INTERVIEWING.
YOU ARE
SUPPOSED TO GET FACTS FROM THEM.
YOU OUR SUPPOSED TO GET TO THE
UNDERLYING FACTS OF THE WHOLE
SITUATION.
ONE MORE THING ABOUT
THIS.
TRUMP DOES NOT HAVE THE
POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT BEHIND
HIM YET.
HE USES EXCUSES LIKE, I
RENTED OUT THIS PLACE SO IT IS
MY PRIVATE PROPERTY SO I CAN PUT
YOU ANYWHERE I LIKE WHETHER YOU
ARE PROTESTER OR PRESS, ETC.
BUT
IF HE BECOMES PRESIDENT THAT HE
HAS THE FULL MIGHT OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT BEHIND HIM. AND IF HE
DOES THIS TO THE PRESS WITH HIS
PRESIDENT, AND BY THE WAY HE
SAYS HE WILL -- HE SAYS HE MIGHT
DO WORSE IF HE IS PRESIDENT --
THEN WE HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL
CRISIS.
BECAUSE HERE IS A
PRESIDENT WHO WOULD BE SAYING,
I'M RIPPING UP THE FIRST
AMENDMENT.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE
RIGHTS AS PRESS THAT YOU USED TO
HAVE FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL IN
THIS COUNTRY, SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THIS COUNTRY.
SO THAT IS HOW YOU LOSE A
DEMOCRACY.
