0:00
/
0:00
Transcript

Why the media called Elon's Nazi salute a "hand gesture"

If there's one thing I learned from working in mainstream media for seven years, it's why they do dumb stuff like this. Let's talk about it.

We all watched in shock as Elon Musk thumped his chest on the day of Trump’s inauguration and threw a Nazi salute with such vigour that the effort made him grunt.

Then, he did it again.

But to hear several mainstream media outlets tell it, the move was a “gesture” or a “hand gesture” that was simply “accused” of “appearing to be” a fascist salute.

This characterization made people mad. Because I saw it, you saw it, we all saw it.

Even the far-right extremists are laughing at people who are trying to downplay it — because they took it as a clear Nazi salute.

But Elon said he didn’t mean it like that. So the media, with a pathological need to both-sides issues, watered down their headlines.

There’s a reason we end up with coverage that doesn’t meet the moment we’re in. Having worked in these newsrooms for years, I can explain it to you.

So let’s talk about it.