Colby Hall Blames Looming Trump Arraignment Media Spectacle on Ex-President: ‘Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes’

When Georgia prosecutor Fani Willis brings in Donald Trump and 18 other defendants to be booked on August 25th it will be a major spectacle, which is just what both the DA and the ex-president want. And especially what the media wants, whether or not it will be for the “greater good” to get it, said Mediaite founding editor Colby Hall on NewsNation.

But it’s also what everyday Americans want, he said.

Hall spoke with anchor Adrienne Bankert this week on the coming “circus” after the announcement by Willis and the realization that the Fulton DA will have Trump go through the full defendant experience, mugshot and all.  Hall made a similar argument in a column published Wednesday.

“But everyone wants this to be a media spectacle: The media, Fani Willis, and especially Donald Trump, because this is how he sort of owns it,” said Hall. “This is the ultimate reality show. And to be honest, I think we all, I want to watch this as well. It’s going to be; it’s going to be a big, big deal and a circus that’s going to make the others look sort of pale in comparison.”

Hall pointed out that at the heart of the spectacle is the historic and unprecedented scenario facing the United States.

“It’s unprecedented because this is the first time ever a former president did not oversee the peaceful transfer of power. And he’s still doing that. And it’s it’s a huge and historic deal. And just because people don’t like it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be covered,” he said. “It is a media spectacle that may not be greater, good for the greater good, but it’s a serious issue that lies at the heart of our democracy.”

BANKERT: Everybody is watching to see what’s going to happen next. They got their popcorn. What do you think’s going to happen next?

HALL: I think we will see a media spectacle unlike any that has come before for a variety of reasons. Fani Willis, the Fulton County D.A., they put out a media advisory yesterday that was very clear on how the media can report on this and cover this and made clear that they expect all 19 defendants to show up at Rice jail by August 25th. And for a bunch of reasons, this will be a much bigger deal than the other indictments where Trump turned out because the special counsel really sort of provided a professional courtesy to the former president. Fani Willis is not offering that, they’re really eagerly embracing this sort of media spectacle. They’re going to they’re going to shoot a mug shot of the former president, even though he has a very recognizable face. But everyone wants this to be a media spectacle: The media, Fani Willis, and especially Donald Trump, because this is how he sort of owns it. And he is, if nothing else, a really great reality– this is the ultimate reality show. And to be honest, I think we all, I want to watch this as well. It’s going to be it’s going to be a big, big deal and a circus that’s going to make the others look sort of pale in comparison.

BANKERT: I hear what you’re saying. And at the same time, I want to say Colby, nobody he doesn’t want to deal with this. He wouldn’t wish this on his worst enemy, that he has to go to court and fight these charges that he believes are a complete witch hunt, fabricated and nonsense and a waste of taxpayer dollars. There are a lot of Americans who are like, why are we going through this again? I want to talk about you’ve touched on so many things and I only have so much time with you. First is when you think about what happened in New York when Mr. Trump was indicted alone, there were more journalists than onlookers. There were more journalists than police officers. There was a completely safe procession of the former president into the courtroom. We can only imagine what it’s going to be like when 19 defendants are booked. Do you think they’re going to hesitate like we saw when the January 6 whole mess was happening and they were called on to appear? Or do you think that this is going to be much more swift compliance?

HALL: Well, it appears that this will be swifter compliance. And I will say that, of course, the former president doesn’t want to be dealing with us, but he is. You know, there’s this old adage, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. And he is alleged to have acted criminally in a way that, if you listen to the phone call, reasonable people and even Republicans are saying, yes, this was this was an illegal pressure campaign to overturn the election. So Trump did that. And now because he’s being charged, he’s never really been held accountable. He’s going to own it, right. He’s — this is his cross to bear. So he he’s playing himself as a victim because that’s his best hand and it works for him. So he’s getting attention. And, you know, it plays right into his populist movement that he is defending his supporters. And his support is, and it’s working. You know, the polls are going up. So we’re sort of my classic immovable post versus the unstoppable object metaphor that it’s really difficult to see how it will all play out in the end.

BANKERT: Okay. So let me just ask one more question, because I want to I want to get to the big picture here. What don’t we love as Americans do, have a focus on the issues. Instead, we’re watching the car chase. We’re watching the building burn. Right. GOP voters are not buying what you just said about him not being held accountable. I mean, I go online and I look at what, people who are Trump supporters saying and I look at people who hate Trump. And I’m just telling you, is the media, does it have broadly a responsibility to still have a focus on issues that actually impact all of us in the midst of this historic indictment, number four in five months.

HALL: So I will push back and say a recent poll said that two-thirds of Americans see these charges as very serious and half of Americans polled believe that he should suspend his campaign. Yes, there is a loyal base of supporters who will support him regardless of what happens and believe his point of view. And there are Americans whose voice should be heard. But this is historic, right? It is unprecedented, but it’s not necessarily unpre– it’s unprecedented because this is the first time ever a former president did not oversee the peaceful transfer of power. And he’s still doing that. And it’s it’s a huge and historic deal. And just because people don’t like it doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be covered. I hear you. It is it is a media spectacle that may not be greater, good for the greater good, but it’s a serious issue that lies at the heart of our democracy. And I would love nothing more than to talk about issues. But in the meantime, until Trump admits that he lost, this is where we are.

BANKERT: I don’t know that that day will ever come. Just based on what we’ve seen. But at the same time you do.

HALL: I’m going to.

BANKERT: Starbucks. I will bet you a…

HALL: Starbucks that will look.

BANKERT: And 23.

HALL: And okay, I got you. And they made you ten years. It makes him ten years.

BANKERT: I’ll still be here.

HALL: This to you. This, too, shall pass.

Watch the clip above via NewsNation.

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