The Proud Boys, the Miami-Dade County GOP and How to Understand Spin: Local TV News Falls Down on the Job and Did Not Help the Public Understand Anything
American Eclectic
October 1, 2022
After January 6th, there were indications that groups such as the Proud Boys were focusing on local issue, moving away from national issues. One speaker at a “Health Freedom” event in Washington on January 6th stated:
We figured out that going to the Capitol and working that particular piece doesn’t do anything, because these legislators have already made up their mind. It’s all about local legislation, your local school districts, your City Council Board of Supervisors. These people live in our community. They work here, and they’re going to have to face us every single day
The Proud Boys, it was revealed in a June 2022 New York Times article were members of the Republican Party in the Miami-Dade County area. The article stated, “at least a half-dozen current and former Proud Boys who have secured seats on the Miami-Dade Republican Executive Committee, seeking to influence local politics from the inside.”
The focus here is not really on the Proud Boys themselves but on the way that the issue was addressed by local TV news in the Miami-Dade County area, following the New York Times article and how TV news viewers need to be made aware of how to understand what they are hearing.
Rene Garcia, chair of the Miami-Dade County Republican Party was on ABC Local 10 News to address the Times article. One of the anchors asking questions of Garcia stated that he was a “friend of the show.” Why that needed to be added and what it meant was not clear. To say that the two hosts (Gleena Milberg and Michael Outney, the show is called, This Week in South Florida) asking questions were completely unprepared at best is an understatement.
Some of the exchange went:
MICHAEL OUTNEY: I think some of what extraordinary article, front page article in the New York Times the other day, which says that about 6 or 17 [probably should say 7] current or former Proud Boys are members of the Miami Dade County GOP Executive Committee. The group that you run. And they are apparently there with your approval or at least with your technology-knowledge, are they?
RENE GARCIA: Michael, first of all, thank you for having me on the show and Glenna, it is always a pleasure to be with you and the reality is that the headline that the New York Times posted is completely a lie.
MICHAEL OUTNEY: How so.
RENE GARCIA: They said that the Miami Dade GOP is-by the Proud Boys and that is completely a false statement that is just completely a lie. Right now when we look at the Miami Dade GOP we have the most diverse group, most diverse GOP in the state and mainly the most diverse group in the nation. Right now we look at when we look at the facts and we look at that article, right now you have out of the five I would say there are two voting members and alternatives that were elected to the Miami Dade GOP but that is not reflected of the principles of the Miami Dade GOP who we stand for, having diverse ideas and we are laser focused on [making sure] that we get eye(?) Republican[s] at the local level…what we have been doing to paint me and to paint the good, the men and women of the Miami Dade GOP as racist, that is completely false and…a lie and this is what the Democrats have been doing to try to target now the most diverse Republican Party in the nation, maybe, as a group of [racists]. That is because they know they are losing in the round of public opinion and now want a target of this on the Miami Dade GOP which we as a group are one that is the inclusive, of all different minorities and continue to do that as we move forward
GLEENA MILBERG: I want to have a continuation of our conversation with Annette Taddeo just a second ago that the labels and smears kind of go both ways but nationally, and that’s just kind of one of the illnesses our country is going through right now.
This 11 minute and 8 second exchange did not get better. The question was never answered: Are Proud Boys on the Miami Dade Republican Party Executive Committee? In addition, neither anchor felt the need to stop Garcia as he rambled and repeatedly referred to the “most diverse.” Furthermore, Garcia stated, regarding the New York Times article, “a false statement that is just completely a lie.” Again, no attempt was made by either interviewer to stop Garcia and address precisely what was a lie. Gleena Milberg’s “labels and smears kind of go both ways,” was less her being any type of reporter and more to say something to TV viewers that she was not taking sides—basically a meaningless comment since, as with her co-host, neither were interested in any serious conversation. An issue that should be of concern: That the Proud Boys have changed their tactics and are focusing on local issues and joining a local Republican Party to gain influence, was not addressed. Both interviewers were interested in a meaningless conversation that allowed the local GOP chair to get in his few talking points on the “most diverse” GOP in the nation.
Garcia had a subsequent interview with NBC 6 South Florida Impact and part of it went:
JACKIE NESPRAL: I want to give you the opportunity to response to some serious accusations in the Miami Herald in an editorial accusing the Miami-Dade GOP of opening their arms and welcoming to some of the Proud Boys into the executive committee. How do you respond?
RENE GARCIA: If the Miami-Herald had given me the opportunity to speak they would have the facts. The problem with the Miami Herald, especially the editorial board they called me at 10 O’clock, 5 O’clock in the afternoon. I responded when I got home. We [spoke] early in the morning. By the time [the] editorial came out, I was at the office. They didn’t give me the opportunity to give my position. They tried to have the headline and they called us a racist organization. We have opened our arms and now we are [a] racist group. We have Hispanics, African Americans, Jamaicans, LGBTQ and the most diverse group and it could be maybe in the nation. They are not a racist group. Out of 147 members that we have, the New York Times identified five members of the Proud Boys. Two are on the executive committee and one is a member and they are not a member and they are not a voting member. I hardly think that having two members on the 90 day rac (?) is a takeover. [I have no clue what “90 day rac” refers to.]
JACKIE NESPRAL: I think we deserve better. Two may be facing criminal charges. As the leader of the GOP, isn’t it your responsibility to take [action against these] individuals?
RENE GARCIA: At the moment, if they are convicted there will be a happening in the GOP. They did not give me an opportunity to speak on this being charity for those exposed. We revamp to the rules and bylaws. We have a rules committee that we did not have until I became chair. We have a process to make sure we have as good of profit [probably means process] as anyone. The way the process works as members are elected. There are two ways to get there. There can be vacancies in the GOP voted on by the membership. What happens is that if there is no one running against that person, they become a member. We are looking at bylaws to make sure we clean up and have a better vetting process. We make sure we know what is coming into the GOP. This is the way the rules are.
JACKIE NESPRAL: How in the world did they even get into this position?
RENE GARCIA: Just the electorate process. The rules, rules are established. That’s what happened in this last cycle. When they ran there was no opposition to them and they became members of the GOP. Because they are members of the GOP doesn’t reflect none of us. …It’s just a travesty what happened on January 6th. None of us are in favor of that. Everyone is going to have to answer for their actions and I trust on that day. It did not just tarnish the image of the party but it tarnished the image of the country in general. They will have to face their day in court when the time comes.
JACKIE NESPRAL: Wouldn’t you agree that having them in the organization that could also tarnish the reputation of so many that are working hard in the GOP of Miami-Dade County.
RENE GARCIA: That’s why we’re going through the process, the rules process…and we’re finding we have the right rules in place to make this doesn’t happen. It’s imperative to say that for the Miami-Herald to identify to say that one or two members of The Proud Boys is a complete takeover of the GOP and the New York Times started it with their headlines. Their headlines said a complete takeover, I mean a takeover by The Proud Boys is completely inaccurate and it’s pretty much a lie. And for the Miami-Herald to give me the opportunity to speak and give my side of the story before they wrote their story is complete is a disservice to this community.
Jackie Nespral, like Gleena Milberg and Michael Outney, displayed more local TV news poor interviewing.
Did Garcia address when he learned that five, current or former, members of the Proud Boys joined the 125-member executive committee with the Miami-Dade County GOP? An article in the Miami New Times stated, “over the past two years, [the Proud Boys], has somewhat quietly infiltrated the ranks of the Republican Party’ local governing board, the Miami-Dade Republican Executive Committee.” Neither of the two interviewers on This Week in South Florida or the interviewer on NBC South Florida Impact addressed the fact that this was not a new development. While a New York Times article might have highlighted the Proud Boys in the local Republican Party—two years is a long time. What had Garcia, or any other member of the Miami-Dade County GOP done to address the issue prior to the New York Times article?
The Miami New Times article referred by names to five Proud Boys, although a twitter site, Miami Against Fascism referred to seven Proud Boys in the Miami-Dade County GOP.
Garcia stated in the interview with Nespral that, apparently, in the aftermath of the New York Times article, he and the local GOP were looking at bylaws and a vetting process. But, apparently, no action on bylaws and vetting took place in the two years prior to the Times article. Nespral seemed to either be unaware of the two years reference in the Miami New Times article or did not care. Suddenly Garcia saying something was going to be done was more for television PR consumption than any serious statement. Garcia was able to play her, and she made no attempt to have information to address that she was being played. Once Garcia referred to the bylaws and vetting being addressed, after the Times article, Nespral should have been ready to stop him from talking and try to find out what had been going on in the two years prior to her foolish and useless interview.
When did Garcia learn that five specific individuals, referred to by names in the Miami New Times article were associated with the Proud Boys? Is or was a change in GOP bylaws and vetting process necessary to simply tell the Proud Boys that they could not join the local GOP and, more specifically, the executive committee of the local GOP? When did they join the executive committee and what did they address and propose on the executive committee? Was anything they proposed accepted and approved by the executive committee? Were there no complaints at any time by members of the local GOP regarding having Proud Boys as members? Was it known the moment they said they wanted to join the Miami-Dade County GOP that they were Proud Boys? Usually, it should be assumed that when someone joins a governing body, in this case the executive committee, that they can only become eligible after they have been a regular member of the organization (the Miami-Dade County GOP) for some period. Neither TV interview addressed this issue. Watching two very bad TV news interviews, some might get the feeling that several Proud Boys walked into the Miami-Dade County GOP, joined, and immediately were on the executive committee. Three TV reporters, three useless people.
Garcia’s babbling was much like the movie Frost/Nixon (2008 starring Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, and Kevin Bacon). Frost could not stop Nixon from talking and so Nixon took up much time addressing useless issues so David Frost could not get to several topics or questions (specifically Watergate), eventually in the final interview Frost appeared to gain some control. As a result, it was not Frost who ran the interviews but Nixon who managed to, essentially, present himself the way he wanted to be seen. Garcia was much like that regarding three foolish Miami area TV reporters: He took control of the two TV interviews and in neither interview was he stopped and asked to address specific issues. Both segments could have done a service for the public by stopping Garcia, facing the camera, and explained to the TV audience the game that Garcia was playing to help educate them what to see when politicians talk and try to avoid directly addressing uncomfortable and embarrassing issues.
Educating TV viewers about tactics politicians play when on TV should be a concern to TV reporters, apparently in either case here it was not. In the eighteen years I was a political analyst (commentator?—I do not know where the difference lies), the TV reporters I knew were aware of tactics used by politicians on TV. Not precisely answering a question and using up time was one. When asked a precise question, was it answered? A state legislator I knew well said to me:
Any person running for office or in a public position should know how to talk about what they want to talk about on TV not about the question they were asked and if they don’t, they shouldn’t be running for office or be in a public position.
There is a 5-second and sometimes a 7-second rule used by politicians to say something for TV. Since TV news is usually about doing short burst segments then a politician by giving a short, concise quote, usually 5 or 7 seconds will make it easy for the TV reporter and cameraman to put together a segment. Think in terms of an ordinary person interviewed, sometimes after a local shooting occurs. The person starts talking and they are not thinking in terms of the 5 or 7 second rule, they are just talking. The cameraman will need to figure out how to cut what they said and that can look disjointed or incoherent on a TV news segment. The person might not have been incoherent, but if the TV news segment must be, say, 1 minute and 30 seconds and no more than that then somewhere cuts in someone talking need to be made.
Admittedly, Garcia was invited to two interviews because of an embarrassing situation, and it had to be uncomfortable for him to have to discuss the Proud Boys within the organization he headed. Of course, he needed to make things look as favorable upon himself and his organization as he possibly could. All three TV interviewers had to know this as well and they acted more like it was their jobs to help Garcia out--particularly Gleena Milberg with her silliness about “labels and smears kind of go both ways” comment.
Can TV reporters just stop the person talking, look in the camera and explain to the TV audience what they are seeing and hearing? Does TV news have an obligation to enlighten TV viewers beyond just a bad interview being allowed to continue? I want to see a TV reporter stop the interview, look in the camera and say, “I am trying to get precise answers, that should not be difficult, but my guest is not answering my precise questions.” TV news should be more than the interview itself: Educate and enlighten the viewers about what they are seeing and hearing.
New Zealand has declared the Proud Boys a terrorist organization, so has Canada. How much more did either local TV news show need to know to confront Garcia about the Proud Boys in the Miami-Dade County GOP?
In addition, considering the sizable Jewish presence in the Miami-Dade area, the anti-Semitism of the Proud Boys should have been an issue. This was brought up in the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle in 2020. The article stated:
[A]ccording to the Anti-Defamation League, the group has allied with white supremacists, and [Gavin] McInnes [founder of the Proud Boys] has made a series of anti-Semitic statements.
…McInnes went on an anti-Semitic rant in 2017, in which he defended Holocaust denial and repeated anti-Semitic stereotypes. The rant came in a video he originally titled “10 things I hate about the Jews.”
…He also blamed Jews for Josef Stalin’s starvation of millions of Ukrainians. “I think it was 10 million Ukrainians who were killed,” he said. “That was by Jews. That was by Marxist, Stalinist, left-wing, commie, socialist Jews.”
He then said Jews have a “whiny paranoid fear of Nazis.”
What did any TV viewer learn about the Proud Boys and the Miami-Dade County GOP from either interview: Nothing. What viewers saw was what constitutes poor interviews from three TV news reporters who approached their interviews unprepared.
Considering that an interesting news story usually has a short lifespan, and this was four months ago, I doubt local TV news in the Miami-Dade area will be returning to any follow-ups on this story considering the sloppy way it was addressed the first time: What did the Miami-Dade County GOP do about Proud Boys in their ranks? Maybe the Miami New Times will do follow-ups.
Notes
Alex Deluca, “What We Know About the Proud Boys in the Miami-Dade GOP Executive Committee,” Miami New Times (June 15, 2022): https://www.miaminewtimes.com news/proud-boys-miami-dade-republicans-executive-committee-14678246
Miami Against Fascism: https://twitter.com/MIAagainstFash
Patricia Mazzei and Alan Feuer, “How the Proud Boys Gripped the Miami-Dade Republican Party,” New York Times (June 22, 2022): https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/us/miami-republicans-proud-boys.html
Ben Sales, “Are the Proud Boys anti-Semitic?” Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle (September 30, 2020: https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/are-the-proud-boys-anti-semitic/
Brandy Zadrosny and Ben Collins, “From the Capitol to the city council: How extremism is the U.S. shifted after Jan. 6,” NBC News (January 3, 2022): https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/extremism-us-jan-6-capitol-rcna10731
“Miami-Dade Republican Party Chair Rene Garcia discusses Proud Boys who are party members on TWISF,” YouTube (no date): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U474RAbJxlM