Video News Clips: In Their Own Words

‘I’m Still Scratching My Head’: Katie Couric Bewildered Over ‘Trump’s Behavior And Actions’ Not Deterring Voters

Screenshot/YouTube/Katie Couric

Journalist Katie Couric on Thursday expressed confusion about Americans casting ballots for President-elect Donald Trump despite his “behavior and actions.”

Trump has received nearly 77 million votes, capturing just under 50% of the total as of Thursday morning, according to the Cook Political Report. Couric, in a conversation with Meghan McCain on “Next Question with Katie Couric,” suggested that Trump’s actions throughout the 2020 election cycle and a Manhattan jury’s guilty verdict of him in May should have alienated more voters.

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“It’s fascinating to me, and actually I think disturbing to many, that Donald Trump’s behavior and actions — he never did anything that was disqualifying,” Couric said. “And I wonder if you could shed some light on why you believe things like January 6 — which Donald Trump called a ‘day of love’ — his conviction by a jury of his peers of 34 felony counts, his asking the Secretary of State of Georgia to find him 11,780 votes, his insistence that the 2020 election was rigged despite the fact that over 60 court cases failed to find evidence of that — why do you think all those things — this is what I’m still scratching my head about, Meghan — didn’t lead voters to think he was just simply unfit for office?”

“I mean, and that’s just — honestly, those are just kind of the headlines. There are so many other things underneath those actions that I could have also named,” she continued. “And why do you think people were willing to turn a blind eye to so many things that Donald Trump not only did, but what he stands for?”

McCain answered by suggesting many voters cared more about the economy, immigration and cultural issues than Trump’s flaws.

Shortly after the jury convicted Trump on 34 counts for falsifying business records, 47% of Americans believed the charges against him were politically motivated, while 50% believed the verdict was correct, according to a June ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Trump’s victory was partially driven by increased support from Hispanic and black men. About 40% of Hispanic voters recorded the economy as their main issue, while roughly 70% of them characterized the present state of the economy as either “not so good” or “poor,” according to an exit poll by Edison Research.