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Trump attends Texas-Tennessee football game as crowd gives mixed reaction

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 18 outlets, mostly right-leaning (67%).

24 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

President Donald Trump attended the Sept. 26 Texas-Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, arriving as Air Force One flew low over the stadium shortly before kickoff. Officials had coordinated with the Secret Service over concerns the flyover could disrupt teams' headset communications, and Tennessee opened stadium gates 30 minutes early. Trump sat in a suite with Republican Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn, who is running for governor. When shown on the jumbotron, Trump drew a mix of cheers and boos from the sold-out crowd of roughly 100,000, according to several outlets, while Fox News reported the president received massive cheers. Trump left before halftime. Top-ranked Texas defeated No. 14 Tennessee 20-17.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Air Force One flew low over Neyland Stadium before the noon kickoff

    Reported byLeftRight

  2. Officials coordinated with the Secret Service over concerns the flyover could disrupt teams' headset communications

    Reported byLeftRight

  3. Trump sat in a suite with Tennessee Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn

    Reported byLeftRight

  4. Texas defeated Tennessee 20-17

    Reported byLeftRight

  5. Trump was shown on the jumbotron and drew audible boos mixed with cheers from the crowd

    Reported byLeft

Show 2 more pointsShow fewer points

  1. Fox News reported Trump was greeted with massive cheers upon his introduction

    Reported byRight

  2. Trump left the stadium before halftime

    Reported byLeft

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • How the crowd reacted when Trump appeared on the jumbotron

    The Daily Beast and TheGrio report a mix of cheers and audible boos, with boos described as loud by the Daily Beast; Fox News and Breitbart report the crowd greeted Trump with cheers, applause and a fist pump, without mentioning boos.

How each side tells it

Compare views

  • the left

    6 outlets

    Left-leaning outlets frame the visit through its political stakes, first speculating about a coach's superstition and slipping midterm momentum, then reporting that Trump was booed at the game.

    Donald Trump booed at Tennessee-Texas game as midterms loom
    TheGrioLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    No coverage yet

    No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the right

    12 outlets

    Right-leaning outlets, several of which cover the flyover and security logistics before the game, largely describe Trump receiving cheers and applause, with little to no mention of boos.

    VIDEO: President Trump Cheered After Being Introduced at Tennessee-Texas Game on Saturday
    Breitbart NewsFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left5

    Insanemidterm rallies slidegot a loud reminder of his standing with the publicLoudly Booed

  • Center

    Has not covered this story.

  • Right10

    HeadsetGateTall Tales from the Title GameCorrects Recordthat could disrupt communications

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    InsaneMore neutral: unusual

    The word amplifies drama around a sports superstition claim without adding factual information.

    Football Team Hit by ‘Insane’ Trump Curse

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    HeadsetGateMore neutral: the headset dispute

    Adding the '-gate' suffix frames a minor sports dispute as a scandal.

    Call it HeadsetGate if you like.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Delegitimizing label

    Tall Tales from the Title GameMore neutral: a disputed account of the title game

    Dismisses the coach's account as fabrication before the dispute is fully resolved.

    Or, call it Tall Tales from the Title Game.

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    Corrects RecordMore neutral: Disputes Claim

    Presents the White House's disputed account as the established truth rather than one side of a contested claim.

    White House Corrects Record After Texas Coach Claims Trump Could Disrupt Comms During Tennessee Game

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

Show 11 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    midterm rallies slideMore neutral: midterm rallies change

    Frames a change in rally attendance as a decline using an evocative verb rather than a neutral description of the trend.

    Trump heads to Texas-Tennessee football game as midterm rallies slide

    Used byThe Washington Post (Left)

  • Vague attribution

    that could disrupt communicationsMore neutral: amid claims about possible communications issues

    Presents a speculative, unattributed claim about communications disruption as part of the headline framing without clear sourcing.

    Air Force One flyover: Trump attends a big college football game that could disrupt communications

    Used byThe Washington Times (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    CNN threw a hissy fitMore neutral: CNN objected to not being included

    Mocking characterization of a news outlet's reaction rather than a neutral description of events.

    CNN threw a hissy fit when it didn't get to go on Air Force One.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Amazing FlyoverMore neutral: Low-altitude flyover

    Uses an emphatic adjective to hype a routine flyover rather than describe it neutrally.

    Trump Makes Amazing Flyover, Gets Wild Cheers at Action-Packed TN-TX Football Game

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Wild CheersMore neutral: Cheers from the crowd

    Adds dramatic emphasis to crowd reaction beyond a neutral description.

    Trump Makes Amazing Flyover, Gets Wild Cheers at Action-Packed TN-TX Football Game

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Applause EruptsMore neutral: Crowd applauds

    Dramatic verb choice to describe a crowd reaction that could be stated plainly.

    Applause Erupts as Crowd of Over 100,000 Sees Trump on the Jumbotron at Major SEC Showdown

    Used byThe Western Journal (Far Right)

  • Loaded verb

    refused to apologizeMore neutral: defended

    Framing Sarkisian's stance as a refusal to apologize implies wrongdoing rather than neutrally reporting his defense of the win.

    Steve Sarkisian refused to apologize for how the Texas Longhorns won at Tennessee, noting they still have seven…

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    a warning for college footballMore neutral: a preview of the season ahead

    Presents the game's outcome as an ominous portent rather than a factual result, adding drama beyond the facts.

    Arch Manning revels in cigar smoke: Texas leaves Neyland with win—and a warning for college football

    Used byFox News (Far Right)

  • Absolutist framing

    got a loud reminder of his standing with the publicMore neutral: was met with a mixed reaction from the crowd

    Treats a mixed crowd reaction as a definitive verdict on Trump's overall public standing, an interpretive leap presented as settled fact.

    President Donald Trump got a loud reminder of his standing with the public Saturday afternoon: he was booed at a college football game in…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    Loudly BooedMore neutral: Booed

    Emphasizes volume and drama of the booing beyond what is needed to convey the fact that Trump was booed.

    Trump, 80, Gets Loudly Booed at College Football Game

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Partisan shorthand

    encountering resistanceMore neutral: being booed

    Recasts crowd booing as political 'resistance,' a term with partisan connotations tied to anti-Trump activism rather than a neutral description of jeering.

    But the audible boos added another moment to Trump’s growing history of encountering resistance at major sporting events.

    Used byTheGrio (Left)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

6 outlets

Leads with

  • Trump's political standing and midterm context
  • audible booing from the crowd
  • comparisons to past sporting-event boos

Leaves out

  • Security/headset coordination details covered elsewhere
  • Final score and game action

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 6 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

0 outlets

No center outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the right

12 outlets

Leads with

  • Crowd cheers and applause for Trump
  • security and logistical arrangements for his visit
  • game action and Texas's win

Leaves out

  • Audible boos reported by other outlets
  • Trump leaving before halftime

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 12 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    27 min later

    Its first report, Sep 25, 8:24 AM EDT

  • Center

    No report yet

    From the outlets Mantle follows

  • Right

    First to report

    The Daily Wire, Sep 25, 7:56 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. The Daily WireFar RightSep 25, 7:56 AM EDT
  2. The Daily BeastFar LeftSep 25, 8:24 AM EDT
  3. The Western JournalFar RightSep 25, 4:51 PM EDT
  4. The Washington PostLeftSep 26, 5:00 AM EDT
  5. New York PostRightSep 26, 10:27 AM EDT
  6. The Washington TimesRightSep 26, 12:06 PM EDT
  7. TownhallFar RightSep 26, 1:18 PM EDT
  8. The GuardianLeftSep 26, 2:18 PM EDT
  9. The Epoch TimesFar RightSep 26, 3:30 PM EDT
  10. ABC NewsLeftSep 26, 3:46 PM EDT
  11. One America NewsFar RightSep 26, 3:50 PM EDT
  12. Fox NewsFar RightSep 26, 3:53 PM EDT
  13. RedStateFar RightSep 26, 4:05 PM EDT
  14. The IndependentLeftSep 26, 4:21 PM EDT
  15. Washington ExaminerRightSep 26, 4:29 PM EDT
  16. Breitbart NewsFar RightSep 26, 7:24 PM EDT
  17. TheGrioLeftSep 27, 4:18 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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