During a live interview on Wednesday with Republican vice presidential nominee and Indiana Governor Mike Pence on CNN's New Day, host Alisyn Camerota recalled that Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto once hyperbolically likened Donald Trump's anti-Mexico rhetoric to that of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, before she then essentially asked if the GOP presidential nominee would apologize to the Mexican president for provoking the negative reaction.
The CNN host did not wonder if Trump himself should receive an apology for being the subject of the over the top Nazi comparison. Addressing Governor Pence, Camerota posed: "President Pena Nieto has likened some of Donald Trump's rhetoric about Mexicans to Hitler and Mussolini. Do you expect that Mr. Trump will apologize to Mexico's president for some of the language that he's used?"
After Pence recalled that the Mexican president had "walked that language back," and talked up the likelihood that there would be a productive meeting the two men, Camerota pivoted to wondering if the GOP presidential candidate would "soften" on the issue of illegal immigration: "So do you think that the meeting today with the president of Mexico will somehow color the big immigration speech that Donald Trump is giving tonight? Do you think that he will soften his language or change his stance, say, on deportations?"
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Wednesday, August 31, New Day on CNN:
8:06 a.m. ET
ALISYN CAMEROTA: President Pena Nieto has likened some of Donald Trump's rhetoric about Mexicans to Hitler and Mussolini. Do you expect that Mr. Trump will apologize to Mexico's president for some of the language that he's used?
MIKE PENCE, GOP VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: Well, I think President Pena Nieto has actually walked that language back. I think he said he was referring to philosophical points, and, look, you know, I let him speak for himself. But, look, I give the president of Mexico a lot of credit for extending an invitation to the two people that are vying for the presidency in both major political parties.
But I give the lion's share of the credit here to Donald Trump. Look, this is, you know, both of us are campaigning nonstop. Hillary is in hiding -- we really don't know where she's been other than we hear she's going to fundraisers. Donald Trump and I literally have been canvassing all across the country. I'm here in Florida today. He was in Washington state last night. Big, big speech in Arizona.
But the opportunity to sit down with our neighbors to the south to have these two leaders begin a relationship that I think will be a foundation for negotiation that I think should be a real insight to millions of Americans who are getting a glimpse here of the kind of president that Donald Trump will be.
CAMEROTA: So do you think that the meeting today with the president of Mexico will somehow color the big immigration speech that Donald Trump is giving tonight? Do you think that he will soften his language or change his stance, say, on deportations?
