On Thursday, nearly 48 hours after Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that there was a “legitimacy” or a “rationale” behind the January terrorist attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, NBC’s Today finally noticed the highly controversial remarks. ABC and CBS continued to ignore Kerry’s offensive comments.
During a full report on the political debate over allowing thousands of Syrian refugees into the U.S. in the wake of the latest Paris terror attacks, correspondent Peter Alexander devoted a mere 33 seconds to Kerry’s widely-criticized gaffe: “Also under fire, Secretary of State John Kerry, after contrasting last week's attack to the Charlie Hebdo massacre months earlier, seeming to suggest a rationale for terrorists targeting the satirical magazine that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.”
A clip ran of Kerry telling an audience in Paris on Tuesday: “It was sort of a particularized focus and perhaps even a legitimacy, in terms of – not a legitimacy, but a rationale that you could attach yourself to somehow and say, okay, they're really angry because of this or that.”
Alexander quickly moved back to the refugee debate without featuring any critical reaction to Kerry.
On Tuesday evening, despite all three broadcast networks conducting interviews with Kerry, none of the evening newscasts made any mention of his eyebrow-raising statement just hours earlier.
Here is a full transcript of Alexander’s November 19 report that included the Kerry mention:
7:13 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: All of this is sparking a raging debate on Capitol Hill and the campaign trail, as well, over the Obama administration's strategy for dealing both with ISIS and also the handling of Syrian refugees. NBC national correspondent Peter Alexander is at the White House with this part of the story. Peter, good morning.
PETER ALEXANDER: Savannah, good morning. The French president is vowing to keep his commitment to take in 30,000 refugees over the next two years, with vigorous security checks. White House officials say surely the U.S. should be able to muster the same courage to take in 10,000, again rejecting the need for a pause in the process.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: ISIS Strategy Under Fire; President on the Defensive as Republicans Pounce]
The President in the Philippines and pushing back on the issue of Syrian refugees.
BARACK OBAMA: The idea that somehow they pose a more significant threat than all the tourists who pour into the United States every single day just doesn't jive with reality.
ALEXANDER: On Capitol Hill, top Homeland Security officials privately brief senators on the latest intelligence from the Paris attacks, now heating up the fierce debate over the administration's ISIS strategy.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK [FOX & FRIENDS]: The President of the United States’ words matter.
ALEXANDER: Fox News hosts sparring with White House press secretary Josh Earnest, blasting the President's Paris response as aloof and cavalier.
JOSH EARNEST: Spend just as much time focusing on the President's actions as you do his words.
HASSELBECK: His words matter, Josh. I have to stop you there. Josh, I will stop you there.
ALEXANDER: Also under fire, Secretary of State John Kerry, after contrasting last week's attack to the Charlie Hebdo massacre months earlier, seeming to suggest a rationale for terrorists targeting the satirical magazine that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.
JOHN KERRY: It was sort of a particularized focus and perhaps even a legitimacy, in terms of – not a legitimacy, but a rationale that you could attach yourself to somehow and say, okay, they're really angry because of this or that.
ALEXANDER: The 2016 Republicans are teeing off. Ted Cruz challenging the President for dismissing his proposed ban on Syrian Muslim refugees.
SEN. TED CRUZ [R-TX]: I would encourage you, Mr. President, come back and insult me to my face. Let's have a debate on Syrian refugees right now.
ALEXANDER: Donald Trump accusing President Obama of being dangerous.
DONALD TRUMP: I think he's a threat to our country.
ALEXANDER: And from Jeb Bush, a proposal that could make him the third President Bush to send U.S. ground troops to the Middle East.
JEB BUSH: America has had enough of empty words. Of declarations detached from reality. Of an administration with no strategy or no intention to win.
ALEXANDER: Later today, the House will vote on a plan to toughen the screening process for Syrian refugees. The White House has already said it would veto that. They argue 18 to 24 months is long enough, insisting security screenings are already so tough in this country, that less than 9% of Syrian refugees who apply are allowed in. Matt and Savannah?
MATT LAUER: Alright, Peter Alexander at the White House. Peter, thanks so much.
