NBC Nightly News on Friday returned to hyping the new bathroom law in North Carolina. Hallie Jackson zeroed in on President Obama's slam of the "transgender bathroom ban," as she put it, during a trip to the U.K. She also spotlighted Donald Trump's "criticism" of the legislation, and underlined that "Trump's considered one of the more LGBT-friendly Republican candidates," even though he "hasn't talked much about those issues on the campaign trail." [video below]
Anchor Lester Holt led into Jackson's report by pointing out that "Britain has issued a warning to citizens traveling to the U.S. over new laws in the South that critics say discriminate, like North Carolina's law governing which bathrooms transgender people must use." Holt continued by noting that "President Obama in the U.K. today slammed that law; while Donald Trump is raising eyebrows with new comments about the controversy."
The NBC journalist first played up the President's "warm welcome in England" and that the Democrat was "promising the same to British gay and lesbian travelers headed to Mississippi and North Carolina, after the U.K. warned of new laws seen by LGBT advocates as discriminatory." After playing a sound bite from Obama's remarks, she added that "the President [was] weighing in overseas on what's become a political firestorm here at home."
Jackson dropped her slanted "bathroom ban" phrase as she highlighted Ted Cruz's new online ad blasting Donald Trump for his Thursday remarks on Today, where he confirmed that he wold letting Bruce "Caitlyn" Jenner use any bathroom at Trump Tower. She repeated the term seconds later: "Cruz using Trump's comments to try to boost his own conservative credentials, while hitting his rivals — with a new online polling showing 64 percent of Republicans support the ban." An online graphic on the poll also used the phrase (seen screen cap above).
Near the end of the segment, the correspondent stated that "while Trump's considered one of the more LGBT-friendly Republican candidates, he hasn't talked much about those issues on the campaign trail — not a typical part of his stump speech and not mentioned tonight at his rally here in Delaware."
The full transcript of Hallie Jackson's report from the April 22, 2016 edition of NBC Nightly News:
LESTER HOLT: Britain has issued a warning to citizens traveling to the U.S. over new laws in the South that critics say discriminate, like North Carolina's law governing which bathrooms transgender people must use. President Obama in the U.K. today slammed that law; while Donald Trump is raising eyebrows with new comments about the controversy.
NBC's Hallie Jackson has more on all of this.
[NBC News Graphic: "Bathroom Politics; New Firestorm Over Bathroom Law"]
HALLIE JACKSON (voice-over): After a warm welcome in England, President Obama promising the same to British gay and lesbian travelers headed to Mississippi and North Carolina, after the U.K. warned of new laws seen by LGBT advocates as discriminatory.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (from press conference): The laws that have been passed there are wrong, and should be overturned.
JACKSON: The President weighing in overseas on what's become a political firestorm here at home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE ANNOUNCER (from Ted Cruz For President online ad): Guess who's joined the ranks of the P.C. police?
JACKSON: Ted Cruz, in a new online video, taking aim at Donald Trump's criticism of a transgender bathroom ban in North Carolina.
SENATOR TED CRUZ (from campaign event): This is not a reasonable debate over public policy. This is political correctness run amok.
JACKSON: Cruz using Trump's comments to try to boost his own conservative credentials, while hitting his rivals — with a new online polling showing 64 percent of Republicans support the ban. But some of Trump's backers aren't bothered by it.
[NBC News Graphic: "Reuters/Ipsos Online Poll; April 12-18, 2016l MOE +/- 2.5 Pts.; 64% Of Republicans Support The Bathroom Ban"]
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I think everybody — live your own life; do your own thing.
JACKSON: A top Trump aide dismissing Cruz's criticism, telling NBC News, 'The senator is simply trying to stay relevant.' Trump himself: not backing down.
DONALD TRUMP (from interview on Fox News Channel's Hannity): Local communities and states should make the decision; and I feel very strongly about that.
JACKSON (on-camera): While Trump's considered one of the more LGBT-friendly Republican candidates, he hasn't talked much about those issues on the campaign trail — not a typical part of his stump speech and not mentioned tonight at his rally here in Delaware. Lester?
HOLT: Hallie Jackson, thank you.
