While all three networks covered the decision by NBC Universal on Monday to cut ties with 2016 Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump, it was the CBS Evening News that chose to veer off and portray the ongoing battle as “a problem” for the GOP as its “trying to develop Hispanic support.”
In addition, the network touted Democrats as “determined to keep Hispanics in their camp” and declined to provide a party label when airing a soundbite from a Democratic state legislator from Arizona.
Anchor Scott Pelley hyped in a tease that “Donald Trump lost his prime time real estate today” before stating that congressional correspondent “Nancy Cordes says this is a problem for a party that is trying to develop Hispanic support.”
After setting the scene and including a few soundbites from Trump commenting on NBC’s decision, Cordes pointed out how “[a] coalition of Latino groups had petitioned NBC to fire Trump for what they called his 'disgusting views' about immigrants.”
To create a contrast with Trump, Cordes would eventually bring up Democrats, but it wasn’t before she mentioned that Trump’s comments on immigration “were a striking contrast to his fellow Republican candidate, Jeb Bush.”
When it was finally time to mention Democrats, Cordes ruled that: “Democrats are just as determined to keep Hispanics in their camp. Hillary Clinton featured immigrants in her campaign announcement video and mentions them frequently on the campaign trail.”
Following a clip of Clinton defending illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, Cordes brought in Marcario Saldate, who she only identified as an “Arizona state lawmaker” (as opposed to including the fact that he’s a Democrat).
Closing out her report, Cordes invoked the 2012 election results to further bolster her argument: “The numbers are growing. In 2012, Mitt Romney won among whites, but lost three-quarters of Hispanic voters and lost the election, Scott.”
The prominence of a liberal soundbite was also found on NBC Nightly News, as correspondent Katy Tur turned to Clarissa Martinez of the far-left National Council of La Raza to blast Trump for making statement that “are not only offensive to Latinos, but in reality, I think that they're offensive to any American of good conscience and many voters.”
Tur touted the decision by NBC Universal as coming “after more than 200,000 signatures on a change.org petition which wonders why Latinos are being treated as second-class citizens.” Additionally, Tur pointed to the size of the Hispanic population in the U.S.: “In the past 15 years, the number of Hispanics in the U.S. has grown to more than 55 million. That's 17 percent of the population.”
The relevant portions of the transcript from the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on June 29 can be found below.
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
June 29, 2015
6:47 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Cutting Ties]
SCOTT PELLEY: NBC cut ties with Donald Trump today after his recent comments about Mexican immigrants. Nancy Cordes says this is a problem for a party that is trying to develop Hispanic support.
DONALD TRUMP [on NBC’s The Apprentice]: You're fired.
NANCY CORDES: NBC turned the tables on Trump today, announcing it would no longer air his Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants and that it would explore ways to produce Trump's long-running show The Apprentice without him.
(....)
CORDES: A coalition of Latino groups had petitioned NBC to fire Trump for what they called his “disgusting views” about immigrants.
TRUMP: They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.
CORDES: Those comments were a striking contrast to his fellow Republican candidate, Jeb Bush. [JEB BUSH SPEAKING SPANISH] Who breaks into Spanish every chance he gets. He even answered us in Spanish. Translation?
JEB BUSH [to CORDES]: I think I have a proven record of getting people that aren't necessarily traditional Republicans to support me.
CORDES: Democrats are just as determined to keep Hispanics in their camp. Hillary Clinton featured immigrants in her campaign announcement video and mentions them frequently on the campaign trail.
HILLARY CLINTON: I will stand up against any attempt to expose dreamers to deportation.
CORDES: Arizona state lawmaker Macario Saldate.
DEMOCRATIC ARIZONA STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARCARIO SALDATE [no mention of label]: Demographically we are a number to be dealt with, which we weren't before. Now, the numbers are there.
CORDES: The numbers are growing. In 2012, Mitt Romney won among whites, but lost three-quarters of Hispanic voters and lost the election, Scott.
