What’s the going rate for five and a half minutes on national morning television? Whatever that total is should be reported by the Harris campaign to the FEC as an in-kind donation, after the servile report that aired on Univision’s morning show, Despierta América.
Univision was granted exclusive access to a Thursday shindig at the Naval Observatory, wherein Vice President Harris feted leaders of Latino-interest organizations, in order to “highlight” their work and wrangle them for the upcoming general election.
Watch this particularly cringeworthy exchange between Washington correspondent Edwin Pitti and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff:
UNIVISION DESPIERTA AMERICA
7/26/24
9:41 AM
EDWIN PITTI: Why should Latinos vote for Kamala Harris and not Donald Trump?
DOUG EMHOFF: Look- there is, just…it’s a binary election. Donald Trump is about the past and a lot of what he says is just about himself and how he’s feeling. Kamala Harris is talking about us. An America where there’s a place for everyone. She’s talking about the economy. Small business capitalism. Investment in our infrastructure. She’s talking about voting rights. She’s talking about lowering health care costs. She’s talking about a seat at the table for everyone, and she’s someone who knows the lived experience of the Latino community, but she represents all of us.
Emhoff was given ample opportunity to pontificate about the vice president, secure in the fact that the access given to Pitti foreclosed the possibility of any tough questions. Pitti, grateful for this access, allowed Emhoff to prattle on without asking the obvious followup: How, exactly, does Harris, known in some circles as “Qué Mala Harris”, know “the lived experience of the Latino community”? We never get to that part.
The entire sorry spectacle is a reminder that Univision is, ultimately, a corporate client of the Democratic party, dependent on unchecked immigration in order to maintain current levels of viewership. In service of preserving that client status, the network decided to insult their viewers by running this grotesque infomercial as “news”.
Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on Univision’s Despierta América on Friday, July 26th, 2024:
SATCHA PRETTO: And in the midst of the electoral campaign as presumptive Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris welcomes Latino leaders from all over the country at her residence. This event seeks to highlight their achievements, and the contribution they provide to the nation. Edwin Pitti shows us everything. Edwin.
EDWIN PITTI: How are you, family. Good morning. We are reporting from Vice President Kamala Harris' residence. Where, for the first time under this administration, an event was organized both to highlight the work of Latino leaders from all over the country, as well as to talk about the importance and responsibility that Harris now has to attract more Latino voters.
Between carne asada, dances, alfajores and margaritas, Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed Latino leaders from all over the country at her residence to celebrate their contributions.
KAMALA HARRIS: Many of you know our story. Our mother arrived in the United States at the age of 19. By herself. And within one generation, I am vice president of the United States.
PITTI: The event was organized by her husband Doug Emhoff, who exclusively gave us his first interview since the announcement that his wife will be the Democratic presidential nominee.
DOUG EMHOFF: We want to celebrate Latino community, and we’re doing it around a barbecue where we’re bringing people together- talking about, you know, love and joy and food. And this is why, mostly, it’s not a campaign event. It’s a celebration.
PITTI: Vice President Harris has a big challenge- winning back the vote of young Latinos. A group that stopped supporting President Joe Biden, but now, organizations such as Voto Latino have committed to investing $44,000,000 in Harris' campaign.
MARIA TERESA KUMAR: We recognize that at that moment, the person who will determine who occupies the White House will be the Latino community. It's going to be the Latina, her children and her siblings. We are investing because we believe in her.
PITTI: 36.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year. A voting bloc that no presidential candidate should ignore.
Why should Latinos vote for Kamala Harris and not Donald Trump?
EMHOFF: Look- there is, just…it’s a binary election. Donald Trump is about the past and a lot of what he says is just about himself and how he’s feeling. Kamala Harris is talking about us. An America where there’s a place for everyone. She’s talking about the economy. Small business capitalism. Investment in our infrastructure. She’s talking about voting rights. She’s talking about lowering health care costs. She’s talking about a seat at the table for everyone, and she’s someone who knows the lived experience of the Latino community, but she represents all of us.
PITTI: Univision had exclusive access to the event where Hollywood stars such as Gina Torres arrived to support the vice president.
GINA TORRES: I can't tell you how important this moment is. We are in a moment where a woman is so- so accomplished. So intelligent, with so much power and she is a- she is the daughter of immigrants- who is-first generation like me, like so many here.
HARRIS: And I intend to be President of the United States.
PITTI: The road will not be easy. Harris knows there is a lot of work to do to win in key states. But if she wins, her husband, who could become the First Gentleman of the United States, tells us what he would do if his wife became the country's first female president.
EMHOFF: First, just like as the first Second Gentleman, I’m her husband first. I love her, I support her, I’ve got her back always. And- you know, be a good husband. But two: is to support the administration. So as First Gentleman, it’ll be very similar. I’m gonna be a great husband, support her, and support the Harris presidency agenda. And I’ll continue, you know- I’m someone in this role as Second Gentleman, I fought against hate, bigotry…
PITTI: And after this event with Latino leaders from all over the country, before leaving, they told me that they leave with a very clear idea. And here in the United States, every 30 seconds there is a Latino who turns 18 years old. And, consequently, they will be able to vote in the next elections. Reporting from Vice President Kamala Harris' home here in Washington, D.C., I'm Edwin Pitti, Despierta América
PRETTO: Edwin, thank you for providing this report from Washington, D.C.
