On Saturday's CBS This Morning, correspondent Jonathan Vigliotti ran a report celebrating the election of London's first Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, as he portrayed conservative critics as exploiting "fear." Without trying to explain what critics were supposedly wrong about, Vigliotti suggested that his opponents were spreading misinformation as he declared that, "in the end, facts trumped fear."
After conspicuously using the word "trumped," in his introduction, Vigliotti linked the election to Donald Trump's proposal to ban Muslim immigration as he concluded by relating Khan's disapproving views on the GOP presidential candidate: "Khan has become very vocal in American politics, criticizing Donald Trump's proposed ban on Muslims. Khan has said he hopes Trump loses."
After co-anchor Anthony Mason set up the report by recounting that London is "the first major Western city with a Muslim mayor" after a "contentious campaign," correspondent Vigliotti began his report: "Good morning. Sadiq Khan's race for the mayor's office wasn't easy. His Muslim faith has been targeted, and his main rival tried to link him to extremists. In the end, facts trumped fear."
After a soundbite of Mayor Khan, the CBS correspondent asserted that conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith used "fear" in the campaign:
Fear became a hallmark of his opponent's campaign against him. Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith -- a billionaire's son -- once attacked Khan's advocacy work for criminal defendants, saying he gave a platform to extremists. Khan has called the claim unfounded and racist.
Then came a clip of Khan complaining: "Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker. And the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city."
After recalling some of the new mayor's personal background, and noting that he won 57 percent of the vote, Vigliotti took a shot at Trump as he concluded: "Khan has become very vocal in American politics, criticizing Donald Trump's proposed ban on Muslims. Khan has said he hopes Trump loses."
By the time the report ended, Vigliotti still had not recounted any details of Khan's connections to Muslim extremists or explained why his conservative critics did not have "facts" on their side.
Below is a complete transcript of the report from the Saturday, May 7, CBS This Morning:
ANTHONY MASON: London is now the first major Western city with a Muslim mayor. Sadiq Khan is being sworn in this morning in a church with multi-faith representatives looking on. He defeated a conservative challenger in a contentious campaign. Jonathan Vigliotti is in our London bureau with more. Jonathan, good morning.
JONATHAN VIGLIOTTI: Good morning. Sadiq Khan's race for the mayor's office wasn't easy. His Muslim faith has been targeted, and his main rival tried to link him to extremists. In the end, facts trumped fear.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I therefore declare Sadiq Khan to be elected as the new mayor of London.
VIGLIOTTI: In his acceptance speech, former human rights lawyer and Labour candidate Sadiq Khan promised to be a mayor for all Londoners, while acknowledging his tough race to office.
SADIQ KHAN, LONDON MAYOR-ELECT: I'm so proud that London has today chosen hope over fear and unity over division.
VIGLIOTTI: Fear became a hallmark of his opponent's campaign against him. Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith -- a billionaire's son -- once attacked Khan's advocacy work for criminal defendants, saying he gave a platform to extremists. Khan has called the claim unfounded and racist.
KHAN: Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker. And the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city.
VIGLIOTTI: In the end, Khan took home 57 percent of the vote and became the most powerful Muslim in European politics. It is an unlikely path for a candidate who has said he came from nothing. Khan grew up in public housing. His father was a bus driver from Pakistan. In his mayoral campaign, he promised to provide more affordable housing and transport, to encourage higher wages, and to unite the city's diverse population -- 12 percent of which are Muslim. Khan's first day on the job begins tomorrow. He succeeds Boris Johnson, a conservative who has been mayor since 2008.
Khan has become very vocal in American politics, criticizing Donald Trump's proposed ban on Muslims. Khan has said he hopes Trump loses.
