What are the odds that three network newscasts would spit out the same talking point on migrant crime while covering a Trump campaign event? It turns out the odds are pretty good if the media need to firefight for President Biden on immigration, as they did tonight.
Watch, for example, as ABC’s Rachel Scott works the “migrants are less likely to commit crime than American citizens” talking point into the immigration part of her abortion-heavy campaign roundup:
RACHEL SCOTT: Trump trying to turn the focus to the border, and what he's now calling migrant crime.
DONALD TRUMP: Every state is now a border state. Every town is now a border town, because Joe Biden has brought the carnage and chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards.
SCOTT: But in fact, data shows undocumented immigrants are actually less likely to commit violent crimes than American citizens. The Biden campaign pointing out that Trump himself pressured congressional Republicans to block the toughest bipartisan border security bill in generations because he wanted to run on the issue in November. President Biden urging Republicans to support the measure.
JOE BIDEN: Look, folks, we have a simple choice. We can fight about fixing the border, or we can fix it. I'm ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now.
When Scott mentions that Trump is “trying to turn the focus to the border”, she means off of abortion, which was the focal point of her report. And sandwiched between Trump and Biden quotes is the infamous line so often cited about migrants and crime.
But the rote incantation of this talking point, for years confined to Univision’s Jorge Ramos, is irrelevant within the migrant crime debate. An increase, even at a reduced rate versus historical averages, is still a net increase. These crimes are still being committed and there is zero proof that these criminals displaced American criminals ready, willing, and able to do crime.
Furthermore, they are crimes committed by people who did not enter into the country illegally or, in some of these instances, who entered into the country as a result of immigration changes imposed by President Biden.
Here's CBS's Nancy Cordes:
CBS’s Nancy Cordes echoed the same point in her campaign roundup, which was also heavy on abortion:
DONALD TRUMP: Joe Biden’s border bloodbath -- and that is what it is, it’s a bloodbath.
NANCY CORDES: Despite criticism from both sides, former President Trump used the word "bloodbath" again today, this time to describe crimes committed by migrants.
DONALD TRUMP: Democrats say please don't call them animals, they are humans. I said no, they are not humans. They are not humans. They are animals.
CORDES: It was two and a half weeks ago, while talking about the future of the U.S. auto industry, that Trump warned of a bloodbath if he isn't elected in November. Today, his campaign went a step further, launching an immigration-related website, though there is no evidence that undocumented migrants commit violent crimes at higher rates than U.S. citizens.
Here we see the same talking point on migrant crime data, wrapped around hand-wringing over Trump’s renewed use of the word “bloodbath”. Finally, there’s NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez:
GABE GUTIERREZ: A new survey shows 64% of Americans disapprove of President Biden's handling of the border, including three in ten Democrats.
VOTER: You don't have a border, you've got problems. And they're importing them all over the country.
GUTIERREZ: But studies suggest migrants don't commit crimes at higher rates than American citizens, and Democrats argue Mr. Trump is trying to exploit Garcia's death. They blame the former president for killing a bipartisan border security bill in Congress. These billboards are now going up in the crucial swing states.
For those keeping score at home, that’s three network newscasts, filing three separate campaign roundups but going to the same talking point on migrant crime. As Biden’s immigration numbers continue to drag him down, you can expect the media to go to this talking point more frequently.
If it weren’t for regime media, we’d have no media at all.
Click “expand” to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective network evening newscasts on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT:
DAVID MUIR: We turn now to the race for the White House. Abortion rights front and center, and will it put the state of Florida in play? Tonight President Biden blasting Florida's new 6-week abortion ban, one of the strictest in the country, before many women know they’re pregnant. The president calling it outrageous. Former President Trump on the campaign trail today saying suburban housewives like Trump. Rachel Scott in Wisconsin.
RACHEL SCOTT: Tonight, President Biden denouncing the Florida state Supreme Court's ruling clearing the way for the state to ban abortion at six weeks, before most women even know they're pregnant, calling it now outrageous. The president saying the law puts the health and lives of millions of women at risk. But Biden's campaign now seizing on the Court's other major decision, allowing Florida voters a chance to protect abortion rights on the November ballot. The campaign saying that now puts Florida in play for the presidential election. They're keenly aware abortion rights has won in all six states where it has been on the ballot, including in conservative states like Kansas, Kentucky, and Ohio. Donald Trump often boasts about appointing three of the justices who voted to overturn Roe versus Wade, but today, he didn't want to talk about the Florida court ruling.
DONALD TRUMP: We'll be making a statement next week on abortion.
SCOTT: Today, in battleground Michigan, Trump making his own appeal to women voters.
TRUMP: You know, the suburban housewives actually like Donald Trump. You know why? Because I'm the one who is going to keep them safe. They like to say, well, the suburban housewives, I don't know -- I think I do great with the suburban housewives, because they want to remain safe.
SCOTT: Trump trying to turn the focus to the border, and what he's now calling migrant crime.
TRUMP: Every state is now a border state. Every town is now a border town, because Joe Biden has brought the carnage and chaos and killing from all over the world and dumped it straight into our backyards.
SCOTT: But in fact, data shows undocumented immigrants are actually less likely to commit violent crimes than American citizens. The Biden campaign pointing out that Trump himself pressured congressional Republicans to block the toughest bipartisan border security bill in generations because he wanted to run on the issue in November. President Biden urging Republicans to support the measure.
JOE BIDEN: Look, folks, we have a simple choice. We can fight about fixing the border, or we can fix it. I'm ready to fix it. Send me the border bill now.
SCOTT: David, back to the issue of abortion rights. We know it will be on the ballot in Florida. Tonight, advocates say they have enough support to put it on the ballot in Arizona, as well. You could see the same thing could happen in nearly a dozen other states including battlegrounds like Nevada and Pennsylvania. David.
MUIR: So abortion rights could be on the ballot in Arizona this November. We can hear you barely over the campaign rally behind you. A sign of the times, Rachel. Thank you.
CBS EVENING NEWS:
NORAH O’DONNELL: Now to the 2024 race for the White House. President Biden's campaign is hitting the airwaves with a hard-hitting political ad focusing on abortion rights, and they are using Donald Trump's own words in an effort to warn voters. CBS's Nancy Cordes reports the former president is on the campaign trail in the Midwest, where he’s focusing on another wedge issue: Immigration.
DONALD TRUMP: Joe Biden’s border bloodbath -- and that is what it is, it’s a bloodbath.
NANCY CORDES: Despite criticism from both sides, former President Trump used the word "bloodbath" again today, this time to describe crimes committed by migrants.
TRUMP: Democrats say please don't call them animals, they are humans. I said no, they are not humans. They are not humans. They are animals.
CORDES: It was two and a half weeks ago, while talking about the future of the U.S. auto industry, that Trump warned of a bloodbath if he isn't elected in November. Today, his campaign went a step further, launching an immigration-related website, though there is no evidence that undocumented migrants commit violent crimes at higher rates than U.S. citizens.
What's the White House reaction to the use of that term, "bloodbath?"
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: Our response is we have to denounce any violent rhetoric that we hear, certainly from our leaders, right?
CORDES: The Biden campaign was focused today on abortion, launching this new ad one day after Florida's Supreme Court cleared the way for a six-week abortion ban to go into effect in the state next month.
JOE BIDEN: Donald Trump doesn't trust women. I do.
CORDES: The state court also allowed an abortion-rights measure to appear on Florida ballots come November. The Biden camp hopes that will help drive Democrats there to the polls, just as similar initiatives have in other states.
FLORIDA VOTER: I will be voting this November. If I have to be in there with my crutches or my wheelchair, I will be there.
CORDES: Trump was campaigning in another key state: Michigan, where he brought up the $175 million bond he just posted in his New York civil fraud case.
TRUMP: I'm the only one that has to put up a bond, you know, I put up a bond -- I didn't do anything wrong.
O’DONNELL: Nancy Cordes is with us. $175 million, a lot of money. What do we know about the man who gave Trump this financial lifeline?
CORDES: Norah, he is a Los Angeles billionaire, his name is Don Hankey. He is known as the king of subprime auto loans. And this isn't the first time he has come to Trump's financial rescue when many others wouldn't. It has happened at least twice before, when Trump was overleveraged, including in 2022, when he gave Trump a loan to refinance Trump Tower.
O’DONNELL: Nancy Cordes, following the money. Thank you.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS:
LESTER HOLT: Former President Trump was in key battleground states in the Midwest highlighting the border crisis as he is dealing with new fallout from his legal cases, including an expanded gag order from a judge. Gabe Gutierrez reports.
GABE GUTIERREZ: Tonight, former President Trump on a battleground blitz with this rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
DONALD TRUMP: Do I have your word you're going to go out and vote?
GUTIERREZ: And this stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Both states President Biden narrowly won four years ago. Mr. Trump zeroing in on the border crisis, highlighting the murder of 25-year-old Ruby Garcia here last month. Authorities say the suspect, her romantic partner, an undocumented immigrant who had previously been deported during the Trump administration.
TRUMP: Not one more innocent life should be lost to Biden migrant crime.
GUTIERREZ: Mr. Trump slamming President Biden for rolling back restrictive Trump border policies.
TRUMP: Under the Trump administration, we had a tough policy of getting the bad people out.
GUTIERREZ: A new survey shows 64% of Americans disapprove of President Biden's handling of the border, including three in ten Democrats.
VOTER: You don't have a border, you've got problems. And they're importing them all over the country.
GUTIERREZ: But studies suggest migrants don't commit crimes at higher rates than American citizens, and Democrats argue Mr. Trump is trying to exploit Garcia's death. They blame the former president for killing a bipartisan border security bill in Congress. These billboards are now going up in the crucial swing states.
HILLARY SCHOLTEN: Donald Trump has not wasted any time in grandstanding and clamoring for the camera to come here.
GUTIERREZ: The former president also fighting legal battles on multiple fronts. The judge in his hush money trial just expanded the gag order against Mr. Trump, to include the relatives of court staff after Mr. Trump on social media attacked the judge's adult daughter, who is a political consultant for Democrats. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump just posted a reduced $175 million bond in his New York City civil fraud case, preventing his properties from being seized while he appeals the case.
TRUMP: I had to put up a bond this morning for $175 million. I did nothing wrong.
