On Thursday, the three evening news broadcasts continued their meltdowns over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sending two fights of illegal aliens Wednesday to the ritzy white liberal enclave of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Despite their calls for diversity, the left threw a temper tantrum over 48 illegal immigrants from Venezuela landing in their overwhelmingly white and rich vacation spot.
"It's a stunt using human beings to score political points. 50 undocumented migrants, including several children, arriving in Martha's Vineyard. Flown in by Florida Republican Governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis. An effort to turn the spotlight to immigration just two months before the midterm elections," ABC's senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce cried during her report on World News Tonight.
Bruce didn't finish her tantrum, she went on to kvetch that "Local officials had no idea the families were coming, but DeSantis made sure cameras were there to capture it all."
She then made sure to tout the absurd threat by California Governor Gavin Newsom: "Today, California Governor Gavin Newsom was blunt. Tweeting, 'what DeSantis and Abbott are doing isn't clever, it's cruel.' Newsom asking the Justice Department to investigate 'these inhumane efforts to use kids as political pawns'."
Finishing up her melodramatic report, Bruce made the claim that the immigrants are simply "caught in the middle, thousands of families fleeing violence, poverty, and climate change, looking for a better life."
Over on CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O'Donnell sneered that "Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is under fire for using taxpayer dollars to organize flights of asylum seekers to Martha's Vineyard."
She also touted Newsom's threats: "the backlash comes as the Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom is asking the Justice Department to pursue kidnapping charges against Republican Governors who are sending migrants to Democratic-run cities."
Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt had his own tantrum, calling DeSantis sending the group of illegal immigrants to Martha's Vineyard an "attention-making move."
The meltdowns weren't isolated to the media since correspondent Kerry Sanders gave airtime to a local resident and a state representative who each lashed out at their island getaway being invaded by people they presumably believe to be undesirable:
SANDERS: As the local island community in Massachusetts rallied to help the migrants today --
LISA BELCASTRO: Some have been through really horrific things.
SANDERS: Anger among some Democrats.
REP. DYLAN FERNANDES: We have the governor of one of the largest states in the country hatching a secretive plot to use humans, to use women, children, and families, as a political pawn, and, to me, it just is so cruel.
The leftist networks should explain how it is okay for Texas and Arizona border towns to be overrun by illegal immigrants but it's frowned upon when they are inhabiting Martha's Vineyard. Perhaps it's because the elite leftists in the media and politics all vacation at Martha's Vineyard and their lectures about how immigration is virtuous was all a lie.
This anti-immigrant meltdown by the three networks was made possible by Simplisafe on ABC, Ensure on CBS, and Verizon on NBC. Their information is linked.
To read the transcripts of each segment click "expand":
ABC’s World News Tonight
9/15/2022
6:34:33 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: In the meantime, we turn now to immigration, the showdown playing out right here in the U.S. tonight, far from the U.S./Mexico border. Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis flying roughly 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Texas dropping off two more bus loads of migrants in Washington, D.C. This time, outside the home of the Vice President. Tonight, the Democratic Governor calling this cruel, calling for a federal investigation.
The White House calling this horrific and shameful. But the Republican Governors behind it say the Biden administration must deal with this issue. Here's our senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce tonight.
MARY BRUCE: It's a stunt using human beings to score political points. 50 undocumented migrants, including several children, arriving in Martha's Vineyard. Flown in by Florida Republican Governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis. An effort to turn the spotlight to immigration just two months before the midterm elections. Local officials had no idea the families were coming, but DeSantis made sure cameras were there to capture it all.
TRANSLATOR: Do you realize you're on a island of Massachusetts?
BRUCE: No, this man says. Officials scrambling to set up shelter and offer assistance.
REP. BILL KEATING: It's just pure optics, political optics of the most cynical nature.
BRUCE: But DeSantis argues he’s simply sending the migrants to sanctuary cities that have promised to welcome them.
GOV. RON DESANTIS: We will help facilitate that transport for you, to be able to go to greener pastures.
BRUCE: Hours later, in Washington, D.C., buses sent by Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott dropped these migrants right in front of the Vice President's house.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: They were extremely confused. This is a very residential area. It's in the middle of rush hour, so a lot of traffic was coming. They were extremely disoriented.
BRUCE: Texas and Arizona have been doing this for months. Texas alone bussing over 8,000 migrants to D.C. since April. And 2,500 to New York City since the beginning of August. New York's mayor saying the city's system is nearing its breaking point.
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: We need help. We have not been ashamed to say that. We need help.
BRUCE: And today, California Governor Gavin Newsom was blunt. Tweeting, "what DeSantis and Abbott are doing isn't clever, it's cruel." Newsom asking the Justice Department to investigate "these inhumane efforts to use kids as political pawns." But Republicans say Democrats are now getting a sense of what border states are dealing with.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN: They are beginning to experience just a little bit of what the state of Texas and other border communities have experienced for years.
BRUCE: Border crossings have soared. A record 1.8 million apprehensions since October. Roughly half of those migrants remaining in the U.S.
[...]
BRUCE: We pressed the White House. Do you feel that the situation at the border is under control? Are you doing enough?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: We are fixing a broken system. It is not like turning the light switch on. It is going to take some time. We understand that we have work to do.
BRUCE: The press secretary saying Republicans aren't serious about fixing the problem. And caught in the middle, thousands of families fleeing violence, poverty, and climate change, looking for a better life.
MUIR: All right, Mary Bruce with us live at the White House tonight. Mary, the Republican governors behind this standing by their decision to make a political statement with these migrants, flying them, bussing them elsewhere. They say they're trying to put pressure on the Biden administration and obviously, they also know the midterms are less than two months away now.
BRUCE: David, Republicans are looking for an issue they can energize voters. They may worry some Democrats are making gains as the election nears, and that abortion may hurt some Republican candidates. But they are hoping immigration may give them an opening and we've certainly seen Republicans use a similar playbook in the past. David?
MUIR: Mary Bruce at the White House. Thank you, Mary.
CBS Evening News
9/15/2022
6:35:02 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Well, tonight, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is under fire for using taxpayer dollars to organize flights of asylum seekers to Martha's Vineyard. The backlash comes as the Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom is asking the Justice Department to pursue kidnapping charges against Republican Governors who are sending migrants to Democratic-run cities. CBS's Elaine Quijano is in Martha's Vineyard.
ELAINE QUIJANO: The 48 asylum seekers mainly from Venezuela landed in Martha's Vineyard Wednesday afternoon aboard two planes from Texas and organized by Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Luis Fonseca says he left Venezuela to look for a better life for his three children who are still there.
He didn't know he would end up here. They told me there was a work opportunity, he says. We were going to a city, but we ended up staying here. Democratic Massachusetts state representative Dylan Fernandes called the move by DeSantis disgusting.
REP. DYLAN FERNANDES: Ron DeSantis is a coward. Only a coward uses women and children for their own political gain.
QUIJANO: Today, Governor DeSantis defended the flights paid through a $12 million taxpayer-funded initiative.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS: We take what's happening at the southern border very seriously, unlike some and unlike the President of the United States.
QUIJANO: The move follows similar steps taken by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Today about 100 migrants from Texas were dropped off near the Vice President's Naval Observatory residence. So far, Abbott has bused over 10,000 migrants to New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.. Mayors in those cities called the actions political and shameful. In south Florida a group of Venezuelan Americans criticized DeSantis.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: We demand him to stop using our pain, our suffering, and our desperation for his political gains.
QUIJANO: Republicans on Capitol Hill defended the Florida Governor's actions today. As for the migrants who are here legally seeking asylum, officials here are looking into temporarily housing them at a military base in Cape Cod. Norah?
NBC Nightly News
9/15/2022
7:01:43 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, everyone. The nation's migrant crisis landing at an unfamiliar doorstep tonight nearby 50 Venezuelan migrants flown from Texas at the direction of Florida's Republican Governor to a Democratic enclave in Massachusetts. Their arrival at Martha's Vineyard captured in this video provided by Governor Ron DeSantis's office from a source on the ground.
An attention-making move getting just that tonight. On the record migrant crossings of the southern border. DeSantis arguing every community in America should be sharing in the burden and blaming the increase on Biden administration immigration policies.
This evening the newly arrived migrants in Martha’s Vineyard are getting care and shelter as Democrats accuse DeSantis of using them as political pawns. Kerry Sanders has details.
KERRY SANDERS: 48 Venezuelan migrants, the youngest only three years old flown to Martha's Vineyard Wednesday will spend another night at a local church. Officials say they were given no notice the migrants were headed there. The charter flights to the wealthy heavily Democratic enclave where former President Obama has a home, arranged by Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS: Every community in America should be sharing in the burdens. It shouldn't all fall on a handful of red states.
SANDERS: A protest against President Biden's border policies that DeSantis says have led to a record surge of migrants.
DESANTIS: What would be the best is for Biden to do his damn job and secure the border.
SANDERS: As the local island community in Massachusetts rallied to help the migrants today --
LISA BELCASTRO: Some have been through really horrific things.
SANDERS: Anger among some Democrats.
REP. DYLAN FERNANDES: We have the governor of one of the largest states in the country hatching a secretive plot to use humans, to use women, children, and families, as a political pawn, and, to me, it just is so cruel.
SANDERS: The flight of migrants the latest move by Republican governors along border states sending migrants north, including Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has bussed 11,000 migrants to New York City where Democratic Mayor Eric Adams says the city is nearing a breaking point. Still --
MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: We will continue to welcome asylum seekers with open arms and provide them the services they need.
SANDERS: Abbott also sending 101 migrants to the gate outside of Vice President Kamala Harris's residence in Washington Wednesday after she said on Meet the Press–
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS: The border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system.
SANDERS: Washington, D.C., has requested National Guard to help with the, quote, growing humanitarian crisis. Meanwhile, tonight NBC News has learned there is friction between the Homeland Security Department and the White House over what to do with 2 million illegal border crossings in the last year breaking all previous records. DHS officials have presented options, including flying migrants to the border with Canada.
JULIA AINSLEY: Sources tell us the White House has so far been reluctant to take that step which they say would be taking a page out of the Republican playbook.
HOLT: Kerry, tonight the White House is responding to the moves by DeSantis and other Republican Governors. How so?
SANDERS: Well, Lester, while those states say they don't have the resources to handle this immigration crisis, the White House is pushing back calling this a cruel political hoax and saying moving migrants north is nothing more than just adding to the confusion and chaos, Lester?
