After the media failed to notice controversial Democratic Congresswoman Ihan Omar making offensive public comments two weeks ago in which she downplayed the September 11th terrorist attacks as “some people did something,” NBC’s Today show finally discovered the story on Thursday. The ABC and CBS morning shows continued to ignore Omar’s latest scandal, while NBC tried to paint her as a victim.
“Also this morning, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress is defending herself after making controversial comments about the 9/11 attacks,” co-host Hoda Kotb announced as she introduced a full segment on the topic in the 7:00 a.m. ET half hour. In the report that followed, correspondent Kristen Welker noted that Omar “has been at the center of a firestorm before,” but that “now, she’s reigniting a controversy over comments she made about the September 11th terrorist attack.”
Welker explained that “the remarks came last month, when Omar was speaking at an event for the Council on American Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, in Los Angeles.” A clip then played of the Minnesota lawmaker speaking at the March 23 event: “CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.”
The reporter first fact-checked Omar: “CAIR was actually founded in 1994, well before the terrorist attacks.” Welker then seemed to lament that story had come out and even portrayed Omar as a victim:
Some conservative commentators have sharply criticized Omar’s remarks. Not because she got that date wrong, but rather accusing her of downplaying the 9/11 attacks. One commentator even questioning the Congresswoman’s loyalty to the United States.
Welker touted how “Omar responded overnight on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” A soundbite ran of the Democrat telling Colbert: “I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I am as American as everyone else is.” She was predictably greeted with cheers and applause from the liberal audience.
In the softball Late Show exchange, both Omar and Colbert also complained about supposed “unfair attacks” against the Congresswoman by Fox News.
Wrapping up her Today show report, Welker reminded viewers of Omar’s past controversies: “Omar has sparked backlash in the past. In fact, shortly after taking office, she was admonished by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for making comments that some felt were anti-Semitic.”
Co-host Savannah Guthrie chimed in by holding up a copy of the New York Post and describing the cover, which featured a picture of the September 11th attacks: “The cover of the New York Post says, ‘Congresswoman Omar: 9/11 Was Some People Did Something,’ and it says, ‘Here’s Your Something.’ So you can see that there's a big reaction here near Ground Zero.”
Fellow co-host Craig Melvin added: “A lot of folks talking about that this morning.” While that may be true, ABC’s Good Morning America and CBS This Morning were not among the “folks” discussing the controversy Thursday morning. GMA was too busy devoting a full report to police being called to a home to investigate a burglar that just turned out to be a Roomba vacuum cleaner. Meanwhile, CBS This Morning marveled at 60 Minutes correspondent Anderson Cooper dressed in makeup as a Game of Thrones character. Obviously those stories were much more important that a Democratic politician dismissing the worst terrorist attack in American history.
Here is a full transcript of Welker’s April 11 report:
7:15 AM ET
HODA KOTB: Also this morning, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress is defending herself after making controversial comments about the 9/11 attacks. NBC’s Kristen Welker joins us with that story. Hey, Kristen, good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER: Hey, Hoda, good morning to you. Minnesota’s freshman Democratic Congresswoman, Representative Ilhan Omar, one of the country’s first Muslim women elected to Congress, has been at the center of a firestorm before. But now, she’s reigniting a controversy over comments she made about the September 11th terrorist attack. Now, the remarks came last month, when Omar was speaking at an event for the Council on American Islamic Relations, known as CAIR, in Los Angeles. She inaccurately said the group was founded as a result of 9/11, take a listen.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “I Am as American as Everyone Else”; Rep. Omar Responds to 9/11 Comment Controversy]
REP. ILHAN OMAR [D-MN]: CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties.
WELKER: Now CAIR was actually founded in 1994, well before the terrorist attacks. Some conservative commentators have sharply criticized Omar’s remarks. Not because she got that date wrong, but rather accusing her of downplaying the 9/11 attacks. One commentator even questioning the Congresswoman’s loyalty to the United States.
Now, Omar responded overnight on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
OMAR: I took an oath to uphold the Constitution. I am as American as everyone else is. [Cheers and applause]
WELKER: As I said, Omar has sparked backlash in the past. In fact, shortly after taking office, she was admonished by Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for making comments that some felt were anti-Semitic. Omar did apologize at the time and she told Colbert overnight, quote, “When you tell me that you are pained by something I say, I will always listen and I will acknowledge your pain.” Hoda?
KOTB: Alright, Kristen Welker. Kristen, thank you.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: It’s getting a lot of reaction here in New York, as you might imagine. The cover of the New York Post says, “Congresswoman Omar: 9/11 Was ‘Some People Did Something,’” and it says, “Here’s Your Something.” So you can see that there's a big reaction here...
CRAIG MELVIN: A lot of folks talking about that this morning.
GUTHRIE: ...near Ground Zero.
