Jorge Ramos appeared on Anderson Cooper 360 Tuesday night to discuss his favorite person to hate, Donald Trump. While on the program he promoted his anti-Trump crusade and called for journalists to put objectivity aside. Ramos argued, “I think for journalists our social responsibility, I think, is to question those who are in power and when we're confronted with racism, discrimination, corruption, public lies, dictatorships and violations of human rights I think we have to take a stand.” And he received almost no push back from host Anderson Cooper.
The interview started off with Cooper reminding the audience that Ramos was once kicked out of a Trump press conference. Cooper claimed it was because Ramos was asking questions about Trump’s immigration plan. But what Cooper didn’t mention was that Ramos was shouting questions out of turn and disrespecting his fellow journalists. Cooper allowed Ramos to rant about why Trump was wrong on immigration.
Cooper even played along with Ramos when talking about his op-ed in Time magazine, asking, “You then go on to say, “judgment day is coming.” That is what you consider Election Day to be. I mean, is that what you consider Election Day to be, judgment day?” Cooper knew perfectly well that’s what Ramos thought, because it’s in the title of the piece.
Teed up by Cooper, Ramos gave his pitch to the media:
I think for journalists our social responsibility, I think, is to question those who are in power and when we're confronted with racism, discrimination, corruption, public lies, dictatorships and violations of human rights I think we have to take a stand.
Feigning objectivity Cooper inquired about how Ramos handles Hillary Clinton, “Do you make the same argument about Hillary Clinton not giving press conferences— it's important to be confrontational about that, as well?”
As would be expected Ramos claimed he was equally hard on Clinton, “I think I've been tough, very tough also on Hillary Clinton. I asked her about that e-mails, and Benghazi during the democratic debate.” He went on to claim that being hard on Trump doesn’t mean he can’t be hard on Clinton, but that is exactly what it means. If Ramos was being equal with Clinton where is his call for the media to put objectivity aside with her?
Transcript below:
CNN
Anderson Cooper 360
August 30, 2016
8:32:54 PM Eastern…
ANDERSON COOPER: I want to ask you about an op-ed you wrote for Time magazine recently. And I want to read part of it to our viewers. You said in part, “Regardless of whether Donald Trump wins or loses, we will be asked on November 9th: What did you do? Did you support him or did you just sit idly, silently, allowing others to decide the future of the United States. Because you will be asked.” You then go on to say, “judgment day is coming.” That is what you consider Election Day to be. I mean, is that what you consider Election Day to be, judgment day?
JORGE RAMOS: I think for journalists our social responsibility, I think, is to question those who are in power and when we're confronted with racism, discrimination, corruption, public lies, dictatorships and violations of human rights I think we have to take a stand. Edgar Romero did it. Walter Cronkite did it and Jake Tapper did it when he confronted Donald Trump on David Duke and Judge Gonzalo Curiel.
So, I think it’s our responsibility to do that. And yes, I think it will be judgment day. It happened to us already after the Iraq war. We realized too late that there were no weapons of mass destruction and the opposition and journalists were not strong enough in front of President George W. Bush. I think it's exactly the same thing that will happen now with Donald Trump on November 9th.
COOPER: Do you make the same argument about Hillary Clinton not giving press conferences— it's important to be confrontational about that, as well?
RAMOS: I agree with you completely. I think I've been tough, very tough also on Hillary Clinton. I asked her about that e-mails, and Benghazi during the democratic debate. Last Sunday I asked Tim Kaine, her running mate, on the possible conflict of interest with the -- with the Clinton Foundation. And I've been very tough on President Barack Obama because of his deportation policies.
So the fact that I'm suggesting that we should be really, really tough on Donald Trump because of his racist remark and his sexist remark does not prevent me from being tough with Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama. I think we have to be as tough with both of them.
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