During a press conference in San Francisco, California on Monday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was shouted down by a mob of immigration activists who were demanding amnesty. Angry that she would negotiate with President Trump to save the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA), they refused to let her speak. And interestingly enough, ABC World News Tonight was the only network program in the Big Three (ABC, CBS, and NBC) to ignore the incident.
In contrast to their silence with Pelosi, ABC had previously held up and championed angry mobs shouting at GOP lawmakers. “Republican lawmakers are hearing loud and clear from constituents who don't like some of the provisions of that new GOP health care bill,” declared reporter David Wright on Good Morning America back in early May.
That’s on top of nearly every health care report by ABC’s Mary Bruce including B-roll of angry anti-GOP protesters at town halls.
And in December 2016, ABC’s Cecilia Vega hyped anti-Trump mobs disrupting Electoral College voting around the country. “A chaotic scene in Wisconsin today … Protesters shouting down electors as they cast their votes for Donald Trump,” She reported. “As the Electoral College convened in statehouses across the country, Trump's opponents making a last-ditch attempt to keep him from the White House.”
Spanish-language network Telemundo was apparently overjoyed by the angry disruption, leading their newscast with the on-screen headline “Dreamers on War Footing.”
“‘All of us or none of us.’ With that war cry, dozens of young immigrants today interrupted a press conference by House Democratic Leader,” proclaimed anchor Jose Diaz-Balart. “The group demanded of Nancy Pelosi the legalization of all undocumented people, and said they don't accept being a bargaining chip in negotiations with President Trump, for a reform that would protect them from deportation.”
But for the other networks in the Big Three, their reporting was drastically different. “House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was shouted down today by dozens of protesters as she held a news conference in San Francisco to urge passage of the DREAM Act,” reported Anchor Anthony Mason on CBS Evening News. “They want a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants.”
And after calling the press conference a “chaotic scene,” anchor Lester Holt noted on NBC Nightly News that “the purpose of the event, calling on Congress to immediately pass the DREAM Act.” “But dozens of protesters interrupted calling Pelosi a liar for taking part in negotiations with President Trump to keep DACA protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children in exchange for tighter border security,” he added while failing to play any audio from the chaos.
Cleary, ABC prefers only to elevate those who would shout down Republicans and shy away from those who dare disrupt a Democratic Party leader.
Transcript below:
CBS Evening News
September 18, 2017
6:41:52 PM EasternANTHONY MASON: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was shouted down today by dozens of protesters as she held a news conference in San Francisco to urge passage of the DREAM Act.
PROTESTORS: You are a liar!
NANCY PELOSI: You don't know what you're talking about.
MASON: The DREAM Act would protect roughly 700,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children from deportation. The protesters said that's not good enough. They want a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants.
...
NBC Nightly News
September 18, 2017
7:09:49 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: A chaotic scene in San Francisco today when pro-immigration activists shut down a news conference with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in her home district. The purpose of the event, calling on Congress to immediately pass the DREAM Act. But dozens of protesters interrupted calling Pelosi a liar for taking part in negotiations with President Trump to keep DACA protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children in exchange for tighter border security. Pelosi eventually exited after about 30 tense minutes.
...
NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO
September 18, 2017JOSE DIAZ-BALART, ANCHOR, NOTICIERO TELEMUNDO: 'All of us or none of us.' With that war cry, dozens of young immigrants today interrupted a press conference by the House Democratic Leader. The group demanded of Nancy Pelosi the legalization of all undocumented people, and said they don't accept being a bargaining chip in negotiations with President Trump, for a reform that would protect them from deportation. Edgar Muñoz with the details.
EDGARD MUNOZ, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: We are 'undocumented and unafraid' yelled about 20 young people who today interrupted a press conference by Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and two other legislators in San Francisco.
CONGRESSWOMAN NANCY PELOSI: Hey, stop it
EDGARD MUNOZ, CORRESPONDENT, TELEMUNDO: 'You are a liar', said Luis Angel Reyes to the House Democratic leader...
