President Trump ruffled the liberal media’s feathers again on Tuesday after his Justice Department released new guidelines instructing colleges and universities to not use a person’s race as a factor in admissions. It’s a reversal of an Obama-era guideline so, of course, ABC and NBC were against the move and downplayed the plight of Asian-Americans whose race meant affirmative action policies burdened them with a higher standard.
On ABC’s World News Tonight, the new Trump administration guidelines were barely touched and were rolled into a larger report about the President’s search for a new Supreme Court justice. “Bottom line, it's another reversal of Obama administration policy,” suggested correspondent Kyra Phillips. “The White House now suggesting colleges take a race-blind approach for admissions.”
Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, they ran a full report on the new admissions guidelines with anchor Lester Host hyping how “some higher education groups are vowing to ignore it” as he introduced the segment.
“In a new memo, out tonight, the Department of Justice called that guidance ‘unnecessary, outdated, inconsistent with existing law or otherwise improper.’ For months, top Trump administration officials have targeted affirmative action policies that they argue are unfair,” scoffed chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson.
Jackson worried about schools getting sued by the Trump Justice Department for defying the guidelines and noted how “civil rights advocates and others [are] now furious.” “The American Council on Education points to the need for diversity in classrooms, saying, ‘The federal government should not threaten’ schools trying to be inclusive,” she added.
While she did mention how Asian-American students were suing Harvard University for their higher standards, Jackson gave no explanation of how they blamed affirmative action for the alleged discrimination. “A group of Asian-American students suing Harvard University, accusing the school of unfairly giving preference to other racial minorities,” she said.
And with their case likely to get to the Supreme Court, Jackson fretted about how the vote could go if Trump gets another conservative justice on the bench. “The last big affirmative action case in front of the court was decided on a slim 4-3 margin. The swing vote? Justice Anthony Kennedy now retiring,” she warned.
In stark contrast, CBS chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford gave voice to those students during her report on the CBS Evening News. “In recent years, Asian-Americans have become vocal opponents of affirmative action, which they say holds them to higher academic standards than white and other minority students,” she informed viewers. “The Justice Department has agreed to help them challenge affirmative action policies at Harvard University.”
Crawford also spoke with Harvard junior Kelley Babphavong, who described what it was like to be subjected to affirmative action. “For us, to being Asian-Americans and have our applications reduced to our identity and hold us to a higher standard in that regard is really demeaning,” she explained.
The CBS report was a fairly balanced one. It included the reaction of an Obama administration official, the Harvard students’ negative experience with affirmative action, and Harvard’s response to those students and defense of their policy. The others could learn something from this.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
July 3, 2018
7:09:29 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Now to a major development today in one of the most divisive issues of our time, affirmative action and whether it should be part of a college admissions process. Today, a reversal by the Trump administration on the issue and some higher education groups are vowing to ignore it. We get more from chief White House Correspondent, Hallie Jackson.
[Cuts to video]
HALLIE JACKSON: On affirmative action, a new move back to old guidelines. The Trump administration now says colleges and universities should not consider race during the admissions process. A reversal of what former President Obama recommended. In a new memo, out tonight, the Department of Justice called that guidance “unnecessary, outdated, inconsistent with existing law or otherwise improper.” For months, top Trump administration officials have targeted affirmative action policies that they argue are unfair even though the President himself seemed to have no issue during the campaign.
DONALD TRUMP: But I'm fine with affirmative action. We've lived with it for a long time and I lived with it a long time.
JACKSON: Civil rights advocates and others now furious. The American Council on Education points to the need for diversity in classrooms, saying, ‘The federal government should not threaten” schools trying to be inclusive. It sets up a potential political battle for a president who promised to fight for African-Americans.
TRUMP: I said to them, what the hell do you have to lose? Vote for me. What do you have to lose?
JACKSON: The new guidelines do not change the law but schools that keep their current admissions policies could face a lawsuit from the Justice Department. The Supreme Court may hear a critical case on this. A group of Asian-American students suing Harvard University, accusing the school of unfairly giving preference to other racial minorities. The last big affirmative action case in front of the court was decided on a slim 4-3 margin. The swing vote? Justice Anthony Kennedy now retiring.
[Cuts back to live]
That sets up the stakes to replace Justice Kennedy with the White House telling us tonight, that President Trump interviewed three more candidates for that job today. His announcement, Lester, is set to come in just six days.
HOLT: Hallie Jackson tonight, thank you.
CBS Evening News
July 3, 2018
6:38:52 PM EasternJEFF GLOR: The Trump administration today reversed an Obama-era policy that encouraged colleges to consider race as a factor in admissions. Jan Crawford has more on this story.
[Cuts to video]
JAN CRAWFORD: The announcement came in a dear colleague letter, advising school officials the Trump administration was withdrawing Obama administration guidelines that encouraged affirmative action in admissions. It was widely expected as the Justice Department targets affirmative action in college admissions on multiple fronts. Former Obama administration official Catherine lhamon blasted the decision.
CATHERINE LHAMON: We can expect that we will see a reduction in the benefits of diversity that the Supreme Court has long recognized for all of us.
CRAWFORD: The Supreme Court has outlawed quotas or numerical goals but has refused to end affirmative action entirely and has said race can be considered as one of many factors to get a diverse student body. Justice Anthony Kennedy was the key swing vote. His retirement could shift the court's balance on affirmative action and a case is brewing in the lower courts.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It always takes courage to speak up against injustice.
CRAWFORD: In recent years, Asian-Americans have become vocal opponents of affirmative action, which they say holds them to higher academic standards than white and other minority students. The Justice Department has agreed to help them challenge affirmative action policies at Harvard University. Kelley Babphavong is a rising junior.
KELLEY BABPHAVONG: For us, to being Asian-Americans and have our applications reduced to our identity and hold us to a higher standard in that regard is really demeaning.
CRAWFORD: Harvard University President Larry Bacow told Boston's WBUR the university does not discriminate. It uses many factors in admissions.
LARRY BACOW: Diversity is an important component of that because we learn from our differences.
[Cuts back to live]
GLOR: Jan, the case could be headed to the Supreme Court. There's more news on this.
CRAWFORD: Yeah, Jeff, and it's going to be a different Supreme Court with a new justice who, unlike Justin Kennedy, may well cast that key fifth vote with conservatives on affirmative action. Now, the President is still going through perspective nominees. He talked to three more contenders today, but you can bet that affirmative action is going to be a big issue in those confirmation hearings. Jeff?
GLOR: Jan Crawford continues her peerless Supreme Court reporting. Jan, thank you very much.
