Donald Trump is once again facing blistering attacks on Univision.
In the space of less than a minute on the network’s principal national newscast, Univision played up former Mexican President Vicente Fox’s string of invectives against the Republican front-runner, and twisted Pope Francis’ words into an unambiguous, outright condemnation of Trump.
Anchor Jorge Ramos could hardly hide his glee as he goaded the former Mexican President into dropping the f-bomb over Trump’s plan to make Mexico pay for the border wall, in addition to unleashing other epithets.
VICENTE FOX, FORMER PRESIDENT OF MEXICO: He is a braggart, smug, ignorant, who has no idea what it is to sit in the chair of the presidency of the United States.
In addition, covering Trump’s remarks that he will model his proposed border wall on the walls that surround Vatican City, Univision co-anchor María Elena Salinas explicitly stated that Pope Francis is opposed to the construction of the proposed border wall, and that he has condemned anyone who supports the construction of the wall as unchristian.
MARIA ELENA SALINAS, CO-ANCHOR, UNIVISION: And amidst smiles said that the Vatican has the largest and strongest wall that would serve as a measure for this proposal. Last week, the pontiff criticized this idea, and even said someone who proposes it is not Christian.
Salinas’ characterization of the Pope’s remarks on the subject is not sustained, of course, by an honest reading of those remarks, made during an in-flight press conference following the recent papal visit to Mexico.
POPE FRANCIS: …a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.
When we compare the Pope’s actual remarks with how Univision and much of the rest of the national media has been covering it, it is glaringly obvious that the Pope specifically said that he would give Trump the benefit of the doubt about his proposal for a border wall.
By now, the Holy Father may even be aware that Trump has also long been vocal about saying he wants to include, as part of his proposed wall project “a big, very beautiful door” – for legal immigration and commerce.
The referenced portions of the transcript from the February 24 edition of Noticiero Univision can be found below:
MARIA ELENA SALINAS, CO-ANCHOR, UNIVISION: And amidst smiles said that the Vatican has the largest and strongest wall that would serve as a measure for this proposal. Last week, the Pontiff criticized this idea, and even said that someone who proposes it is not Christian.
...
VICENTE FOX, FORMER MEXICAN PRESIDENT: He is braggart, smug, ignorant, who has no idea what it is to sit in the chair of the presidency of the United States.
