The journalists at CBS This Morning on Monday obsessed over Donald Trump’s new order restricting refugees from Muslim-majority countries. Co-host Norah O’Donnell wondered if the administration was being too pro-Christian with this move. Additionally, co-host Charlie Rose used anti-Trump press coverage as justification that the implementation is going badly.
The journalists brought on New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, one of 16 Democratic AGs who are opposing the actions. O’Donnell worried, “President Trump in an interview said he may favor Christians over Muslims in those seven states.” She added, “Does that invite some additional [legal] challenges on this?”
Trump’s comments to the Christian Broadcasting Network in full:
[Christians have] been horribly treated. Do you know if you were a Christian in Syria it was impossible, at least very tough to get into the United States? If you were a Muslim you could come in, but if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible and the reason that was so unfair, everybody was persecuted in all fairness, but they were chopping off the heads of everybody but more so the Christians. And I thought it was very, very unfair. So we are going to help them.
Over on CNN, Carol Costello had the same worry, fretting that Trump’s “underlying goal” was “to make this country aggressively Christian.”
Earlier, while talking to top Trump aide Stephen Miller, Rose cited media reports of evidence of how badly the immigration order was being handled:
It's been described as enormously successful. Yet, there are protests. I'm looking at the paper headlines. "Trump stands by orders. Confusion, dissent swirl." "Immigration sows chaos." "Travel ban sets off chaos and turmoil." Help me square hugely successive and chaos, and turmoil.
Co-host Gayle King demanded, “Stephen, help us understand how this is keeping America safe?” After Miller pointed out that the Obama administration had already selected the seven countries impacted as points of concern, King repeated, “But the Obama administration didn't call for a ban, Stephen. They didn't call for a ban. They didn't call for a ban.”
A transcript of the questions to New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is below:
<<< Please support MRC's NewsBusters team with a tax-deductible contribution today. >>>
CBS This Morning
1/30/17
8:03AMGraphic: "Travel ban backlash."
NORAH O'DONNELL: A group of Democratic attorneys general is condemning the crackdown. The AGs from 15 states and Washington, D.C. promise, to quote, "use all of the tools of our office to fight this unconstitutional order and preserve our nation's national security and core values." Good morning.
NY AG ERIC SCHNEIDERMAN: Good morning.
O'DONNELL: Do you believe this will ultimately reach the Supreme Court?
...
O'DONNELL: What is unconstitutional?
...
SCHNEIDERMAN: While we are working our way through the points, our colleagues and I have committed to trying to protect the people who are going to be hurt in the meantime.
CHARLIE ROSE: That's the point. So what power do you have to do something to help them? What is it specifically?
...
GAYLE KING: You requested the list of people being detained at JFK. A, have you gotten that and what exactly will you do with it?
...
ROSE: How are they being detained and will are they being detained?
...
KING: How significant is it that attorney generals from 16 different states, Mr. Schneiderman, have gotten together to speak out about at this?
...
O'DONNELL: President Trump, in an interview, said he may favor Christians over Muslims in those seven states. He said exactly this: If you were a Muslim, you can come in. But if you were a Christian, it was almost impossible. I thought it was very, very unfair. So we are going to help them." Does that invite some additional challenges on this?
...
ROSE: But is that expressed anywhere other than an interview he did with the Christian Broadcasting Network?
SCHNEIDERMAN: It's been repeated by other people in the Trump administration, other advisers and supporters of his.
ROSE: Saying that only Christians are being given favorable treatment.
...
KING: They're saying it's not a religious ban, that is clearly about safety. How do you see this?
