On Wednesday, the network morning shows were all deeply troubled by a New York Times report that the Trump Justice Department was preparing to defend the civil rights of white students applying to college. At the top of ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host George Stephanopoulos sounded the alarm: “Breaking overnight, new reports the Trump administration is taking on Affirmative Action, preparing to investigate whether colleges are discriminating against white students.”
Minutes later, correspondent Mary Bruce breathlessly declared: “Overnight, The New York Times is reporting that the Justice Department is working on a plan to investigate and potentially sue universities for admission policies that are found to discriminate against white applicants.” She then parroted liberal talking points slamming the move: “...critics say this cuts to the core of efforts to expand educational opportunities for minority students and could be a sign that the administration is changing course on a key civil rights issue.”
Stephanopoulos predicted: “Yeah, likely to be controversial.”
In a news brief on NBC’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer announced: “This morning, The New York Times is reporting about a new uproar over Affirmative Action.” With the headline “Affirmative Action Controversy” displayed across the screen, Lauer fretted: “The Times saying that the Trump administration is redirecting resources from the Justice Department’s civil rights division in a more conservative direction.”
On CBS This Morning, co-host Charlie Rose informed viewers: “The New York Times says the Justice Department is preparing to take on Affirmative Action in college admissions. It is reportedly planning a project to investigate and sue universities over policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants.” He added: “The Justice Department declined to provide more details about its plans.”
In the Times article, reporter Charlie Savage warned:
The project is another sign that the civil rights division is taking on a conservative tilt under President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It follows other changes in Justice Department policy on voting rights, gay rights and police reforms.
Noting that “The civil rights division has been a recurring culture-war battleground as it passed between Democratic and Republican administrations,” Savage explained:
During the administration of George W. Bush, its overseers violated Civil Service hiring laws, an inspector general found, by filling its career ranks with conservatives who often had scant experience in civil rights law. At the same time, it brought fewer cases alleging systematic discrimination against minorities and more alleging reverse discrimination against whites, like a 2006 lawsuit forcing Southern Illinois University to stop reserving certain fellowship programs for women or members of underrepresented racial groups.
In 2009, the Obama administration vowed to revitalize the agency and hired career officials who brought in many new lawyers with experience working for traditional, liberal-leaning civil-rights organizations.
Once again the liberal media are implying that a Republican administration is racist because it doesn’t accept left-wing social policies.
Here are transcripts of the August 2 coverage on all three network morning shows:
Today
7:30 AM ET
MATT LAUER: This morning, The New York Times is reporting about a new uproar over Affirmative Action. The Times saying that the Trump administration is redirecting resources from the Justice Department’s civil rights division in a more conservative direction. Instead using the funds to investigate and sue universities over policies they believe discriminate against white applicants.
Good Morning America
7:03 AM ET(...)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: But first, that report from the Justice Department taking on university Affirmative Action programs. ABC’s Mary Bruce has details from Washington. Good morning, Mary.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump Administration Takes on Affirmative Action; Report: DOJ to Investigate Bias in College Admissions]
MARY BRUCE: Good morning, George. Overnight, The New York Times is reporting that the Justice Department is working on a plan to investigate and potentially sue universities for admission policies that are found to discriminate against white applicants. The civil rights division is reportedly seeking lawyers for litigation related to intentional race-based discrimination in college and university admissions.
Now, the Justice Department tells ABC News that no new policy has been implemented, but critics say this cuts to the core of efforts to expand educational opportunities for minority students and could be a sign that the administration is changing course on a key civil rights issue.STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, likely to be controversial.
(...)
CBS This Morning
7:31 AM ET
CHARLIE ROSE: The New York Times says the Justice Department is preparing to take on Affirmative Action in college admissions. It is reportedly planning a project to investigate and sue universities over policies deemed to discriminate against white applicants. The project may not involve its educational opportunities section, that group normally handles work involving schools and universities. The Justice Department declined to provide more details about its plans.
