After the Monday evening broadcast network newscasts ignored First Lady Jill Biden’s offensive language comparing Latinos to tacos in a video first uncovered by our very own Jorge Bonilla, CBS Mornings and NBC’s Today came out of the wildness Tuesday with a combined two minutes and six seconds on Biden “taking some heat” for a line “many [found] incredibly offensive.”
ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) lived up to its reputation as a superficial newscast and largely devoid of actual journalism. Instead, ABC buried it with a full report on its overnight shows, World News Now (which airs in some markets from 2:00 to 4:00 a.m. on the East Coast) and America This Morning (which airs for roughly 30 minutes in the 4:00 a.m. hour).
CBS Mornings had a tease about Biden’s comment and then tacked on 81 seconds with correspondent Christina Ruffini following a previewing of President Joe Biden’s trip to the Middle East.
“Christine, lemme switch gears here. First Lady Jill Biden is taking some heat after people took offense at comments she made at a Latino rights event in Texas yesterday,” fill-in co-host Vladimir Duthiers said.
They then played the clip in question of Biden, which came during a speech in San Antonio at the conference of the far-left group UnidosUS:
With the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the both a das of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.
A disgusted Duthiers resurfaced, stating that “obviously equating tacos with the Latino community is the issue that many find incredibly offensive.”
Ruffini noted that, in addition to the comments themselves, “the timing is especially uneasy” since “Mexican President López Obrador is here today to meet with Mr. Biden.”
Ruffini also made sure to somewhat cover for Jill by conceding it was “part of a prepared speech praising the work of a well-known activist” before ending with a statement from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) that said Latinos “should not be reduced to a stereotype.”
Duthiers said “that is exactly right,” but co-host and Democratic donor Gayle King rushed to Jill’s defense: “First Lady's team probably [sic] huddling today. Because when you know Jill Biden, that's not who she is, but it didn't come out correctly.”
“Didn’t come out correctly?” Please.
Over on NBC’s Today, fill-in co-host Tom Llamas had a 45-second extended brief on Biden “taking some heat” that included both the tacos comment and “mispronounc[ing]...cornerstores historically started by Latinos...known as bodegas.”
Like Ruffini, Llamas also flagged the NAHJ statement, but highlighted a portion stating that “using breakfast tacos to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity.”
With GMA giving Jill Biden a boost by ignoring her comments and instead swooning over deals on cruise ships in the first 45 minutes, ABC’s overnight shows were left to do real reporting.
Here’s a portion of the segment from America This Morning and World News Now co-host Mona Kosar Abdi, which included a shoutout to Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) spokeswoman Christina Pushaw (click “expand”):
ABDI: First Lady Jill Biden is facing backlash this morning after a comment she made about Latinos during a visit to Texas yesterday. Some advocates speaking out calling her comment comparing Latinos to tacos an offensive stereotype.
(....)
ABDI: Now the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is responding in a tweet encouraging “Dr. Biden and her speech writing team to take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.” The group adding, “we are not tacos.”
RAYMOND ARROYO [on FNC’s The Ingraham Angle, 07/11/12]: And as excellent as an enchilada. Laura, this is — this is so offensive.
ABDI: Political commentators on cable news quick to react last night.
SEAN HANNITY [on FNC’s Hannity, 07/11/12]: Bumbling gaffes appear to run in the Biden family. [SCREEN WIPE] Imagine if a Republican said that. It would probably be breathless hysteria from the media mob for days on end, if not weeks.
ABDI: The press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis agreeing writing, “imagine the regime media meltdown if a conservative called Hispanics breakfast tacos like Dr. Jill Biden” and Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeting, “Um...what?”
By GMA not covering Jill Biden, ABC chose to prove Pushaw’s point for her.
To see the relevant transcripts from July 12, click “expand”
ABC’s America This Morning
July 12, 2022
4:00 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Developing Story; Biden Under Pressure]
MONA KOSAR ABDI: Plus, First Lady Jill Biden facing backlash for what she said about Latinos and tacos.
(....)
4:04 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “Taco Controversy”; NAHJ]
ABDI: First Lady Jill Biden is facing backlash this morning after a comment she made about Latinos during a visit to Texas yesterday. Some advocates speaking out calling her comment comparing Latinos to tacos an offensive stereotype. This morning, First Lady Jill Biden facing criticism after telling a group of Latino voters they were, “as unique as breakfast tacos.”
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; ‘Taco’ Comment Backlash; First Lady: Latinos Are as Unique as Breakfast Tacos]
BIDEN: As distinct as bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful of the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio, is your strength.
ABDI: The comment came during a prepared speech in San Antonio, Texas, where the largest Latino civil rights group in the country gathered for a conference. Now the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is responding in a tweet encouraging “Dr. Biden and her speech writing team to take the time in the future to better understand the complexities of our people and communities.” The group adding, “we are not tacos.”
RAYMOND ARROYO [on FNC’s The Ingraham Angle, 07/11/12]: And as excellent as an enchilada. Laura, this is — this is so offensive.
ABDI: Political commentators on cable news quick to react last night.
SEAN HANNITY [on FNC’s Hannity, 07/11/12]: Bumbling gaffes appear to run in the Biden family. [SCREEN WIPE] Imagine if a Republican said that. It would probably be breathless hysteria from the media mob for days on end, if not weeks.
ABDI: The press secretary for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis agreeing writing, “imagine the regime media meltdown if a conservative called Hispanics breakfast tacos like Dr. Jill Biden” and Texas Senator Ted Cruz tweeting, “Um...what?” The White House and Dr. Biden's office did not comment overnight.
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CBS Mornings
July 12, 2022
7:01:23 a.m. Eastern [TEASE]ABDI [on ABC’s America This Morning, 07/12/22]: First lady Jill Biden is facing backlash this morning after a comment she made about Latinos.
JILL BIDEN: As unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.
(....)
7:15 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: First Lady Criticized for Comments; Critics Slam Remarks Likening Latino Community to “Breakfast Tacos”]
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Christine, lemme switch gears here. First Lady Jill Biden is taking some heat after people took offense at comments she made at a Latino rights event in Texas yesterday. Let's listen to what she said.
BIDEN: With the understanding that the diversity of this community, as distinct as the both a das of the Bronx, as beautiful as the blossoms of Miami, and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.
DUTHIERS: All right. Obviously equating tacos with the Latino community is the issue that many find incredibly offensive, Christina. What is the White House saying about this?
CHRISTINE RUFFINI: Yeah, no comment yet from the White House this morning and those comments come a day before Mexican President López Obrador is here today to meet with Mr. Biden, so the timing is especially uneasy. You know, look. Those remarks from the First Lady came from part of a prepared speech praising the work of a well-known activist. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists condemned it saying in part that Latinos “should not be reduced to a stereotype.” Vlad?
DUTHIERS: That is exactly right. Christina, thank you very much.
GAYLE KING: We all agree with that.
DUTHIERS: Yeah. Absolutely.
KING: First Lady's team probably huddling today.
DUTHIERS: Uhh, you think?
KING: Because when you know Jill Biden, that's not who she is, but it didn't come out correctly.
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NBC’s Today
July 12, 2022
8:05 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: News at 8; Backlash Over First Lady’s Taco Comment]
TOM LLAMAS: Alright, sticking with politics, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden is taking some heat over remarks she made yesterday at a Hispanic unity conference in Texas. While talking about Hispanic diversity, she mispronounced the word for cornerstones historically started by Latinos in New York, known as bodegas. But that wasn't all.
JILL BIDEN: As distinct as bodegas of the Bronx, as beautiful of the blossoms of Miami and as unique as the breakfast tacos here in San Antonio.
LLAMAS: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists responded that, “using breakfast tacos to demonstrate the uniqueness of Latinos in San Antonio demonstrates a lack of cultural knowledge and sensitivity.”
