Precipitated by the recent vile comments from anti-Semitic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN), the House passed a resolution to condemn hate and bigotry in all its forms Thursday. But despite the overwhelming and bipartisan support that the resolution received, ABC’s World News Tonight chose to pretend as though it never happened. They instead chose to sensationally share the disturbing and twisted confession of Chris Watts, who killed his wife and two young girls.
On the CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor dedicated a news brief to the resolution’s passage. “Late today, the House overwhelmingly approved an anti-hate resolution. This was sparked by recent comments by freshman Democrat Ilhan Omar who suggested that Israel's supporters in the U.S. have split loyalties,” he explained.
“House Democrats proposed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism but later broadened it to oppose all forms of bigotry,” he added. Glor also noted that Republicans made up the 23 “nay” votes but informed viewers that they wanted the resolution to be about Omar specifically.
Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, they actually appeared to call out “progressive Democrats” for sticking with Omar. “Now to Capitol Hill where the House late today passed an anti-hate resolution after remarks by a freshman Democrat were criticized as anti-Semitic and left the Democratic Party divided,” announced anchor Lester Holt.
Congressional correspondent Kasie Hunt began her report by highlighting Omar’s refusal to apologize and answer questions:
Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tonight. [TO OMAR] Are you going to apologize?
Refusing to answer questions about comments many in her own party are condemning as anti-Semitic. Remarks sparking a vote late today on a resolution condemning hate speech.
Hunt then ran down a short list of Omar’s anti-Semitic comments:
HUNT: Omar under fire for past tweets, including, “Israel has hypnotized the world,” and saying U.S. Politicians support Israel because “it's all about the Benjamin’s, baby.” She apologized for that, but then this comment last week:
OMAR: I will talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.
Again, what set NBC’s coverage apart was their willingness to show the conflict within the Democratic Party over an apparent apathy with anti-Semitism. “The firestorm sparking a deep divide among House Democrats. Some progressives defending Omar,” Hunt reported while recalling anti-Muslim slurs against the Congresswoman.
Hunt also played a soundbite of Jewish Florida Congressman Ted Deutch (D), who chastised Omar on the House floor: “Jews have dual loyalty and can't be patriotic members of the country in which they live? Words matter.”
The only major point that these networks missed was how former KKK grand wizard David Duke has thrown his full support behind Omar.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
March 7, 2019
6:36:03 p.m. EasternJEFF GLOR: Late today, the House overwhelmingly approved an anti-hate resolution. This was sparked by recent comments by freshman Democrat Ilhan Omar who suggested that Israel's supporters in the U.S. have split loyalties. House Democrats proposed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism but later broadened it to oppose all forms of bigotry. The vote was 407-23. Republicans cast all the no votes. Some said they wanted a resolution to specifically condemn Omar's comments.
NBC Nightly News
March 7, 2019
7:07:25 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Now to Capitol Hill where the House late today passed an anti-hate resolution after remarks by a freshman Democrat were criticized as anti-Semitic and left the Democratic Party divided. Our Kasie hunt has the latest.
[Cuts to video]
KASIE HUNT: Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar tonight.
[Hunt speaking to Omar as she enters an elevator] Are you going to apologize?
Refusing to answer questions about comments many in her own party are condemning as anti-Semitic. Remarks sparking a vote late today on a resolution condemning hate speech.
[Hunt speaking to Speaker Nancy Pelosi] Does she need to apologize?
NANCY PELOSI: She may need to explain that she did not -- it's up to her to explain, but I do not believe that she understood the full weight of the words.
HUNT: Omar under fire for past tweets, including, “Israel has hypnotized the world,” and saying U.S. Politicians support Israel because “it's all about the Benjamin’s, baby.” She apologized for that, but then this comment last week:
ILHAN OMAR: I will talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country.
HUNT: Many Jewish Democrats outraged.
REP. TED DEUTCH: Jews have dual loyalty and can't be patriotic members of the country in which they live? Words matter.
HUNT: The firestorm sparking a deep divide among House Democrats. Some progressives defending Omar, who's Somali-American, pointing to anti-Muslimism slurs against her, like this poster in West Virginia. Fellow freshman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeting, “anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all bigotry serve the same ends.”
[Cuts back to live]
This conflict between younger, progressive Democrats and leadership could get even more intense over issues like the Green New Deal and impeachment. Lester?
HOLT: Kasie hunt on the hill tonight, thank you.
