During a panel discussion about Donald Trump on CBS’s Face the Nation, Susan Page insisted that his controversial remarks on immigration pose a “big threat to the Republicans’ chances of winning the White House.”
Moderator John Dickerson introduced his question by touting Democrats “who are saying, either they’re a, happy, or more—saying well this is really hurting the Republicans.”
In response, the Washington Bureau Chief for USA Today sounded like a Democrat when it came to Trump as she insisted that he is “defining the party as a party that is really harsh on Hispanic voters that Republicans need to do better about.”
Page went on to falsely accuse the GOP of not doing anything to truly distance themselves from Trump’s divisive comments about Mexican immigrants:
[T]he other candidates are not really rebuking him in a serious way. You don't have -- one of the serious contenders saying in a really forthright way this is not where we are because he makes them a little nervous.
Liberal PBS host Tavis Smiley agreed with Page and incorrectly said that “Jeb Bush hasn't done that.” It’s so tailor made for him especially” but Dickerson surprisingly corrected both Page and Smiley over the GOP’s supposed inaction surrounding Trump:
He did do it some because he did try to make a distinction. I mean he did make a distinction with Trump. He called him out on comments said it doesn't represent the party.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS’s Face the Nation
July 12, 2015
JOHN DICKERSON: Susan how much of a threat though is it for the Republican Party? There are lot of Democrats who are saying, either they're a, happy, or more -- saying well this is really hurting the Republicans, is it really hurting the party or is one of those things?
SUSAN PAGE: Absolutely. I think it is. I think Donald Trump is a big threat to the Republicans' chances of winning the White House because he's defining the party as party that is really harsh on Hispanic voters that Republicans need to do better about. And because the other candidates are not really rebuking him in a serious way. You don't have -- one of the serious contenders saying in a really forthright way this is not where we are because he makes them a little nervous.
TAVIS SMILEY: I’m surprised that Jeb Bush hasn't done that. It's so tailor made for him especially.
DICKERSON: He did do it some because he did try to make a distinction. I mean he did make a distinction with Trump. He called him out on comments said it doesn't represent the party.
