Good Morning America’s Tom Llamas on Thursday whined that Marco Rubio was “dodging our questions” on immigration. Yet, the journalist seemed to forget that the Senator answered questions on that very topic on Wednesday’s GMA. At a campaign event, the journalist pounced and grilled the Republican about Donald Trump: “I tried asking Senator Marco Rubio about Trump's idea, but he dodged our questions.”
The senator then walked away from Llamas. The reporter told his audience: “Now, his campaign said the schedule was tight and he had done several interviews that day including on immigration.” Yes, he did. On the previous day's Good Morning America:
Host George Stephanopoulos asked:
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: you stayed out of some of the big debates, including that debate between Jeb Bush, John Kasich, and Donald Trump over immigration and Trump's mass deportation plan. Kasich called it “silly, not adult.” Is he right?
MARCO RUBIO: Well, first of all, my position on it is well stated, and that is we have to deal with immigration in three steps. We can't do it all at once. We tried to do that in 2013 and the American people just don't trust the federal government. So we have to begin by proving to people that illegal immigration numbers are down significantly. The second step would be to modernize our legal immigration system so that it's merit based, and after we do those two things, we have to responsibly but realistically deal with people that are here illegally. And as I’ve said, if you're a criminal, if you haven't been here very long, you can't stay. For everyone else you'd have to pass a background check, learn English, pay a fine, start paying taxes, and you get a work permit, and that’s all you’ll have for at least ten years.
Regarding Trump’s comment that he will create a “deportation force,” Llamas on Thursday asserted, “Trump is playing with fire and the hard line plan will hurt them next November in the general election.” In August, Llamas yelled at Rubio, telling him that “anchor babies” is an offensive term.
A transcript of the November 12 GMA segment is below:
7:04am ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to turn now to the race for president and Donald Trump doubling down on his pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. The GOP front-runner says he'll create a deportation force that's getting applause from crowds, drawing some bipartisan fire too. ABC's Tom Llamas here with the story. Good morning, Tom.
TOM LLAMAS: George, good morning to you. It's the issue that helped Donald Trump skyrocket to the top of the polls, but other GOP candidates say Trump is playing with fire and the hard line plan will hurt them next November in the general election. Donald Trump upping the ante when it comes to illegal immigration.
TRUMP: You're going to have a deportation force and you're going to do it humanely.
LLAMAS: Proposing a deportation force to usher millions of undocumented immigrants out of America. But mass deportation is a plan some of Trump's fellow Republicans call unrealistic.
JOHN KASICH: Think about the families. Think about the children.
JEB BUSH: Even having this conversation sends a powerful signal. They're doing high-fives in the Clinton campaign right now when they hear this.
LLAMAS: The Clinton campaign doing more than high-fives, taking to social media. Tweeting, “The idea of tracking down and deporting 11 million people is absurd, inhumane and un-American. No, Trump.” I tried asking Senator Marco Rubio about Trump's idea, but he dodged our questions. [To Rubio.] Senator, Trump called for a deportation force today. What do you say to that?”
RUBIO STAFFER: We’re not taking questions right now.
LLAMAS: [To staffer] I hear you. [Back to pre-recorded segment.] But some say Rubio is avoiding immigration, pointing to this week’s debate where he stayed silent where many others weighed in. Trump regularly attacking him for being part of the gang of eight, a bipartisan group of senators that tried and failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform. And as candidates like Dr. Ben Carson, Senator Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz rise in the polls, Trump is enjoying seeing others fade away.
TRUMP: We started off with 17 and one by one by one they are disappearing. Disappearing. It's a beautiful thing to watch as they go out. Oh, I love it.
LLAMAS: Trump being Trump. Back to that moment with Marco Rubio. Now, his campaign said the schedule was tight and he had done several interviews that day including on immigration. Now, a former GOP presidential nominee making a big endorsement. Bob Dole, a name we haven't heard endorsing Jeb Bush, calling him the most qualified.
