Networks Skip Trump Son Appearing on Pro-Slavery Radio Show

March 3rd, 2016 12:40 PM

All three networks on Wednesday night and Thursday morning skipped the latest racial controversy engulfing the Donald Trump campaign: The businessman’s son went on a pro-slavery radio show and the campaign issued media credential’s to the program’s host, James Edwards. 

The CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News and ABC’s World News Tonight avoided the topic on Wednesday. On Thursday, Good Morning America’s George Stephanopoulos failed to raise the topic, despite having an interview with Trump. CBS This Morning also skipped talking about Edwards, who said on his website: “For blacks in the Americas, slavery is the greatest thing that ever happened to them.” 

The combined total of air time for these six shows is nine and a half hours.

The Today show, it needs to be pointed out, did raise Trump’s previous racial controversy, his failure to disavow the KKK and David Duke while talking to CNN’s Jake Tapper. On Thursday, this exchange occurred: 

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: On another topic, a lot of Republican leaders have said the final straw for them was this controversy over the weekend about David Duke and the KKK. Now, in fairness to you, you have since disavowed David Duke. You said, “I disavow.” And before. 

DONALD TRUMP: Not since disavowed. Not since.  I disavowed him many times over the years. 

GUTHRIE: Right. That’s why it was so weird when you didn’t do so on the CNN interview. People were surprised at that. 

TRUMP: But, Savannah, he [Tapper] was talking about different groups and couldn't tell me who the groups were. 

Trump later said of Tapper: 

TRUMP: He [Tapper] was talking about groups. And in all fairness to groups there may be a group that shouldn't be disavowed. I think it is very unfair to a group if that is the case. I don’t know. But he talked about as I remember the word groups. 

In fact, Tapper didn’t just mention “groups.” On Sunday's State of the Union, he said:  

TAPPER: I want to ask you about the Anti-Defamation League, which this week called on you to publicly condemn unequivocally the racism of former KKK grand wizard David Duke, who recently said that voting against you at this point would be treason to your heritage. Will you unequivocally condemn David Duke and say that you don't want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election? 
...

TAPPER: The Ku Klux Klan? 

TRUMP: But you may have groups in there that are totally fine, and it would be very unfair. So, give me a list of the groups, and I will let you know. 

TAPPER: Okay. I mean, I'm just talking about David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan here. 

As for the pro-slavery radio show Donald Trump Jr. appeared on, The Political Cesspool, it’s website clearly states: “We wish to revive the White birthrate above replacement level fertility and beyond to grow the percentage of Whites in the world relative to other races.” 

Trump Jr. has since disavowed Edwards’s show, claiming he had no knowledge of the host’s views. 

In January, the Media Research Center’s Rich Noyes found that the networks have ignored Trump’s liberal past. 
 
A transcript of the exchange on the Today show: 

3/3/16

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: On another topic, a lot of Republican leaders have said the final straw for them was this controversy over the weekend about David Duke and the KKK. Now, in fairness to you, you have since disavowed David Duke. You said, “I disavow.” And before. 

DONALD TRUMP: Not since disavowed. Not since.  I disavowed him many times over the years. 

GUTHRIE: Right. That’s why it was so weird when you didn’t do so on the CNN interview. People were surprised at that. 

TRUMP: But, Savannah, he was talking about different groups and couldn't tell me who the groups were. 

GUTHRIE: Okay, not to go over this again. But, you, yourself, said I don't know who this David duke is three times. So, clearly you knew he was talking about David Duke. 

TRUMP: Savannah, what I meant by that is I never met David Duke. I know who David Duke is. I know him from seeing your show.   

GUTHRIE: Okay, but that’s not what you said. 

TRUMP: Excuse me. Excuse me. I'll tell you what I meant. You don't know, I know. I never met David Duke. I don't know him from the standpoint I never met him. But I certainly would not have anything to do with him or the KKK. And everybody knows that. And I say how many times do I have to disavow. And right after that I tweeted that I disavow any endorsement or anything of David Duke. Who would endorse David Duke? I’ve said it so many times. 

GUTHRIE: Well, that was just my question to kind of give you the chance to say and convince the folks that this is not something you want. 

Tell the Truth 2016

TRUMP: Savannah, let me say it again for the 20th time. I disavow David duke and the KKK and anybody else who preaches hate. Is that okay? Are you going to ask me about it in the next show when I call in? So, I disavow David Duke and, obviously, the KKK. But I have been doing this from the time this question has been asked. 

GUTHRIE: Right except for that one time which is why people were wondering about it. 

TRUMP: I don't know. 
                     
GUTHRIE: I think we settled it. 

TRUMP: I think I’ve done it. And he was talking about groups. And in all fairness to groups there may be a group that shouldn't be disavowed. I think it is very unfair to a group if that is the case. I don’t know. But he talked about as I remember the word groups and obviously. 

GUTHRIE: If they are a white supremacist groups, you don’t want their vote. Is that what you’re saying? 

TRUMP: I don't want their vote. I think I said it several times and maybe better the fourth time and ninth time. But I disavow and I’ve disavowed right from the beginning.