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NBC’s Holt Lectures Viewers on the Meaning of the Statue of Liberty
Newsbusters ^ | 1/30/17 | Nicholas Fondacaro

Posted on 01/31/2017 3:00:23 AM PST by markomalley

With the debate over the legality of President Donald Trump’s immigration and travel ban still raging Monday evening, NBC broadcasted their Nightly News program “from the shadow of the Statue of Liberty” accompanied by a lecture from anchor Lester Holt. “Behind me the Statue of Liberty, which for nearly 130 years, has symbolized the welcome arms of a country of immigrants,” he opined at the start of the program, “But tonight she also stands as a symbolic flashpoint in a country in the midst of soul searching over the limits of its generosity in an age of international terrorism.”

NBC, much like its competitors ABC and CBS, spent most of their Monday night program centered on the White House’s controversial executive order. “The White House calls it a necessary step to protect Americans at home from threats from abroad,” Holt continued, “Critics call it a solution in search of a problem and an unconstitutional and thinly disguised ban on Muslims.”

But neither ABC nor CBS treated it as a time to seemingly pontificate about the morality of the issue, let alone march out to the Statue of Liberty and use it as a prop:

And a final thought before we leave you tonight. There's been a lot of talk about who we are as a country and how we should represent ourselves to the world. For many, the ideals inscribed on the statue behind me frame that discussion. For others, the threats of a modern era necessitate adapting to a new reality. It is complicated and in many ways forms a new crossroads in America. And we will remain at the intersection of this unfolding story to report it.

Long before the show started, NBC was hyping Lester’s lecture with a video tweeted out by the NBC Nightly News account, where he said of Lady Liberty, “In many ways, it has become a symbol of a country right now wrestling to reconcile its creed versus its security needs.” And of the veracity of their reporting, he claimed, “Tonight we’ve got all the sides covered in this. The legal debate. The debates about what we saw at the airports. As well as the rationale for the president’s decision.” But the only side they covered it from was the left.

If NBC really wanted to cover “all the sides,” then they would have done what CBS Evening News did and actually report on the support for the ban. “Today the White House said that most Americans agree with the immigration ban and a respected poll from Quinnipiac University agrees,” announced anchor Scott Pelley, “It was taken three weeks ago, and by margin of 48 to 42 percent, American voters support suspending immigration from terror-prone regions, even if it means turning away refugees.”

CBS reporter Dean Reynolds actually went out and spoke with supporters of Trump and the travel ban, something NBC and ABC failed to do. “Trump supporters were on hand at Los Angeles International Airport this weekend voicing their belief that the president's immigration order is sensible and overdue,” he reported. Reynolds sat down with Trump voter and internet entrepreneur Vito Glazers who told him, “Well, I don't think it's perfect. I do think it's a great step to creating much-needed action in the right direction.”

When asked if he thought politics was involved with the order’s opposition Glazers joked, “Absolutely. I think that if we were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse that the left would find a way to protest for zombies' rights.”

Instead of lecturing America on the values of liberty, Holt would have been better served by going out and talking to the people. 

Transcripts below: 

NBC Nightly News
January 30, 2017
7:01:20 PM Eastern

LESTER HOLT: Good evening. Behind me the Statue of Liberty, which for nearly 130 years, has symbolized the welcome arms of a country of immigrants. But tonight she also stands as a symbolic flashpoint in a country in the midst of soul searching over the limits of its generosity in an age of international terrorism. This evening protesters joined by some members of Congress have gathered outside the Supreme Court in Washington. Following a weekend of fierce and emotional reaction and confusion over president Trump's temporary ban on travel to the United States by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries. The White House calls it a necessary step to protect Americans at home from threats from abroad. Critics call it a solution in search of a problem and an unconstitutional and thinly disguised ban on Muslims. Tonight we'll hear from both sides.

7:28:44 PM

HOLT: And a final thought before we leave you tonight. There's been a lot of talk about who we are as a country and how we should represent ourselves to the world. For many, the ideals inscribed on the statue behind me frame that discussion. For others, the threats of a modern era necessitate adapting to a new reality. It is complicated and in many ways forms a new crossroads in America. And we will remain at the intersection of this unfolding story to report it. That will do it for us on a Monday night. I'm Lester Holt. For all of us at NBC News, thank you for watching and good night from Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

...

CBS Evening News
January 30, 2017
6:40:27 PM Eastern

SCOTT PELLEY: Today the White House said that most Americans agree with the immigration ban and a respected poll from Quinnipiac University agrees. It was taken three weeks ago, and by margin of 48 to 42 percent, American voters support suspending immigration from terror-prone regions, even if it means turning away refugees. 53 percent support requiring immigrants from Muslim countries to register with the government. Here's Dean Reynolds.

[Cuts to video]

DEAN REYNOLDS: Trump supporters were on hand at Los Angeles International Airport this weekend voicing their belief that the president's immigration order is sensible and overdue.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: He’s keeping our country safe and lawful.

REYNOLDS: Vito Glazers is a Chicago internet entrepreneur who voted for the president. What do you think of this executive order on immigration?

VITO GLAZERS: Well, I don't think it's perfect. I do think it's a great step to creating much-needed action in the right direction.

REYNOLDS: Mr. Trump's stand on immigration was important in winning Glazers' support, and while he's only one voice, polls say his views are representative of many fellow Trump supporters.

GLAZERS: I don't want America to end up in a place where political correctness is being used against us to destroy us.

REYNOLDS: Do you think politics is at work here?

GLAZERS: Absolutely. I think that if we were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse that the left would find a way to protest for zombies' rights.

[Cuts back to live]

REYNOLDS: He also said something else that probably a lot of Trump supporters agree with, Scott, that it’s ironic that so many people are upset with a president who is merely following through on promises he made during the campaign.

PELLEY: Dean Reynolds in Chicago, thanks



TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: bordersecurity; condescendingliberal; immigration; media; molesterdolt; msm; nbcnews; travelban; trump
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To: markomalley

Someone needs to tell little Lester that there is a reason that Lady Liberty is located on Liberty Island next to Ellis Island where legal immigrants were processed and not the Mexican border where they come through with no papers.


21 posted on 01/31/2017 3:56:46 AM PST by jimbug
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To: MayflowerMadam

It was probably the left that made fun of him


22 posted on 01/31/2017 3:57:40 AM PST by Blue Highway (Q)
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To: markomalley

Progressives co-opted the Statue with that poem.


23 posted on 01/31/2017 3:57:47 AM PST by Oratam
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To: jimbug
Someone needs to tell little Lester that there is a reason that Lady Liberty is located on Liberty Island next to Ellis Island where legal immigrants were processed.

Someone needs to remind Holt that immigrants were detained and sent back home at Ellis Island, too.

ELLIS ISLAND HISTORY - ARRIVAL


Despite the island's reputation as an "Island of Tears", the vast majority of immigrants were treated courteously and respectfully, and were free to begin their new lives in America after only a few short hours on Ellis Island. Only two percent of the arriving immigrants were excluded from entry. The two main reasons why an immigrant would be excluded were if a doctor diagnosed that the immigrant had a contagious disease that would endanger the public health or if a legal inspector thought the immigrant was likely to become a public charge or an illegal contract laborer.

-PJ

24 posted on 01/31/2017 4:06:42 AM PST by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: markomalley

‘Breaking News’

Seriously ?


25 posted on 01/31/2017 4:08:43 AM PST by tomkat
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To: markomalley

Holt is a Dolt.

Period.


26 posted on 01/31/2017 4:16:23 AM PST by rlmorel (Orwell described Liberals when he wrote of those who "repudiate morality while laying claim to it.")
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To: markomalley

Proof that Lester is a democrat operative and not a journalist. The Statue of Liberty is the current leftist talking point, as said by Schumer, Fieger and others.
Holt must be on the email list.


27 posted on 01/31/2017 4:16:38 AM PST by FreedomGuru (Clinton a gazillion wrong moves)
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To: MayflowerMadam

Prophets are generally always mocked.


28 posted on 01/31/2017 4:16:53 AM PST by castlegreyskull
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To: markomalley
TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy

Have you had any sleep lately ?

Why not 'Sports' as well ?

get a grip

29 posted on 01/31/2017 4:19:19 AM PST by tomkat
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To: markomalley

Also in the NYC harbor is Ellis Island where all immigrants coming to America were determined to be fit and worthy for entry.

The leftists are hell bent on the destruction of America and must be put down severely. Trump is doing a good job in his first week.


30 posted on 01/31/2017 4:25:28 AM PST by bert (K.E.; N.P.; GOPc;WASP .... Macroagression melts snowflakes)
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To: Political Junkie Too
Ellis Island also had a hospital where new arrivals who were deemed too sick to be processed into America would be detained until either they were processed onto their new life in America or they were sent back to their country. About 2 percent were sent back.

Shipping companies tried not to transport any people with contagious diseases, both for the health of their passengers and because they had to provide return passage when not admitted.

31 posted on 01/31/2017 4:27:38 AM PST by Freee-dame (Best election ever.,)
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To: markomalley
Give us your tired,your poor,yearning for....free food,free housing,free health care,free transportation,free ObamaPhones....
32 posted on 01/31/2017 4:33:00 AM PST by Gay State Conservative (Deplorables' Lives Matter)
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To: All

As usual, the Left turns truth into a lie: While it’s true that immigrants had a large role in making this country what it is today, it’s also true that all too many immigrants seeking to come to America are doing so with NO thoughts of assimilation and with expectations of seeking cradle to grave govt. assistance.....Besides, anyone with a pulse and a measurable IQ know the real deal: Democrats view immigration as a voter drive, they don’t give a DAMN about people coming to this country unless it helps them politically.


33 posted on 01/31/2017 4:34:15 AM PST by Maverick68
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To: markomalley

The Statute of Liberty was given to the United States by France on its centennial to celebrate liberty, whence come its name.

About twenty years after it was placed, Emma Lazarus, a one worlder, placed the plaque on the Statute without any authorization, and ever since school kids are taught the usual nonsense about the Statute. Holt is so stupid he certainly does not know.


34 posted on 01/31/2017 4:38:39 AM PST by odawg
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To: odawg

In the protests I see signs with verbiage from this poem. It seems that some people believe those words are straight from the Bible or something instead of a cheesy Emma Lazarus poem. (In high school choir we did sing this put to music, and it was beautiful. I didn’t know about Lazarus’ politics at the time.)

If she put it there without authorization, can we get rid of it?


35 posted on 01/31/2017 4:42:02 AM PST by MayflowerMadam (If you think the party that freed the slaves are the racist ones, you probably are a liberal.)
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To: GOPJ; Jane Long; MinuteGal; poconopundit; artichokegrower; ArrogantBustard; Wisconsinlady; ...
NBC's Lester Holt's Statue of Liberty report is biased; he failed to mention that Pres Trump's actions apply to:

<><> organized refugee cabals plotting to overthrow the US govt,

<><> individuals plotting to annihilate our laws and Constitution, and,

<><> America-haters looking to establish a govt of THEIR choosing based on their fanatical religious leanings.

==============================================

Sap-happy Lester Holt is braindead.......his Statue of Liberty report doesn’t point out that those who headed for our shores back then did NOT arrive having a dedicated game plan hatched in their homelands to kill and harm Americans.

To comment on NBCNews.com or an NBC News program
EMAIL contact.nbcnews@nbcuni.com
SNAIL MAIL NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

36 posted on 01/31/2017 4:42:45 AM PST by Liz
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To: markomalley

Lester Holt is a programmable robot for the Democrat Party


37 posted on 01/31/2017 4:44:02 AM PST by indthkr
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To: markomalley

I saw Lester Holt “moderate” a presidential “debate” some months back. Based on that performance alone I will not be listening to any lectures from that moron.


38 posted on 01/31/2017 4:45:31 AM PST by TTFlyer
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To: markomalley

Doesn’t mean we have to take ISIS terrorists in.


39 posted on 01/31/2017 4:47:08 AM PST by bray (Pray for President Trump)
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To: markomalley

It’s a symbol, not a suicide pact. We don’t have to obey a friggin statue, no matter how big it is.


40 posted on 01/31/2017 4:47:31 AM PST by Bryanw92 (If we had some ham, we could have ham and eggs, if we had some eggs.)
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