Jorge Ramos Challenges Conservative Commentator Over Supporting Trump Even Though He “Has Said Racist Things”

Ramos: “So You're Saying That He Has Said Racist Things But You Will Support Him?”

From the July 24 edition of Univision's Al Punto:

Video file

JORGE RAMOS (HOST): Let’s return here to Cleveland to analyze what occurred at the Republican convention. With us are Republican executive director of the Latino Partnership Alfonso Aguilar and Luis Miranda, communications director for the Democratic Party. Thanks for being here. This Republican convention has been completely focused on Trump. Will the election be defined, Alfonso, as in favor or against Trump?

[...]

RAMOS: I spoke to a lot of delegates who told me that they are not in agreement with Trump in regards to immigration, what he said about Muslims, about women, but they are going to vote for him. Isn't this a very complicated dichotomy?

LUIS MIRANDA: Look at Paul Ryan. Paul Ryan says that Donald Trump is the definition of racism, but he is going to support him. And this is the problem that the Republican Party has. 

ALFONSO AGUILAR: But the Democratic Party has it as well. I think that, I agree to accept that there is an element of disunity in the Republican Party –

[CROSSTALK]

MIRANDA: It’s the same thing the speaker of the House said, it’s the definition of racism. Paul Ryan.

AGUILAR: When you say racist, I’m going to give you different definition of racism. When Hillary Clinton wants to remove limits of federal financing of abortions, to Planned Parenthood, an organization that has the Latino community as a target. 22 percent of all abortions are obtained by Latina women. And they continue racist policies. We cannot --

MIRANDA: What we heard this week are the same lies. This about Planned Parenthood is interesting because they have used the excuse of abortion to try to take away funds from Planned Parenthood while the main part of what this organization does is medical and preventative services for women, many of which are Latinas who don’t have access to health care. 

AGUILAR: That's false. That's a fabrication. That's false. Planned Parenthood does not offer many basic services.

MIRANDO: There already is no federal money that goes to abortions, so the lie that federal funds are directed to abortions needs to stop.

[...]

RAMOS: Let's talk then about the issue of racism. We have a Univision poll. 73 percent of Latinos consider Donald Trump a racist. That's what they think about him. For you, is he a racist?

AGUILAR: I think he has said very offensive things and insulted the Latino community. I wouldn't call him racist because at the end of the day we are in an atypical election, and I think in this election we are being called to be practical. I support Trump --

RAMOS: So you're saying that he is racist but you will vote for him?

AGUILAR: Because in the long term. Well, no, because I didn't say he was racist. He has said many offensive things.

RAMOS: He has said racist things but you are going to vote for him?

AGUILAR: But the alternative is a person who --

MIRANDA: How can it be that you’ll allow yourself to say that the president of the United States is going to say to us as Hispanics, “you because you are Hispanic cannot dream of being federal judges.” Why can't we be objective? “I'm going to build a wall, I'm going to build a wall.”

AGUILAR: This is the biggest lie.

Previously:

To Latinos In Media, Trump's Nomination Speech Sounded “Disgusting” And “Apocalyptic”

Exodus Of Minority Staffers Continue At RNC As GOP Embraces Trump

These Five Reports From The Republican Convention Show How Badly The Trump Campaign Is Fumbling Latino Outreach

Media Point To Data To Show “It's Simply Not True” That Latinos Like Trump