ABC’s GMA COVERS-UP Whoopi Controversy; Full Coverage on NBC & CBS

While both NBC’s TodayPlease show CBS MorningsThe controversy swirling about was the focus of entire segments View host Whoopi Goldberg’s offensive Holocaust comments, ABC’s Good Morning AmericaIt completely ignored what happened on its broadcast network. NBC and CBS hammered Goldberg’s argument that the Holocaust “isn’t about race” and even noted how her attempts to clean up her remarks actually “raised more questions.”

“Under fire. Whoopi Goldberg facing criticism for this controversial comment about the Holocaust,” co-host Hoda Kotb told viewers at the top of the Today show. A soundbite then ran of Goldberg declaring on Monday’s The View: “If you are going to do this, then let’s be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn’t about race.” Kotb added: “Her overnight apology amid the growing fallout.”

The ET half-hour featured a detailed report. ET half hour, Kotb reiterated: “…the controversy that’s swirling around actress and co-host of The View, Whoopi Goldberg.” Fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie explained: “Yeah, she’s under fire for a comment she made on yesterday’s show about the Holocaust, she said it was not about race.”

Correspondent Miguel Almaguer reported: “After making those controversial comments on The ViewYesterday, Whoopi Goldberg finally responded to the protests and offered an apology. But a new TV appearance overnight raised more questions.” Following another clip of her View comments, Almaguer pointed out:

Many pointed out that the Nazis had used racism during the Holocaust and the outcry quickly erupted. American Defense League chief [sic] tweeting, “The Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systemic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race.”

He mentioned Goldberg “Later weighing in further during a Stephen Colbert appearance.” In that appearance, she tried to explain away her insensitive remarks:

When you talk about being a racist, I was saying you can’t call this racism. You couldn’t tell who was Jewish. People were very angry and they said, “No, no, we are a race.” And I understand. I understand. But I was not the same. I respect everything everyone is saying to me and I, you know, I don’t want to fake apologize, you know. I was – I am very upset that people are misunderstood what I was saying.

Almaguer concluded the report: “Goldberg has a history of controversial moments, including defending Bill Cosby on The View, which she later retracted.” He added: “NBC News has reached out to Goldberg and The View, but we have not yet heard back.”

After playing Goldberg’s Holocaust comments on CBS Mornings, correspondent Vladimir Duthiers summarized: “Alright, so others at the table, along with critics, pointed out that the Nazis, in fact, did see Jewish people as an inferior race. On The Late Show With Steven Colbert, she appeared to stand by what she said.”

A clip ran of Goldberg telling Colbert: “I was saying, you can’t call this racism. It was evil. This wasn’t based on the skin.”

Duthiers continued: “Alright, so Goldberg issued an apology on Twitter last night, saying, quote, ‘I stand corrected. I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.’” He offered Goldberg a history lesson: “Hitler, if you read his odious diatribe Mein Kampf, or if you even read the Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany, saw Jews as an inferior race and they set about to systematically wipe them out, off the face of the Earth, six million souls.”

Co-host Gayle King chimed in: “He called it an inferior race repeatedly. It was clearly about race for him.”

However GMA couldn’t be bothered to mention fellow ABC employee Goldberg’s controversial comments, in the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour, the broadcast did manage to devote nearly three minutes to a report on a pizza delivery labor shortage and a new promotion from Domino’s to encourage customers to pick up their food.

Perhaps the network morning show was waiting for Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt to grant Goldberg absolution before it touched the story – something which occurred later Tuesday morning on The View.

Here are full transcripts of the February 1 coverage of Goldberg on NBC’s TodayAnd CBS Mornings:  

Today
7:01 AM ET

HODA KOTB is under fire. Whoopi Goldberg is under fire for controversial comments about the Holocaust.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: If you are going to do this, then let’s be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn’t about race.

KOTB – Her overnight apology in the midst of growing chaos.

7:33 am

HODA KOTB: Alright, let’s move now to the controversy that’s swirling around actress and co-host of The ViewWhoopi Goldberg.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Yeah, she’s under fire for a comment she made on yesterday’s show about the Holocaust, she said it was not about race.

CRAIG MELVIN – Miguel Almaguer, NBC’s national correspondent joins us with more. Miguel, it’s good to be here.  

MIGUEL ALMAGUER (Guys, Good Morning) Following those controversial remarks on The ViewYesterday, Whoopi Goldberg finally responded to the protests and offered an apology. A new television appearance on overnight TV raised further questions.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Whoopi Goldberg Under Fire]

Whoopi Goldberg was under severe pressure today.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: And I’m getting, you know, all of the mail from folks and very real anger.

ALMAGUER: After making controversial remarks Monday, trying to get backtrack and make an apology.

GOLDBERG: If you are going to do this then let’s be truthful about it because the Holocaust isn’t about race.

ALMAGUER : The incident occurred during a debate in The View about banning Maus by the Tennessee school board.

GOLDBERG: It’s not about race. It’s not about race.

JOY BEHAR: How does it work?

GOLDBERG: Because it’s about man’s inhumanity to man.

ANA NAVARRO: But it’s about white supremacy.

GOLDBERG

ALMAGUER. The response was quick, and many pointed out that the Nazis used racism during World War II. The head of the American Defense League tweeting, “The Holocaust was about the Nazi’s systemic annihilation of the Jewish people – who they deemed to be an inferior race.” Goldberg taking to Twitter to explain: “On today’s show, I said that the Holocaust was not about race but about man’s inhumanity to man. I should have said it’s about both.” Adding, “the Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.” Later weighing in further during a Stephen Colbert appearance.

GOLDBERG: When you talk about being a racist, I was saying you can’t call this racism. You couldn’t tell who was Jewish. People were very angry and they said, “No, no, we are a race.” And I understand. I understand. But I was not the same. I respect everything everyone is saying to me and I, you know, I don’t want to fake apologize, you know. I was – I am very upset that people are misunderstood what I was saying.

ALMAGUER. Goldberg is a controversial figure with a long history, which includes defending Bill Cosby. The ViewLater, she retracts. Now she apologizes and says that she will be more thoughtful in her approach to Holocaust discussion.

GOLDBERG

ALMAGUER – NBC News reached Goldberg The ViewWe have not heard anything from you yet. We are back, guys.

MELVIN : Thank you, Miguel.

CBS Mornings
7.43 am ET

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: We’re going to start today with Whoopi Goldberg on The View. She’s under fire for something she said after a Tennessee school board removed a graphic novel about the Holocaust from its curriculum. Take a look at this.

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Whoopi’s Controversial Comments]

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The Holocaust isn’t about race. No, it’s not about race. It’s about man’s inhumanity to man. That’s what it’s about.

ANA NAVARRO: But it’s about white supremacy.

GOLDBERG: But it’s not about race – but these are two white groups of people.

DUTHIERS She seemed to be standing by her statements on The Late Show With Steven Colbert. This is what you should hear.

GOLDBERG: I was saying, you can’t call this racism. It was just plain evil. This wasn’t based on the skin.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Did you understand the Nazis viewed it as race? Because, like, asking the Nazis, they would say, “Yes, this is a racial issue.”

GOLDBERG: Well, see, this is what’s interesting to me because the Nazis lied. It wasn’t. It was not about race but ethnicity.

DUTHIERS: Alright, so Goldberg issued an apology on Twitter last night, saying, quote, “I stand corrected. I’m sorry for the hurt I have caused.”

During her Colbert appearance also last night, Goldberg also indicated that as a black woman – her experience as a black woman has led her to think of race as something that she can see. It’s skin.

GAYLE KING: Skin.

DUTHIERS: But here’s the point that needs to be made. The Holocaust and the Shoah were not about race. It wasn’t about skin color. It didn’t matter what race was. Hitler believed Jews were inferior to other races. You can read Mein Kampf or the Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany. They set out to eradicate six million Jews from the Earth. And so –

KING: He repeatedly called it an inferior Race. For him, it was clear that race played a major role.

ALMAGUER : It was an inferior race, I said repeatedly

KING: Yes.

ALMAGUER: And you diminish the uniquely Jewish horror and tragedy, of which they’ve endured for millennia, by trying to say that it’s an all lives matter kind of a situation.

TONY DOKOUPIL So race is a social construct, it’s an idea. We lump people together, we say that’s one race. It’s not a biological fact.

DUTHIERS: Right.

DOKOUPIL: But the fact of prejudice against Jews for a millennia has lumped them together, regardless of whether or not they’re living in Venezuela or Iran or Germany, for that matter. They’re made into a people by the rest of us. This is the reality, but Whoopi seems to wish to forget it.

KING: Well, she seems – now she’s making the point that she should have made both points.

NATE BURLESON

KING (Yes, I think she had to make both. That it’s about race, that it’s also about the imhumanity and evil.

BURLESON: It’s also about evil, as well.  

DUTHIERS. She had a talk with Jonathan Greenblatt from the ADL. Jonathan also explained to her that she believed this tragedy was unique to Jews. And as you pointed out and I pointed out, something they’ve endured for a millennia. Jews are familiar with this issue.

DOKOUPIL: And it wasn’t like you could renounce Judaism and then be saved by the Nazis, right? You were unable to renounce Judaism and be saved by the Nazis.

DUTHIERS: That’s right.

DOKOUPIL – An indestructible characteristic.

DUTHIERS