CBS' Evening News Highlights GOP Civil War Breaking Out Over Trump’s Racist Attacks

Scott Pelley: “The Man Who Will Soon Be The Head Of The Republican Party Appears To Be Threatening Its Chances For The White House, The House, And The Senate”

From the June 6 edition of CBS' Evening News with Scott Pelley:

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SCOTT PELLEY (HOST): Tonight Donald Trump is standing by his attack on the Mexican-American federal judge who is presiding over the Trump University fraud cases. In insisting that a Latino judge cannot be fair, Trump is picking a fight with exactly the voters he needs in November, Latinos. Major Garrett reports the man who will soon be the head of the Republican Party appears to be threatening its chances for the White House, the House, and the Senate.

[...]

MAJOR GARRETT: Judge Gonzalo Curiel was born in Indiana to Mexican parents who became American citizens.

TRUMP: We're going to have great borders. We're going to have the wall.

GARRETT: Donald Trump, who wants to build a wall on the US-Mexican border, argues Curiel's heritage compromises his independence in the lawsuits.

[...]

GARRETT: This made Republican leaders who had begun to rally around the presumptive nominee recoil.

JASON CHAFFETZ: People are disturbed that you would want to try and dismiss a judge based on his ethnicity.

MARCO RUBIO: He needs to stop staying it. That man is an American.

SEN. BOB CORKER: I don't condone the comments.

PAUL RYAN: I completely disagree with the thinking behind that.

MITCH MCCONNELL: I couldn't disagree more with what he had to say.

GARRETT: Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins has yet to endorse Trump.

SUSAN COLLINS: It was an appalling statement for Donald Trump to have made, completely unacceptable, and he owes the judge an apology, and he owes the American people an apology.

GARRETT: Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse tweeted Trump's attacks are quote, “The literal definition of racism.” Even for former speaker, Newt Gingrich, long a Trump ally, it was too much.

NEWT GINGRICH: This is one of the worst mistakes Trump has made, and I think it's inexcusable.

GARRETT: Trump appeared most unnerved by Gingrich's criticism.

[...]

GARRETT: This afternoon in a call with close supporters, Trump doubled down and encouraged them to robustly defend his view of the case. Even Trump loyalists admit the campaign staff is too small and management chaotic. Today's conference is a classic example. Trump told supporters to discuss the pending lawsuit freely. The exact opposite of what his own campaign staff had been telling them to do.

Previously:

Hispanic Media Figures Slam Trump For Racist Attacks On Judge

Wash. Post: Following Trump's Logic, Only “A White Male Republican” Could Judge Him Fairly

Morning Joe Hosts Slam Paul Ryan For “Pretending To Be Surprised” By Trump's Attacks On Hispanic Judge

Bloomberg's Halperin Says Trump's Racist Attack On Judge Isn't “Racial” Because Mexican Isn't A Race