Trump Ejects Univision Reporter From Press Conference

Donald Trump Removes Jorge Ramos From Press Conference. GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump had Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, forcibly removed from his pre-speech press conference at an August 25 campaign event in Dubuque, Iowa. The Washington Post reports:

“Mr. Trump, I have a question,” said Jorge Ramos, the top news anchor at Univision and one of the country's most recognizable Mexican-Americans, as he stood up in the front row of journalists.

“Excuse me,” the Republican presidential front-runner told Ramos. “Sit down. You weren't called. Sit down.”

Ramos, holding a piece of paper, calmly tried to ask Trump about his plan to combat illegal immigration. “I'm a reporter, an immigrant, a senior citizen,” he said. “I have the right to ask a question.”

Trump interrupted him. “Go back to Univision,” he said. Then the billionaire businessman motioned to one of his bodyguards, who walked across the room and physically removed Ramos from the room.

[...]

But moments later, Ramos returned to his seat in the front row -- and Trump called on him. For five minutes, they tangled over immigration policy, an issue on which both men have passionately different views. It was one of the more compelling moments of the 2016 campaign. [The Washington Post, 8/25/15]

Right Wing Media Cheer Trump, Pile On Racist Criticism Of Ramos And His Work

Charles C.W. Cooke: Donald Trump Was Right To Kick Jorge Ramos Out Of His Press Conference. In an August 25 column, National Review's Charles C.W. Cooke stated Trump “got this one right” in ejecting Ramos from the press conference:

Ramos claimed that he had a “right” to ask his question. Not really, no. Ramos certainly had a “right” to wait in line with the other journalists at the event, and he might even have had a “right” to be vexed if he'd been obviously passed over. But he certainly didn't have a right to stand up and make a scene, nor to disrupt the proceedings for everybody else. Having a press credential in your pocket does not entitle you to behave like Code Pink. Ramos did. Ramos was evicted. Good. [National Review, 8/25/15]

Joe Scarborough: Jorge Ramos Wanted His “15 Minutes Of Fame.” On the August 26 edition of MSNBC's Morning Joe, co-host Joe Scarborough dismissed Ramos, saying that Ramos's motive for interrupting Trump's press conference was to get “his 15 minutes of fame”:

SCARBOROUGH: I'm sorry. Actually what was happening was, the other guy was answering a question when this guy started going. I'm sorry at home and this might shock and stun and deeply sadden a lot of people -- People are sick and tired of reporters standing up and yelling questions, in this case, where he was clearly yelling questions out of turn. And so I don't know. Mika, what do you think?

BRZEZINSKI: It's a tough one. I think the story is going to speak for itself and the reaction to it will speak for itself. I know how it's going to go. I'm not going to bother to say it.

SCARBOROUGH: I will say this -- if Barack Obama were standing there and somebody else was asking a question and somebody decided to stand up and make a political statement -

BRZEZINSKI: There was some intensity -

SCARBOROUGH: Well the guy flew all the way out there to ask a question. I think I'd seen him on CNN last night. This is a very big moment for him. This is his 15 minutes of fame. And you can be shocked and stunned and deeply saddened at Donald Trump's immigration policy. We've been critical of what he's said on the air here. But if I'm holding a press conference, or you're holding a press conference, or you're holding a press conference, and you saw a guy, you know, trying to get his 15 minutes of fame the night before, you know, and pretending he was Walter Cronkite on the convention floor or Dan Rather on the convention floor with Daley's thugs pulling him out when actually this was all staged by you.

BRZEZINSKI: I'm putting the filter back on.

SCARBOROUGH: No I'm sorry. It's just the truth. The guy was making a political -- if you've got a question to ask -

BRZEZINSKI: I don't disagree -

SCARBOROUGH: Ask a question. If you want to make a political statement, you can hold your own press conference. [MSNBC, Morning Joe, 8/26/15]

Erickson: “Ramos Is A Self-Absorbed, Self-Righteous Leftwing Activist The Media Allows To Act As A Journalist.” In an August 26 post, Erickson described Ramos as “a self-absorbed, self-righteous leftwing activist the media allows to act as a journalist.” [Erickontheradio.com, 8/26/15]

Media Research Center's Dan Gainor: Ramos Deserved To Be Thrown Out Of Press Conference. Dan Gainor, Vice President of Business and Culture at the conservative Media Research Center, defended Trump in a series of tweets:

There isn't a person who has watched Ramos who doesn't think this was overdue. Don't have to support Trump to agree either.

-- Dan Gainor (@dangainor) August 26, 2015

Ramos is just like most traditional journalists -- wildly liberal on every major issue. But allegedly “neutral.”

-- Dan Gainor (@dangainor) August 25, 2015

You don't have to like @realDonaldTrump to like that he threw Ramos out of that presser. #DESERVEDIT

-- Dan Gainor (@dangainor) August 26, 2015

[Twitter.com, 8/25/15, 8/25/15, 8/26/15]

Ann Coulter: Ramos “Thinks Mexicans Can Barge In & Demand Rights That Aren't Theirs.” Conservative commentator Ann Coulter tweeted:

At least Jorge Ramos is consistent. Whether a press conf or a nation, he thinks Mexicans can barge in & demand rights that aren't theirs.

-- Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) August 26, 2015

[Twitter.com, 8/26/15]

Breitbart.com's Ben Shapiro: “Ramos Was Treated Exactly As He Deserved.” Breitbart.com Editor-at-Large Ben Shapiro chastised Ramos in a series of tweets: 

So when a reporter yells a question at President Obama, he's a racist; when a reporter does the same to Trump, Trump's a racist. #leftlogic

-- Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 26, 2015

So when a reporter yells a question at President Obama, he's a racist; when a reporter does the same to Trump, Trump's a racist. #leftlogic

-- Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 26, 2015

So Jorge Ramos expects to be given 10 minutes to vent at the start of every press conference. That's “reporting”! https://t.co/s2svkOVEMp

-- Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) August 26, 2015

[Twitter.com, 8/25/15, 8/26/15, 8/26/15]

Iowa Radio Host Steve Deace: “Do Folks Know Most Of The GOP Base Would Like To Escort Leftist Hacks Like Jorge Ramos Out Of The Country Altogether?” Iowa radio host Steve Deace sounded off on the Ramos-Trump incident on Twitter:

Now the debate on Trump seems to be he was too mean to a Leftist hack/pretend reporter. Really? I mean seriously?

-- Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) August 26, 2015

Do folks know most of the GOP base would like to escort Leftist hacks like Jorge Ramos out of the country altogether?

-- Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) August 26, 2015

There are even more people cheering when Trump kicks out a hack like Ramos than plan on voting for him.

-- Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) August 26, 2015

For decades Republicans tried to nice Leftist media trolls to death. Trump has boot-stomped them. What does that tell you?

-- Steve Deace (@SteveDeaceShow) August 26, 2015

[Twitter.com, 8/26/15, 8/26/15, 8/26/15, 8/26/15]

Erickson: Trump “Should Be Commended For Standing Up To That Thug.” On the August 26 edition of his radio program, Erickson called Ramos “an activist who pretends to be a journalist.” Erickson added that “all of us on the right, whether you care for Donald Trump or not, he should be commended for standing up to that thug.” [WSB, The Erick Erickson Show, 8/26/15]

This post has been updated for accuracy and with additional content.