Geraldo Rivera: ‘I Was a Product of Affirmative Action’

CAMPOS DUFFY You know ░░░░░░░░ it s not just ░░░░░░░░ you have done in ░░░░░░░░ but what you ve ░░░░░░░░ in broadcasting I think ░░░░░░░░ a lot of Hispanics ░░░░░░░░ meant a lot I ░░░░░░░░ that s something you ░░░░░░░░ say something about GERALDO ░░░░░░░░ you for the opportunity ░░░░░░░░ affirmative action has just ░░░░░░░░ voted down by the ░░░░░░░░ Court of the United ░░░░░░░░ in a very controversial ░░░░░░░░ that will impact many ░░░░░░░░ of color I was ░░░░░░░░ product of affirmative action ░░░░░░░░ half a century ago ░░░░░░░░ you Jess Dean You ░░░░░░░░ welcome GERALDO When the ░░░░░░░░ Foundation and Columbia Journalism ░░░░░░░░ got together to integrate ░░░░░░░░ local news teams in ░░░░░░░░ York there were no ░░░░░░░░ reporters no Hispanic reporters ░░░░░░░░ women and it was ░░░░░░░░ That was as late ░░░░░░░░ 1968 69 so I ░░░░░░░░ selected I was making ░░░░░░░░ representing a group of ░░░░░░░░ Rican activists the Young ░░░░░░░░ who had taken over ░░░░░░░░ buildings up in Spanish ░░░░░░░░ and I was their ░░░░░░░░ and their negotiator and ░░░░░░░░ made a lot of ░░░░░░░░ as their spokesperson So ░░░░░░░░ got discovered that way ░░░░░░░░ they drafted me for ░░░░░░░░ Columbia program and the ░░░░░░░░ is history DOOCY Well ░░░░░░░░ know somebody who discovered ░░░░░░░░ long before us your ░░░░░░░░ Greg come on in ░░░░░░░░ Applause GERALDO He s ░░░░░░░░ my back the whole ░░░░░░░░ He s had my ░░░░░░░░ the whole time and ░░░░░░░░ with my leg gone ░░░░░░░░ s my leg KILMEADE ░░░░░░░░ s a great producer ░░░░░░░░ on air talent DOOCY ░░░░░░░░ in 1211 Avenue of ░░░░░░░░ standing ovation Cheering and ░░░░░░░░ GERALDO Thank you Thank ░░░░░░░░ I am deeply touched ░░░░░░░░ am honored I love ░░░░░░░░ and the people at ░░░░░░░░ I always will I ░░░░░░░░ never let anyone separate ░░░░░░░░ I am beyond grateful ░░░░░░░░ this This is so ░░░░░░░░ affecting I love you ░░░░░░░░ it Thank you DOOCY ░░░░░░░░ s cake time, folks!”