Rep. Loretta Sanchez: Trump on ‘SNL’ ‘Is an Affront to Latinos,’ Mexicans, My Parents

“— Because of all of the negative things that Donald Trump has said about us”

BALDWIN: “There's a growing chorus of voices protesting his hosting the show Saturday. One of the loudest voices, California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, a senior member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. She joins me, along with Matt Wilstein, entertainment writer for The Daily Beast. So, to both of you, welcome. And, Congresswoman, let me just begin with you. What specifically are you and other members of Congress asking of NBC or ‘SNL’ or Lorne Michaels?”

SANCHEZ: “So, ‘SNL’ has had plenty of presidential candidates on before. The problem is that they are allowing Donald Trump the entire time. They are asking him to -- he's going to host this. And that hasn't happened in the past by a presidential candidate. And we believe that it's an affront to Latinos in particular, Mexicans and Mexican Americans, my parents in particular, because of all of the negative things that Donald Trump has said about us.”

BALDWIN: “But doesn't ‘Saturday Night Live,’ Congresswoman, have a right to book whether it's one little sketch and Hillary Clinton making a cameo or Donald Trump for the entire hour-and-a-half, have a right to book Donald Trump, just as you certainly have a right to speak up and not tune in?”

SANCHEZ: “Well, in the same way that I believe in free speech and the First Amendment, you're correct from that standpoint, except for you're not allowed to go into an auditorium and yell, fire, fire, fire. And in the same way, believe it's up to "SNL" to understand that when they put a Donald Trump in front of people and he says these type of derogatory comments, that has a direct relationship to what is happening out in everyday lives of Latinos. For example, back in June, when in Boston a Hispanic male was beat up almost to the point of death, and the person who beat him up said to the police, well, Donald Trump is right, these illegal aliens are just not supposed to be here. So it's very detrimental as we try to hold our community together and they try to move along in the normal course of American life to have an instigation of that type against us.”

BALDWIN: “Matt, I promise I'm coming to you. But let me just follow up with that, because I know a lot of people, Congresswoman Sanchez, absolutely agree with you, although I did speak with a Latino woman just recently who would disagree with you coming from within the community. She loves some Donald Trump. This was Myriam Witcher.”

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WITCHER: “I'm Hispanic and I vote for Mr. Trump. We vote for Mr. Trump. Yes, Mr. Trump, we love you. He's our man sent from heaven. He's a very, very beautiful human being. Beautiful heart. A lot of love and compassion. If you can read or hear about the charities he's doing, this is something that touched my heart.”

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BALDWIN: “I realize that is one woman's opinion, but she's a big Donald Trump supporter. And I'm wondering, though, with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus making -- very, very frustrated over NBC having Donald Trump that you're actually going to have people tune in. I can imagine people at "SNL" loving this right now.”

 

SANCHEZ: “Well, I happen to like the "SNL" show. Quite honestly, I don't stay up that late. I'm either working –“ [crosstalk]

BALDWIN: “You have better things to do.”

SANCHEZ: “Gone to sleep. So, over the years -- but, certainly, there have been sometimes when "SNL" and its skits have gone overboard. But, in particular, we are upset that Mr. Trump is hosting this, rather than just being a skit. It is enabling him, after he has said these derogatory comments. And NBC Universal said to us early on, we're not going to stand for this. So we are simply pushing back at ‘SNL’and saying, uh-uh, this is not correct and you're endangering Latinos when you do this type of a thing. And that's our concern. Our concern is about people living their everyday lives and trying to be good Americans.”

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