Hispanic networks skip Zimmerman in Obama interviews

[FarCenter]

Leading Hispanic television networks Univision and Telemundo were granted two interviews apiece with President Obama today, but not one interviewer asked the president a question about the verdict in the George Zimmerman trial, according to transcripts and sources familiar with the interviews.

The four interviews were intended to focus on immigration reform, but the absence of any inquiry related to the high-profile court case surprised even the White House.

"The President was prepared to answer questions on [the Zimmerman verdict] and any other topic," White House press secretary Jay Carney told POLITICO while confirming that there were no preconditions for the interviews.

Television industry executives also expressed surprise: "It's unbelievable that any journalist with access to the President this week wouldn't ask the first African-American president about his reaction to the verdict," said one D.C.-based executive.

Instead, the interviewers focused on immigration reform, giving President Obama the opportunity to tout the economic benefits of reform and to criticize House Republicans for opposing the immigration bill on political grounds.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/07/hispanic-networks-skip-zimmerman-in-obama-interviews-168500.html

[JI7]

1. not sure why this is so surprising, the immigration issue is very important, these aren't networks

like CNN which focus on anything to bring ratings. people actually watch these programs to become informed and aware of things, and they have a specific demograhpic which counts on them to provide info in certain areas.

Obama already released a statement. and very likely those who are hispanic would have a good idea of what another minority is thinking.

[Igel]

3. Not a surprise.

Obama is tangential to it.

The case probably not a big deal in the Latino community. The Spanish-speaking community has their own issues.

Don't know that they'd much care just because Zimmerman has a Peruvian mother. Or bother to feel embarrassment.