Tom Brokaw was on the wrong side of the breaking news alerts this weekend after televised remarks that outraged many in the Hispanic community.
The former NBC Nightly News anchor tweeted Sunday that he regrets saying that Hispanics should “work harder at assimilation” into American culture and society.
“I feel terrible a part of my comments on Hispanics offended some members of that proud culture,” he said at the beginning of a series of tweets, CNN reported.
Tom Brokaw is offering a lengthy apology for his comments on Hispanic people and is having trouble with his Twitter account. pic.twitter.com/gmID3CMwo4
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) January 28, 2019
The longtime newsman added he has “worked hard to knock down false stereotypes,” and pointed out that he said in his final comment on Sunday’s Meet the Press, shortly after his controversial remarks, that all sides have to work harder.
Brokaw seemed to double down on his “assimilation” view when he reiterated that the opinion is one he’s been sharing “for a long time.”
“You know, they ought not to be just codified in their communities but make sure that all their kids are learning to speak English, and that they feel comfortable in the communities,” he said during Sunday’s segment. “And that’s going to take outreach on both sides [Republican and Democrat], frankly.”
Brokaw later emerged on Twitter to share that he is “truly sorry” for his “offensive” remarks and to thank fellow panelist and PBS Newshour correspondent Yamiche Alcindor for her comments during the segment, saying she’s a “wonderful colleague and an important voice.”
“I never intended to disparage any segment of our rich, diverse society which defines who we are,” Brokaw said.
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