NBC Sports reporter Michele Tafoya revealed in an interview this week that the reason she left the leftist news organization was because she wanted to fight for American values by advocating for middle of the road ideas and pushing back against far-left wokeness in schools.
“It’s been on my mind for quite a while,” Tafoya told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. “I’ve been waking up every day with a palpable pull at my gut. That my side, my view, my middle ground, kind of moderate viewpoint is not being represented to the rest of the world, I didn’t feel. And so, rather than, you know, just banging it out on Twitter or Instagram every day, I thought, I’ve got to do something. I have benefited greatly from the American dream. And I feel like for the sake of my kids, and because I so love this country, I’ve got to start giving back.”
Tafoya was asked about a recent appearance that she had on ABC’s “The View” where she pushed back against attempts to racialize things in public schools.
In the clip, Tafoya said:
My kids in school, there is a big, big focus on the color of your skin. My children are now 16 and 13. It’s been going on since they were in lower school. And it is that there are affinity groups on campus for — my son’s first best friend was a little African American boy, they were inseparable, get to a certain age, they start having what’s called an affinity group, which means you go for lunch and pizza with people who look like you. Suddenly, my son wasn’t hanging out with him anymore. Why are we even teaching that the color of the skin matters? Because to me, what matters is your character and your values.
“I’m just astonished that we’re so looking in the rearview mirror and not absorbing the progress that we’ve made in this country and building on it and recognizing it,” Tafoya told Carlson. “And it breaks my heart, that my kids are being taught that skin color matters. And to me, if you want white people to step up, I was stepping up when I addressed the school and said, why are we having these picnics for families of color? Why are we separating our kids? The world is integrated; let’s continue that and have everyone find out what we all have in common, not just what we have in common with people who look like us.”
WATCH:
TRANSCRIPT:
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST: So, for a decade, Michele Tafoya was a highly recognized reporter for NBC Sports. She covered hundreds of NFL games as a sideline reporter, including five Super Bowls. She worked at multiple Olympics. Doubtless you’ve seen some of her interviews over the years. Here’s just sampler including her coverage of the Super Bowl this past Sunday.
…
CARLSON: So, that was Sunday. This is Wednesday. After nearly 30 years covering sports, Michelle Tafoya has decided to step away from NBC Sports. She said she made the decision wholly on her own; she was not forced out. And she’s doing it because she wants to be in a role where she can speak openly, and there’s nothing we’re in favor of more than that. We’re honored to have Michele Tafoya join us tonight to explain. Michele, first of all, congratulations on this new chapter. What an interesting decision that you made. Why did you make it?
MICHELE TAFOYA, FORMER NBC SPORTS REPORTER: It’s been on my mind for quite a while, Tucker. Thank you for having me. And no, NBC did not encourage this. They did not force this. This has been on my mind. I’ve been waking up every day with a palpable pull at my gut. That my side, my view, my middle ground, kind of moderate viewpoint is not being represented to the rest of the world, I didn’t feel. And so, rather than, you know, just banging it out on Twitter or Instagram every day, I thought, I’ve got to do something. I have benefited greatly from the American dream. And I feel like for the sake of my kids, and because I so love this country, I’ve got to start giving back.
CARLSON: Boy, that is the best possible reason. So, people who watch sports, of course, know you and have for many years; you went on “The View” recently, which is a slightly different venue for you. We have just a short clip, and I want to ask if this had some role in your decision. Here it is.
[START CLIP]
TAFOYA: My kids in school, there is a big, big focus on the color of your skin. My children are now 16 and 13. It’s been going on since they were in lower school. And it is that there are affinity groups on campus for — my son’s first best friend was a little African American boy, they were inseparable, get to a certain age, they start having what’s called an affinity group, which means you go for lunch and pizza with people who look like you. Suddenly, my son wasn’t hanging out with him anymore. … Why are we even teaching that the color of the skin matters? Because to me, what matters is your character and your values.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Yes, but you know, you live in the United States, you know that color of skin has been mattering to people for years–
TAFOYA: Can we change it that it doesn’t?
GOLDBERG: We need white people to step up and do that.
TAFOYA: But I think that … they’ve been doing that since the Civil War.
GOLDBERG: No, no, no. They haven’t.
[END CLIP]
CARLSON: Wow, that was such a such a moderate thing to say, such a sensible thing to say. And yet it seemed like such a controversial thing. I thought that was really brave that you said that. What did you think of the reaction?
TAFOYA: I’m just astonished that we’re so looking in the rearview mirror and not absorbing the progress that we’ve made in this country and building on it and recognizing it. You know, I don’t think a person like Whoopi Goldberg would have had that role 50 years ago; she has that now. I mean that — you and I know, Tucker, we could come up with a million examples. And it breaks my heart that my kids are being taught that skin color matters. And to me, if you want white people to step up, I was stepping up when I addressed the school and said, why are we having these picnics for families of color? Why are we separating our kids? The world is integrated, let’s continue that and have everyone find out what we all have in common, not just what we have in common with people who look like us.
CARLSON: Man, you know, I would — I’d bet you $20 that 95% of Americans agree with what you just said, but to say that when you work at NBC Sports or any big media company really takes I mean, you must have known that you would be attacked for defending the American ideal as you did. Why did you do that?
TAFOYA: Because I don’t care if I’m attacked. I really am not afraid of that. And I guess I feel like so many people now are afraid.
CARLSON: Yeah.
TAFOYA: And I’m not. Listen, I know there are repercussions for whatever I choose to say. And I’ve talked to my kids’ school about it, you know, please don’t hold this against my kids. I’m speaking for me. I’m speaking for my family. But please don’t hold this against my kids. But this is what I really believe. I think I speak for a lot of people, like you said, Tucker. And a lot of these people, my friends, are afraid to repost things that I’ve posted, or, you know, get into political conversations, they are, and they’ve said it, “I’m afraid. I don’t want to get in these arguments with my friends, with my boss, with my colleagues.” This is the most terrifying thing in the world to me right now, that people are afraid to talk. These are words coming out of our mouths. Yeah, we could probably hurt people with our words, I acknowledge that. But I get to choose my reaction to everybody’s words. And everybody else gets to choose their reaction to my words. So, they can choose to react to what I say. I’m going to choose to say what I believe in what I feel very strongly about. And I’m going to continue this and this is the direction I’m headed.
CARLSON: I just love it so much. And I think personal bravery, like the kind that you have displayed and are displaying now is deeply inspiring to people and comforting and really is the answer to where we are. So, thank you for what you’re doing.
TAFOYA: I hope people will join me. I hope people will join me, Tucker.
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