A day after she interviewed Nick Sandmann, NBC’s Savannah Guthrie interviewed Nathan Phillips.
Many considered the interview “too soft” compared to the one with Sandmann. They may have a point as Guthrie allowed Phillips to continue to play victim despite evidence coming out that he confronted the Covington Catholic students at the Lincoln Memorial.
From The Washington Examiner:
Phillips told NBC Thursday morning that he thought Sandmann’s responses in the interview were “coached,” but said he forgives Sandmann for those responses.”Coached, and written up for him, insincerity, lack of responsibility. Those are the words I came up with, and then I went to go pray about it and woke up with this forgiving heart,” he said. “So I forgive him.”“I was upset that I was made to sit down and watch it [the interview]. I read his statement,” Phillips said when asked what he thought about Sandmann’s comments. “I got into the first 30 seconds 40 seconds of it [the interview] and I was like, ‘that’s all I need to hear.’”Phillips also said he forgives all the students.”Even though I’m angry, I have that forgiveness in my heart for those students,” he said.
Guthrie didn’t challenge Phillips as he continued to lie about the incident. He still claims that the students “surrounded me and the folks that were there with me” even though video evidence shows that Phillips and his friends confronted the Covington students.
Guthrie also brought up Phillips’ military service that so many have rightfully criticized:
“Some have said you were a Vietnam veteran. I don’t believe you have said that. What exactly is the nature of your service?”
Um…how do I internet? Phillips has proclaimed time after time that he is a Vietnam veteran. Guthrie asked this question this morning despite this video going viral on social media:
*UPDATE AT 8:12PM: The transcript I had originally was wrong. Phillips identified himself as a Vietnam times veteran. CNN identified him as a Vietnam veteran.
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