Rick Sanchez (journalist)
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is de Reinaldo.
Sanchez at Jeff Pulver's 140 Characters Conference – June 2009
Ricardo León Sánchez de Reinaldo
(1958-07-03) July 3, 1958 (age 62)
Guanabacoa, Cuba
anchor/correspondent
Official website of Rick Sanchez
Ricardo León Sánchez de Reinaldo (born July 3, 1958)[1][2] is a Cuban-American journalist, radio host, and author. He is an RT America contributor, and was previously a columnist for Fox News and Fox News Latino,[3] and a former correspondent for Spanish language network Mundo Fox.
After some years as the lead local anchor on Miami's WSVN, Sanchez moved to cable news, first as a daytime anchor at MSNBC, later at CNN, where he began as a correspondent and ultimately rose to become an anchor. On CNN, he hosted his own show Rick's List and served as a contributor to Anderson Cooper 360° and CNN International, where he frequently reported and translated between English and Spanish. Sanchez was fired from CNN on October 1, 2010, following controversial remarks he made on a radio program.[4] In July 2011, Sanchez was hired by Florida International University, to serve as a color commentator for radio broadcasts of the school's football team.[5] Since October 2018, he has hosted News with Rick Sanchez on RT America.[6]
2.1 Firing from CNN
2.2 Apology for comments
2.3 Jewish outreach
2.4 Football announcer
2.5 Return to cable news
3 Private life
3.1 DUI incident
Sanchez was born in Guanabacoa, Cuba, a township of Havana, and emigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of two.[7] He grew up in Hialeah, Florida, a suburb of Miami, and attended Mae M. Walters Elementary School, Henry H. Filer Middle School, and Hialeah High School, graduating in 1977. Sanchez accepted a football scholarship to Minnesota State University Moorhead and transferred to the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis on a CBS/WCCO Journalism Scholarship in 1979.[8]
Of his childhood Sanchez has said: "I grew up not speaking English, dealing with real prejudice every day as a kid; watching my dad work in a factory, wash dishes, drive a truck, get spit on. I've been told that I can't do certain things in life simply because I was a Hispanic."[9] He prefers to be called Rick Sanchez rather than use his birth name. He said in a newscast in 2009: "I want to be respectful of this wonderful country that allowed us as Hispanics to come here, and I think it's easier if someone's able to understand me by Anglicizing my name."[1]
Sanchez representing CNN at the 140 Characters Conference in 2009
Sanchez began his broadcasting career at WCCO's satellite sister station KCMT (now KCCO-TV) in Alexandria, Minnesota, while still in college. He was hired at then-NBC affiliate WSVN (formerly WCKT) in Miami in 1982 and became a weekend anchor shortly thereafter. In 1986, Sanchez left WSVN for CBS affiliate KHOU in Houston,[10] then two years later, he returned to WSVN and began an afternoon anchor position with the station, which would switch its affiliation to Fox the following year.[11] Sanchez was hired at MSNBC in 2001.[12]
In 2003, Sanchez left MSNBC to return to the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale TV market, where he hosted a local talk show on WTVJ. Sanchez later anchored on then-WB affiliated WBZL (now WSFL) until he joined CNN in 2004. He won an Emmy Award in 1983 for his series titled When I left Cuba.[7]
On CNN, Sanchez filed domestic and international reports. For eight months, in the interim between Paula Zahn and Campbell Brown, he anchored Out in the Open at 8 p.m ET.[citation needed] On January 18, 2010, he began to host his own two-hour show in the afternoons, Rick's List, where he invited viewers to share their opinions and questions via social media. His use of social networking tools to create a citizen-driven news program was recognized by the Newseum in Washington, D.C.[13] After the cancellation of Campbell Brown's show, Sanchez again took over the 8 p.m. EST slot with an evening version of Rick's List, which continued until the premier of Parker Spitzer.[citation needed]
Firing from CNN
On September 30, 2010, Sanchez was interviewed on Sirius XM's radio show Stand Up With Pete Dominick. Sanchez's interview occurred on the final day of his show in the 8 p.m. time slot, and he was reported to be angry about being replaced by CNN's new Parker Spitzer talk show[14][15] as well as the occasional jokes made at his expense on The Daily Show:
It's not just the Right that does this. 'Cause I've known a lot of, you know, elite Northeast establishment liberals that may not use this as a business model, but deep down when they look at a guy like me, they see a guy automatically who belongs in the second tier and not the top tier. ... I had a guy who works here at CNN who's a top brass come to me one day and say,... 'You know what, I don't want you anchoring anymore. I really don't see you as an anchor. I see you more as a reporter. I see you more as a John Quiñones....' Did he not realize that he was telling me, 'When I see you, I think of Hispanic reporters'? 'Cause in his mind, I can't be an anchor. An anchor's what you give the high-profile White guys, you know? So he knocks me down to that and compares me to that, and it happens all the time. I think to a certain extent Jon Stewart and Colbert are the same way. I think Jon Stewart's a bigot.[14]
After Dominick questioned him, Sanchez retracted the term, "bigot," and referred to Stewart as "prejudicial" and "uninformed,"[16] but he defended feeling discriminated, saying, "He's upset that someone of my ilk is almost at his level" and that Stewart is "not just a comedian. He can make and break careers."[17] When queried on the issue of whether Stewart likewise belonged to a minority group on account of his Jewish faith, Sanchez responded:
Yeah, very powerless people. [laughs] He's such a minority. I mean, you know, please. What—are you kidding? I'm telling you that everybody who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart. And to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority?[14][15]
A day after his remarks,[18] CNN announced that Sanchez was no longer employed with the company.[14]
Certain accounts suggest Sanchez's departure was motivated by other reasons. CNN president Jonathan Klein, who was a supporter of Sanchez and had given him increased air time,[19] was fired just one week before Sanchez, leading some to believe that Sanchez's firing may have been motivated by other reasons in addition to the comments.[20] A contributor to New York magazine wrote: "The rumor that Sanchez was already on his way out in the wake of former CNN president Jonathan Klein's ouster from the company has been circling the Sanchez story."[21]
During his time at CNN, Sanchez once called President Barack Obama a "cotton-picking president", a remark for which he apologized, explaining that he had grown up in the South where the phrase was a colloquialism. He had also falsely attributed quotes to Rush Limbaugh, for which he also later apologized.[22]
Despite his firing, upon leaving CNN, Sanchez said, "I want to go on record to say that I have nothing but the highest regard for CNN and for my six wonderful years with them. I appreciate every opportunity that they have given me, and it has been a wonderful experience working for them."[23]
Apology for comments
In the days after the incident, Sanchez apologized several times. In an appearance on Good Morning America, Sanchez told George Stephanopoulos: "I said some things I shouldn't have said. They were wrong. Not only were they wrong, they were offensive." He added, "I apologize and it was wrong for me to be so careless and so inartful. ... But it happened and I can't take it back and, you know what, now I have to stand up and be responsible."[24]
Sanchez personally apologized to Stewart. He released a statement expressing regret for his "inartful" comments, adding "I am very much opposed to hate and intolerance, in any form, and I have frequently spoken out against prejudice."[23][25] On October 20, 2010, Jon Stewart told Larry King that Sanchez should not have been fired for what Sanchez said in the radio interview; Stewart called the firing "absolute insanity",[26] and stating that he was not "personally hurt".[27]
In a letter to Abraham Foxman, the head of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Sanchez apologized once again, writing, "[T]here are no words strong enough for me to express my regret and sorrow over what I said. It was offensive, and I deeply, sincerely and unequivocally apologize for the hurt that I have caused. I tell my children that when they make a mistake, they should take responsibility, atone and work to repair whatever they have done. ... I cannot undo the offense or controversy I caused; all I can do is to try and learn from this experience and strive to become a better person."[28]
Sanchez and Abraham H. Foxman at a Yankees Game together on May 11, 2011
Following a meeting with Foxman, Foxman said Sanchez can now "put the matter to rest", adding that he hoped Sanchez can now move on with his life and work.[29]
Jewish outreach
In late 2010, Orthodox Rabbi Shmuley Boteach held a public event at Manhattan's Carlebach Synagogue with Sanchez, and commented: "Our community has enough problems without looking for anti-Semitism where it doesn't exist. Rick Sanchez was humiliated and his reputation dragged through the mud. ... The Jewish religion says that a man's most cherished possession is his good name. Rick deserves the opportunity to reclaim his." Sanchez and Rabbi Boteach spoke for nearly two hours.[30][31][32]
In 2011, Sanchez visited Israel as part of an ADL-sponsored trip for Latino journalists.[33] Sanchez spoke at the ADL's National Executive Committee Meeting in 2012,[33] where Sanchez recounted, "the long and unexpected voyage ... [and] personal journey that led me to a man I now call a friend: Abe Foxman, who has led me to know myself and led me to grow in unexpected ways."[34]
Football announcer
On July 27, 2011, The Washington Post reported that Sanchez had started a job as a radio announcer for Florida International University. Starting in September 2011, Sanchez provided analysis of the FIU football team.[35]
Return to cable news
Rick Sanchez returned to cable news as a columnist on Fox News Latino in September 2012. Sanchez was offered a short term employment with the website.[3] Since joining Fox News Latino, he has appeared on the Fox News Channel as a contributor. He also started as a news contributor for MundoFox at the end of 2012.[36]
Sanchez began hosting a new show on RT America in October 2018.[37]
In 2013, Sanchez returned to South Florida with a weekday show on Clear Channel-owned Newsradio 610 WIOD. Replacing Todd Schnitt in afternoon drive time, Sanchez did a stint on a morning show, that led into The Rush Limbaugh Show. Due to low ratings, Sanchez is no longer on the radio, as of October 2015.
Sanchez also actively posts video segments "In All Honesty," often reflecting the Latino-American perspective, alongside journalist Ruben Navarette on social media platform MOSH.[38]
Sanchez and his wife, Suzanne, have three sons and one daughter: Ricky Jr.; Robby; Remmington; and Savannah.[8]
DUI incident
On December 10, 1990, Sanchez, driving home, struck a man who jumped into the path of Sanchez's car. The man became paralyzed after being hit.[39][40]
Sanchez was not charged with causing the accident. Police administered blood tests just over an hour after the accident, which showed that the victim had a blood alcohol level of .235%, more than twice the legal limit in Florida, while Sanchez's blood alcohol level was .15%, one and a half times the legal limit in Florida.[40] Sanchez was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and pleaded no contest.[41]
^ a b "14 Americans Killed in Afghanistan; Fighting the Flu; Wayward Pilots Talk". CNN Newsroom. CNN. October 26, 2009. Retrieved September 10, 2017. SANCHEZ: My real name is Ricardo Leon Sanchez Deyrenalo (ph)...
^ Leon, Luis Leonel (May 10, 2016). "Rick Sánchez, a 90 millas en AméricaTevé". Diario Las Americas. Retrieved September 10, 2017.
^ a b "Rick Sanchez Returns... On Fox News Latino". TV Newser. 2012-09-25.
^ "Rick Sanchez: Jon Stewart A 'Bigot', Jews Run CNN & All Media". Huffington Post. 2010-10-01.
^ Neal, David J. (July 27, 2011). "Rick Sanchez's next gig: FIU football announcer". The Miami Herald.
^ "American journalist Rick Sanchez will be leading the release of evening news on RT America | tellerreport.com". Retrieved 2018-11-08.
^ a b "Anchors & Reporters: Rick Sanchez". CNN. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ a b "Getting To Know....Rick Sanchez". All Things CNN. March 12, 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Stand Up With Pete Dominick.com.
^ Cook, Ruth (November 24, 1986). "Magazine article on Rick Sanchez misses the mark". The Miami News. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Jicha, Tom (October 18, 2009). "5Qs: Rick Sanchez, always in the news". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Eggerton, John (April 11, 2001). "MSNBC signs Sanchez". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Rick Sanchez Blog Profile Archived January 24, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
^ a b c d Madison, Lucy (1 October 2010). "Rick Sanchez Out at CNN After Saying Jon Stewart a Bigot, Suggesting Network is Run by Jews". CBS News.
^ a b Walker, Hunter (1 October 2010). "CNN anchor fired after Jon Stewart rant". MSNBC. Archived from the original on 3 October 2010. Retrieved 1 October 2010.
^ Steve Krakauer (October 1, 2010). "Rick Sanchez Calls Jon Stewart "A Bigot"; Says CNN Is Run By Jews". Mediaite. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
^ Dolak, Kevin (October 3, 2010). "Stewart Jokes About Sanchez' Firing". ABC News. Retrieved September 29, 2016.
^ "CNN's Sanchez fired after calling Stewart a bigot". Associated Press. 1 October 2010. Archived from the original on October 8, 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
^ Stelter, Brian (October 1, 2010). "CNN Fires Rick Sanchez for Remarks in Interview". New York Times. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
^ Pazienza, Chaz (October 5, 2010). "Some Rick Sanchez Insights From A Former CNN Producer". Business Insider. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
^ Tiku, Nitasha (October 6, 2010). "Rick Sanchez Apologizes, But Fox News And MSNBC Are Still 'Not Interested'". New York. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
^ Maerz, Melissa (October 2, 2010). "CNN's Rick Sanchez fired after calling Jon Stewart a bigot". Los Angeles Times.
^ a b Bell, Melissa (October 6, 2010). "Rick Sanchez's apology transcript for 'inartful comments'". Washington Post.
^ Kate McCarthy (October 8, 2010). "Rick Sanchez on 'GMA': Jon Stewart 'Classiest Guy in the World,' 'I Screwed Up'". ABC News.
^ David S. Morgan, Rick Sanchez: Jon Stewart Is "Classiest Guy in the World", CBS, October 8, 2010.
^ Posted on 10/22/10 at 10:27am Juan Williams fired, Rick Sanchez fired: National Public Radio (NPR) and CNN face public backlash for respective actions, Comtex News, October 22, 2010.
^ Jon Stewart Tells Larry King CNN Shouldn't Have Fired Rick Sanchez, Mediaite.com, October 21, 2010.
^ "Rick's Letter to Abe Foxman of the ADL - Friends of Rick Sanchez - Get the Whole Story". friendsofricksanchez.com.
^ Ron Kampeas (March 16, 2011). "Foxman: Sanchez can put controversy 'to rest'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
^ Boteach, Shmuley (January 17, 2011). "Shmuley and Rick in a Public Discussion". Shmuley Boteach.
^ Mark Joyella (January 3, 2011). "Ex-CNN Anchor Rick Sanchez Has "Friends," Would Very Much Like New Gig In 2011". Mediaite.
^ Glynnis MacNicol (January 14, 2011). "RICK SANCHEZ: I Didn't Even Know Jon Stewart Was Jewish". Business Insider.
^ a b "Jewish Security In America; The Iranian Threat To Israel; And Religious Freedom In America Discussed at ADL National Meeting in Palm Beach, FL". adl.org.
^ "My Remarks to the ADL's National Executive Committee". Rick Sanchez. February 12, 2012.
^ Yahr, Emily (July 28, 2011). "Former CNN anchor Rick Sanchez lands job as football announcer". The Washington Post.
^ Tanzina Vega (November 13, 2012) Rick Sanchez to Join News Team at MundoFox New York Times. Retrieved December 14, 2013
^ "Veteran broadcaster Rick Sanchez goes primetime on RT America". RT International.
^ MOSH (June 8, 2016). "In All Honesty #2 - Can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Latino - but apparently the media can". Retrieved June 29, 2016.
^ Rhor, Monica (October 6, 1991). "Accident Linked By Fate Pain Remains For Anchorman Rick Sanchez And Carpenter Jeffrey Smuzinick One Year After Wreck". SunSentinel. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
^ a b Rhor, Monica (October 6, 1991). "Accident Linked By Fate Pain Remains For Anchorman Rick Sanchez And Carpenter Jeffrey Smuzinick One Year After Wreck". SunSentinel. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
^ "Miami Herald Archive Search Results". nl.newsbank.com.
Rick Sanchez on IMDb
Rick Sanchez on Twitter
CNN personnel
News anchors
and hosts
Dana Bash
Kate Bolduan
Erin Burnett
Ana Cabrera
Alisyn Camerota
Julia Chatterley
Chris Cuomo
Poppy Harlow
Erica Hill
Laura Jarrett
Brianna Keilar
Abby Phillip
Christine Romans
Jim Sciutto
Michael Smerconish
Brian Stelter
Special episode
anchors and hosts
W. Kamau Bell – United Shades of America
Anderson Cooper – CNN Heroes
Van Jones – The Messy Truth with Van Jones
Mark Konkol – Chicagoland
Lisa Ling – This Is Life with Lisa Ling
Mike Rogers – Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies
Mike Rowe – Somebody's Gotta Do It
Kevin Spacey – Race for the White House
Morgan Spurlock – Morgan Spurlock Inside Man
Meryl Streep – We Will Rise
John Walsh – The Hunt with John Walsh
Bill Weir – The Wonder List with Bill Weir
Fareed Zakaria – The Most Powerful Man in the World
Cristina Alesci
Christiane Amanpour
Kate Bennett
Karin Caifa
Chris Cillizza
Marshall Cohen
Zachary Cohen
Kaitlan Collins
Daniel Dale
Jessica Dean
Jeremy Diamond
Nina dos Santos
Stephanie Elam
Alexandra Field
Tom Foreman
Lauren Fox
Mandy Gaither
Brynn Gingras
Hadas Gold
David Gregory
Drew Griffin
Paula Hancocks
John Harwood
Joe Johns
Athena Jones
Randi Kaye
Sam Kiley
Kyung Lah
Ed Lavandera
MJ Lee
Alex Marquardt
Miguel Marquez
Rene Marsh
Phil Mattingly
Scott McLean
Jeanne Moos
Suzanne Malveaux
Barbie Latza Nadeau
Ryan Nobles
Frederik Pleitgen
Manu Raju
Matt Rivers
Jeremy Roth
Arlette Saenz
Martin Savidge
Jessica Schneider
Clare Sebastian
Sunlen Serfaty
Farai Sevenzo
Sara Sidner
Barbara Starr
Nischelle Turner
Nick Valencia
Nick Watt
Vanessa Yurkevich
Jeff Zeleny
John L. Allen Jr.
Robert Baer
Molly Ball
Joan Biskupic
Gloria Borger
Ron Brownstein
Frank Bruni
Josh Campbell
Steve Cortes
S. E. Cupp
Josh Dawsey
Harry Enten
James A. Gagliano
David Gergen
Susan Hennessey
Mark Hertling
Elie Honig
Van Jones
Sahil Kapur
Juliette Kayyem
John Kirby
Paul R. La Monica
Errol Louis
Lisa Lerer
Anne Milgram
Philip Mudd
Caroline Polisi
Kirsten Powers
Asha Rangappa
Jennifer Rodgers
Sabrina Siddiqui
Margaret Talev
Brian Todd
Samantha Vinograd
Shan Wu
John Avlon
Paul Begala
Maria Cardona
Amanda Carpenter
Lanhee Chen
Carrie Cordero
Brian Fallon
David Frum
Jennifer Granholm
Mary Katharine Ham
Doug Heye
Marc Lamont Hill
Margaret Hoover
Scott Jennings
Jason Kander
Sally Kohn
Jackie Kucinich
Wesley Lowery
Kevin Madden
Timothy Naftali
Ana Navarro
Hilary Rosen
Matthew Rosenberg
Angela Rye
Bakari Sellers
Tara Setmayer
Jonathan Tasini
J. D. Vance
Meteorologists
Ivan Cabrera
Allison Chinchar
Jennifer Gray
Pedram Javaheri
Karen Maginnis
Chad Myers
Tom Sater
Past anchors
Natalie Allen
Dave Briggs
Campbell Brown
Joie Chen
Kiran Chetry
Connie Chung
Candy Crowley
Lou Dobbs
Michael Holmes
D. L. Hughley
Reynelda Muse
Soledad O'Brien
Michaela Pereira
Zoraida Sambolin
Isha Sesay
Greta Van Susteren
Jane Velez-Mitchell
Ali Velshi
Lou Waters
Judy Woodruff
Past correspondents
Samuel Burke
Kaylee Hartung
Ed Henry
John Holliman
Erin McPike
Lola Ogunnaike
Ash-har Quraishi
Adaora Udoji
Stephanie Cutter
LZ Granderson
Jeffrey Lord
Jen Psaki
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rick_Sanchez_(journalist)&oldid=1001231093"
American bloggers
American television news anchors
American television reporters and correspondents
American people of Cuban descent
College football announcers
American male journalists
Cuban refugees
Television anchors from Miami
Fox News people
Writers from Atlanta
People from Douglas County, Minnesota
People from Havana
Writers from Houston
Writers from Miami
University of Minnesota alumni
CNN people
RT (TV network) people
Radio personalities from Miami
21st-century American non-fiction writers
American male bloggers
Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people
Articles with unsourced statements from January 2011