ABC, NBC Tout Chelsea Clinton Defending Barron Trump, No Mention of ‘SNL’ Writer Responsible

January 23rd, 2017 8:45 PM

Saturday Night Live writer Katie Rich found herself in hot water over the weekend after the 33-year-old thought it was humorous to bully 10-year-old Barron Trump, saying “Barron will be this country’s first homeschool shooter.” In response to Rich’s vile tweet, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton spoke up and defended the president’s son. ABC and NBC, of course, touted her defense Monday morning, but none of them mentioned the offense originated from an SNL writer, a show they love to quote.

“Also weighing in over the weekend former first daughter Chelsea Clinton who may understand better than most the microscope Barron will be under,” reported Amy Robach on ABC’s Good Morning America, “She posted a tweet saying, ‘Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does to be a kid. Standing up for every kid also means opposing POTUS policies that hurt kids.’”

“Double message there,” noted Clinton lackey George Stephanopoulos. Co-host Robin Roberts scolded the mystery attacker, chiding, “Yeah, but also concerning Barron, there was just some mean-- out of bounds some tweets about him. He is a child … Leave him alone.”

On NBC’s Today, the home network of SNL, they didn’t have the integrity to report that it was one of the network’s employees who sparked the controversy. They touted Clinton in a brief lasting only a few seconds:

Meantime, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton is standing up for Trump's 10-year-old son, and the target of online jokes after the inauguration. Clinton tweeted, “Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does-to be a kid.” But Chelsea added a swipe at Trump, writing that “standing up for every kid also means opposing POTUS policies that hurt kids.”

According to The New York Times, Rich has been suspended from the show. “She was suspended immediately after her tweet, and her suspension is indefinite, according to someone familiar with the plans at SNL,” the Times wrote. The blowback she received from the public was so intense she was forced to deactivate her twitter account. Although, she has since reactivated it with an accompanying apology.

SNL’s constant hammering of Trump is a source of great joy for the networks. They often highlight the anti-Trump skits, or pro-Hillary Clinton skits, the Sunday and Monday after the latest episode aired. Rich’s repulsive attack on the president’s son should come as no surprise since SNL is so anti-Trump that the show wanted to endorse Hillary, but the network wouldn’t allow it. They even mourned her loss on air during the opening act. 

Transcripts below: 

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ABC
Good Morning America
January 23, 2017
7:33:21 AM Eastern

AMY ROBACH: Now, Melania and Barron are believed to be back here in New York City this morning. They're expected to spend most of their time here while Barron finishes this school year with Melania heading back to Washington occasionally for big events.

MICHAEL STRAHAN: Wow. And you know Amy, Barron, he'll be the first boy to be raised in the White House since the Kennedy years and Melania, she's very protective of him as any mother would be I would imagine.

ROBACH: Yes, she is and she said recently Barron is her number one priority right now. She wants to keep things as normal as possible for him. Also weighing in over the weekend former first daughter Chelsea Clinton who may understand better than most the microscope Barron will be under. She posted a tweet saying, “Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does to be a kid. Standing up for every kid also means opposing POTUS policies that hurt kids.” So it seems like she's on Barron's side but maybe not so much his father's.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Double message there.

ROBIN ROBERTS: Yeah, but also concerning Barron, there was just some mean-- out of bounds some tweets about him. He is a child.

ROBACH: he should be fall limits.

ROBERTS: As all of the president’s children in the past—

STEPHANOPOULOS: Leave him alone.

ROBERTS: Leave him alone.

STRAHAN: As you said Chelsea Clinton would know better than most.

NBC
Today
January 23, 2017
8:06:30 AM Eastern

NATALIE MORALES: Meantime, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton is standing up for Trump's 10-year-old son, and the target of online jokes after the inauguration. Clinton tweeted, “Barron Trump deserves the chance every child does-to be a kid.” But Chelsea added a swipe at Trump, writing that “standing up for every kid also means opposing POTUS policies that hurt kids.”