The “big three” of ABC, CBS, and NBC all prominently touted on Monday night President Barack Obama’s visit to the Pentagon to discuss the fight against ISIS, but skimped on reporting any criticism of the administration’s strategy but instead lamenting that he’s had to try once “again to reassure an anxious nation” despite polls showing Americans are concerned about the growing threat of terrorism.
In a tease on the CBS Evening News, anchor Scott Pelley trumpeted the visit by “[t]he commander-in-chief” as Obama “tries again to reassure an anxious nation” and played a soundbite for the President claiming that “[w]e are fighting harder than ever” to defeat the Islamic terror group.
Leading off the newscast Pelley continued to play the role of White House stenographer: “Today, President Obama revealed that the dozens of special operations commandos he ordered into Syria are now on the ground and have begun to work with local forces fighting ISIS, or as he prefers to call the group, ISIL.”
Pelley ended the brief before going to a field report from correspondent Charlie D’Agata on the frontlines against ISIS by adding: “Mr. Obama said that he is accelerating the war in Syria and Iraq after ISIS bombed a Russian jetliner, directed the attack in Paris, and inspired another in San Bernardino.”
Over on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt highlighted the concerns in the American public over terrorism in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, but made no attempt to determine whether or not the President’s action/inaction has anything to do with that fear:
Many Americans are on edge following the recent terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. In our brand new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 40 percent say the federal government's top priority is national security and terrorism. That number has more than doubled since April, and 29 percent say they're worried that they, or a loved one, will be the victim of a terror attack.
Holt went onto report that “for the second time in just over a week, President Obama argued that his strategy against ISIS is working...in a rare appearance at the Pentagon.”
Playing a clip similar to the one played on CBS, Holt ended the 58-second extended brief with the addition that Obama visited the Pentagon to meet “with his National Security Council” and “will also visit the National Counterterrorism Center [on Thursday] before traveling to Hawaii on Friday for Christmas vacation.”
In contrast, ABC’s World News Tonight anchor David Muir only footnoted Obama’s Pentagon appearance at the start of a segment looking at how the feds missed signs of radicalism by San Bernardino terrorist Tashfeed Malik based on social media posts: “It comes just as President Obama today met with his national security team at the Pentagon. The President saying, ISIS leaders, quote, ‘cannot hide,’ and ‘our message to them is simple. You are next.’”
The relevant portions of the transcript from the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley on December 14 can be found below.
CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
December 14, 2015
6:30 p.m. Eastern
SCOTT PELLEY: The commander-in-chief tries again to reassure an anxious nation.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We are fighting harder than ever.
(....)
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Fighting ISIS]
PELLEY: Today President Obama revealed that the dozens of special operations commandos he ordered into Syria are now on the ground and have begun to work with local forces fighting ISIS, or as he prefers to call the group, ISIL. Here was the President at the Pentagon today.
OBAMA: The point is ISIL leaders cannot hide, and our next message to them is simple: You are next.
PELLEY: Mr. Obama said that he is accelerating the war in Syria and Iraq after ISIS bombed a Russian jetliner, directed the attack in Paris, and inspired another in San Bernardino.
The relevant portion of the transcript from December 14's NBC Nightly News can be found below.
NBC Nightly News
December 14, 2015
7:05 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE CAPTION: Fighting ISIS]
LESTER HOLT: Many Americans are on edge following the recent terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. In our brand new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 40 percent say the federal government's top priority is national security and terrorism. That number has more than doubled since April, and 29 percent say they're worried that they, or a loved one, will be the victim of a terror attack. But today, for the second time in just over a week, President Obama argued that his strategy against ISIS is working. This time he made those comments in a rare appearance at the Pentagon.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Last month in November, we dropped more bombs on ISIL targets than any other month since this campaign started. The point is ISIL leaders cannot hide and our next message to them is simple: You are next.
HOLT: The President was at the Pentagon for a meeting with his National Security Council. On Thursday, he will also visit the National Counterterrorism Center before traveling to Hawaii on Friday for Christmas vacation.
