On Friday morning, NBC’s Today was the lone flagship broadcast network news show to keep alive coverage of Hunter Biden, his life of corruption, and the shocking collapse of his shady plea deal with his father’s Justice Department (after ABC’s World News Tonight was the only PM show from Thursday to do so).
And not only did NBC rehash that, but correspondent Ryan Nobles even made an allusion to next week’s potential bombshell testimony from former longtime Hunter business partner and confidante Devon Archer.
Archer’s name wasn’t uttered, but Nobles made a direct, seven-second reference to him in the final seconds of his report: “House Republicans are hoping to hear soon testimony in a public setting from Hunter Biden’s former business partner.”
Prior to that, Nobles had been asked by co-host Savannah Guthrie to answer whether Republicans were making “any headway” in their Hunter Biden investigations, to which Nobles fretted the GOP was “truly trying to capitalize on the latest plea deal fiasco to not only draw attention to the plea agreement, which they’ve criticized as a sweetheart deal, but also to focus on his foreign business dealings and whether or not he traded influence for financial gain.”
To his credit, Nobles resurrected the now-infamous WhatsApp message:
One example they continue to point to is a WhatsApp message allegedly sent from Hunter Biden to a Chinese business partner where he refers to his father and he says, “I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.” Now, that message was presented by an IRS whistleblower in congressional testimony. Now, Hunter Biden’s lawyer has said that message is “not real” and the President himself has denied being present.
In the first half of the segment, Nobles said the Biden “White House has gone to great lengths to avoid getting involved in the legal troubles of the President’s son” with “[t]he President himself generally just bat[ting] away questions that relate to Hunter” though Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted Thursday that he wouldn’t pardon Hunter.
And, concerning next steps, he noted the judge had given the government and Hunter’s league team “about a month to address the federal judge’s concerns”.
CBS Mornings and the always-superficial Good Morning America on ABC had other ideas of how to air their time. On CBS, they gave a full segment to a new undersea mining robot and ABC had an “investigation” into why people are buying and using expired sunscreen.
To see the relevant NBC transcript from July 28, click “expand.”
NBC’s Today
July 28, 2023
7:12 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Details on Hunter Biden Case]
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Also, this morning, a plea deal remains on hold between Hunter Biden and the Justice Department. Facing federal tax charges, the President’s son was hoping to put his legal troubles behind him this week, but a judge expressed concerns over that plea deal and now the White House is addressing Hunter Biden’s legal future. NBC’s Ryan Nobles is on the story for us this morning. So, Ryan, what is the White House saying?
RYAN NOBLES: Well, Savannah, as you know, the White House has gone to great lengths to avoid getting involved in the legal troubles of the President’s son. The President himself generally just bats away questions that relate to Hunter. But now, his Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, making it clear there is one line the President will absolutely not cross when it comes to his son’s situation. She plainly ruled out the possibility of a pardon for Pres — from President Biden for his son, insisting there’s a firewall between the White House and Justice Department. Now, as for that court case, both sides have about a month to address the federal judge’s concerns over that plea agreement. But, as for now, that case is headed to trial. Savannah.
GUTHRIE: Alright. That’s the criminal case. On — on Capitol Hill, Hunter Biden is also facing investigations in Congress. What is being looked at? Any headway by Republicans there?
NOBLES: Yeah. Savannah, House Republicans are truly trying to capitalize on the latest plea deal fiasco to not only draw attention to the plea agreement, which they’ve criticized as a sweetheart deal, but also to focus on his foreign business dealings and whether or not he traded influence for financial gain. One example they continue to point to is a WhatsApp message allegedly sent from Hunter Biden to a Chinese business partner where he refers to his father and he says, “I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.” Now, that message was presented by an IRS whistleblower in congressional testimony. Now, Hunter Biden’s lawyer has said that message is “not real” and the President himself has denied being present. House Republicans are hoping to hear soon testimony in a public setting from Hunter Biden’s former business partner. Savannah?
GUTHRIE: Alright, Ryan Nobles in Washington. Thanks, Ryan.
