On Friday, the network morning shows reveled in Democrats childishly “taunting” Republicans on the House floor after the GOP health care plan passed. Reporters pushed claims from the liberal lawmakers that Republicans would be “punished at the ballot box” over the legislation and parroted fearmongering that voters would be hurt by the policy. For all the attention paid to liberal protests and complaints, no attention was given to conservative concerns.
Leading off NBC’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer announced: “While President Trump celebrates the passing of a revised health care bill in the House, Democrats are using that vote as a way to taunt their Republican counterparts.” While noting that President Trump and Republicans were “declaring victory,” correspondent Kristen Welker quickly ran to Democrats trashing the bill: “The opposition from Democrats fierce, an angry backlash audible on the floor. Democrats singing and waving good-bye to Republicans.”
Welker emphasized: “The taunts suggesting the bill will cost Republican seats in the 2018 midterm elections.” She then highlighted left-wing demonstrators outside the Capitol shouting “Shame on you!” at GOP lawmakers. NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt similarly pointed to the same protesters during a special report Thursday afternoon.
Not done parroting Democratic attack lines, Welker added: “Vice President Biden lashing out on Twitter, calling it a ‘day of shame in Congress,’ adding, ‘millions of Americans will lose coverage.’”
She then tried to bolster opposition to the American Health Care Act by reciting predictions of doom and gloom if it became law:
The big changes? The bill scraps the cornerstone of ObamaCare, the individual mandate, meaning you are no longer required to buy health insurance. It allows states to opt out of providing essential health benefits like maternity live and mental health services. And it changes the way with people with preexisting conditions are covered, providing $8 billion in federal funds to lower costs if states choose to charge more for those conditions.
A soundbite played of the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute’s Sabrina Corlette warning: “The winners are younger, healthier, and higher income people.” Wellker chimed in:
And the losers? According to the nation’s largest group of doctors and more than ten health organizations, older or sick Americans. The plan also cuts back Medicaid coverage, which could mean lower income families will face higher out-of-pocket costs. There’s also concern for special needs children. 70% of schools say Medicaid helps them pay for therapists.
At the top of ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host George Stephanopoulos proclaimed: “President Trump celebrates his health care win....Democrats on the attack, warning it will cost Republicans and millions of Americans big.”
In the report that followed moments later, correspondent Cecilia Vega declared: “After weeks of debate and arm twisting Republicans in the House voted to fulfill their central promise to the American people....They too were met with protests.” After featuring chants of “Shame on you!,” Vega continued: “Democrats are also taunting Republicans, predicting the bill will cost them in the midterm elections.”
Like Welker, Vega listed all the liberal fears about the plan:
It’s still not a done deal, but what this bill would do, end the ObamaCare mandate that Americans have insurance or pay a penalty. Instead of subsidies, the bill gives tax credits to help buy insurance and it rolls back the ObamaCare expansion of Medicaid. It also lets states waive the requirement that insurers don’t discriminate based on pre-existing conditions.
Beginning CBS This Morning, co-host Charlie Rose sounded the alarm: “President Trump celebrates after the House narrowly passes the bill to repeal ObamaCare. Critics say Americans with preexisting conditions will pay the price.”
Minutes later, correspondent Nancy Cordes promoted how “Democrats argued Republicans would be punished at the ballot box.” A clip ran of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi ranting: “But you have every provision of this bill tattooed on your forehead. You will glow in the dark on this one.”
Just like her NBC and ABC colleagues, Cordes dutifully repeated the same liberal spin against the bill:
The GOP plan is an experiment itself. It replaces ObamaCare’s insurance subsidies with more modest tax credits for low and middle income Americans, it dramatically cuts Medicaid funding, and allows states to opt out of ObamaCare’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
Despite all the Democratic hand-wringing featured in Friday’s network coverage, The Federalist’s John Daniel Davidson voiced conservative objections to the legislation: “The GOP-controlled House managed to pass its own slightly different version of Obamacare on Thursday by a narrow 217-213 vote, tweaking some regulatory provisions of the Affordable Care Act but largely leaving the law intact.” He mocked the “wailing and rending of garments” on the left over the House bill.
Here is a full transcript of Welker’s May 5 report on Today:
7:02 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Let’s get to our top story on a Friday morning. While President Trump celebrates the passing of a revised health care bill in the House, Democrats are using that vote as a way to taunt their Republican counterparts. The fight now heading to the Senate and facing a very uncertain future. We’ve got complete coverage, beginning with NBC’s Kristen Welker at the White House. Kristen, good morning to you.
KRISTEN WELKER: Matt, good morning to you. This morning the President is still celebrating after House Republicans passed a plan to overall ObamaCare. But now the bill moves to Senate, where it’s going to be a very steep battle. Overnight, Mr. Trump was in New York meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia and he struck a note of confidence it’ll pass the Senate, but there’s already a bitter backlash.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump Celebrates Health Care Victory; House Passes Bill, Faces Major Hurdles in Senate]
KRISTEN WELKER: President Trump declaring victory against ObamaCare in New York overnight.
DONALD TRUMP: Premiums are going to come down very substantially. We have something that’s going to be, I think, one of the best anywhere in the world.
WELKER: A major first step as the President fights to close his biggest deal yet.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [MEMBER OF CONGRESS]: The motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
WELKER: Bringing back to life one of his key campaign pledges.
CONGRESSMAN: The bill is passed.
WELKER: The House passing their version of a health care overhaul by a slim margin. The opposition from Democrats fierce, an angry backlash audible on the floor. Democrats singing and waving good-bye to Republicans.
[FOOTAGE OF DEMOCRATS SINGING]
WELKER: The taunts suggesting the bill will cost Republican seats in the 2018 midterm elections. And outside?
PROTESTERS [CHANTING]: Shame on you! Shame on you!
WELKER: Vice President Biden lashing out on Twitter, calling it a “day of shame in Congress,” adding, “millions of Americans will lose coverage.”
So what’s in the bill? It keeps two popular ObamaCare provisions intact. Children can stay on their parents’ plan until the age of 26 and caps on coverage are still prohibited. The big changes? The bill scraps the cornerstone of ObamaCare, the individual mandate, meaning you are no longer required to buy health insurance. It allows states to opt out of providing essential health benefits like maternity live and mental health services. And it changes the way with people with preexisting conditions are covered, providing $8 billion in federal funds to lower costs if states choose to charge more for those conditions. Republicans say their bill will lower the cost of health care overall and allow people to choose the plans they want.
SABRINA CORLETTE [GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY HEALTH POLICY INSTITUTE]: The winners are younger, healthier, and higher income people.
WELKER: And the losers? According to the nation’s largest group of doctors and more than ten health organizations, older or sick Americans. The plan also cuts back Medicaid coverage, which could mean lower income families will face higher out-of-pocket costs. There’s also concern for special needs children. 70% of schools say Medicaid helps them pay for therapists.
But politically, the stakes couldn’t be higher. And for now, it’s Mr. Trump’s biggest legislative win yet.
TRUMP: How am I doing? Am I doing okay? I’m president. Hey, I’m president, can you believe it? Right?
WELKER: The powerful senior lobby, the AARP, is also weighing in, telling NBC News the bill puts older Americans at risk of paying more. The administration arguing there will be extra funds set up in every state to help offset any additional costs.
Now as for that big battle in the Senate, the President can only afford to lose two Republicans in order to pass the bill. Senate leaders already saying the entire bill may need to be overhauled. Matt, Savannah?
LAUER: Alright, Kristen Welker at the White House. Thanks, Kristen.
