Wednesday’s network morning shows were thrilled that President Biden was trying to exploit a deadly natural disaster in order to sell his radical political agenda that would waste trillions of taxpayer dollars. Rather that challenge any of Biden’s fearmongering rhetoric, the CBS, ABC, and NBC broadcasts all touted it as if it were a statement of fact.
“Turning to climate disasters facing this country, President Biden says Hurricane Ida’s destruction shows why we need to rebuild infrastructure....He said climate change is now everybody’s crisis,” new CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson proclaimed, reciting White House talking points perfectly. Correspondent Nancy Cordes noted the President visiting areas in the northeast hard hit by the storm and declared: “...while the President was touring that devastation, he said it was evidence of a, quote, ‘code-red moment’ when it comes to climate change.”
As the headline on screen warned of the “‘Code Red’ Climate Threat” announced by Biden, another soundbite played of him arguing: “We’re now living in real time what the country’s going to look like, and if we don’t do something – we can’t turn it back very much, but we can prevent it from getting worse.”
Of course the only solution was to spend trillions on the socialist schemes being pushed by Biden and the Democrats, which Cordes touted: “President Biden pressed Congress yesterday for a massive cash infusion, $1.2 trillion to make the nation’s infrastructure more resilient and $3.5 trillion on social spending aimed, in part, at tackling some of the root causes of climate change.”
She did at least mention opposition to such costly plans: “But Republicans argue the second package is simply too pricey for a nation that just spent trillions to tackle COVID....A few moderate Democrats, like West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, are balking at the price tag, too.”
Also to Cordes’ credit, CBS was the only morning show that highlighted Biden’s growing unpopularity becoming apparent during the trip:
CORDES: Even in the disaster zone, he struggled to escape the challenges dogging him back in D.C.
PROTESTER: Resign, you tyrant!
CORDES: Protesters heckled him about the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. That issue, plus a resurgence in COVID cases, are dragging his approval ratings down to just 44% in a new poll.
She then observed that Biden was talking up climate change and his massive spending agenda while “looking to get back to firmer footing” politically.
“‘Code red.’ President Biden surveys Ida’s destruction in the northeast....Calling attention to the climate crisis, visiting with families whose homes were hammered by the storm,” co-host George Stephanopoulos heralded at the top of ABC’s Good Morning America. A clip ran of Biden warning: “This is code red. The nation and the world are in peril.”
Talking to correspondent Cecilia Vega minutes later, Stephanopoulos again hyped the “stark warning” from Biden. Vega expounded:
He tied this visit and the aftermath of Ida there to climate change, he used a phrase like “code red” to signal this dire warning for the situation in the future. He also tied what he saw there to Congress, urging them to pass this multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan. You know that the combined price tag, more than $4 trillion.
The reporter then lamented: “But George, even that plan, that price tag is facing stiff opposition among Democrats right now.”
Leading off NBC’s Today show, co-host Savannah Guthrie sounded the alarm: “On alert. Millions up and down the east coast waking up to another threat....President Biden touring the damage in the northeast and sounding the alarm about the gathering weather threat, growing worse by the day.” The soundbite played of Biden using his dire “code red” language.
While reporting on the President touring storm damage in the northeast minutes later, correspondent Sam Brock emphasized Biden “offering comfort, aid, and this message on climate change.”
Whenever a Democrat wants to use a crisis to push their left-wing political agenda, they can rely on a compliant liberal press to parrot that narrative the next day.
The climate hysteria on CBS was brought to viewers by Facebook, to ABC viewers by Kohl’s, and to NBC viewers by Colgate. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a full transcript of the September 8 report on CBS This Morning:
7:06 AM ET
NATE BURLESON: Turning to climate disasters facing this country, President Biden says Hurricane Ida’s destruction shows why we need to rebuild infrastructure. The President highlighted the issue during the tour of the flood damage in New York and New Jersey. He said climate change is now everybody’s crisis. Nancy Cordes is at the White House with more on the President’s agenda. Nancy, good morning.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning to you, Nate, welcome. And yes, while the President was touring that devastation, he said it was evidence of a, quote, “code-red moment” when it comes to climate change. And he pushed for billions of dollars in new funding that he said would help protect Americans from the next disaster.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: “Code Red” Climate Threat; Pres. Biden Pushes for Billions to Protect Against Future Disasters]
JOE BIDEN: Thank God you’re safe.
CORDES: President Biden toured a New Jersey neighborhood littered with sofas, TVs, and toys. The remnants of Hurricane Ida dumped nearly three months worth of rain on Manville in about five hours.
BIDEN: We’re now living in real time what the country’s going to look like, and if we don’t do something – we can’t turn it back very much, but we can prevent it from getting worse.
CORDES: Even in the disaster zone, he struggled to escape the challenges dogging him back in D.C.
PROTESTER: Resign, you tyrant!
CORDES: Protesters heckled him about the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. That issue, plus a resurgence in COVID cases, are dragging his approval ratings down to just 44% in a new poll.
Looking to get back to firmer footing, President Biden pressed Congress yesterday for a massive cash infusion, $1.2 trillion to make the nation’s infrastructure more resilient and $3.5 trillion on social spending aimed, in part, at tackling some of the root causes of climate change.
BIDEN: We have to take some bold action now.
CORDES: But Republicans argue the second package is simply too pricey for a nation that just spent trillions to tackle COVID.
SEN. JOE MANCHIN [D-WV]: We should maybe hit the pause button –
CORDES: A few moderate Democrats, like West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, are balking at the price tag, too.
BIDEN: Joe, at the end, has always been there. He’s always been with me. I think we can work something out, and I look forward to speaking with him.
CORDES: But here’s a wrinkle – overnight, Axios reported that Manchin supports a package that is less than half the size of the one that the President is supporting, $3.5 trillion worth. And so what that means is that if the President can’t get Manchin on board, his plan does not stand a great chance of passage in a 50/50 Senate. Tony?
TONY DOKOUPIL: Pretty big wrinkle there, Nancy, thank you very much.
