Despite the fact that House Republicans on the Intelligence Committee released their impeachment findings a full day ahead of Democrats, the liberal broadcast networks granted their team 10 times the coverage in just one evening.
Over the course of two evenings (Monday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 3), following the release of the GOP impeachment report blasting their democratic colleagues, ABC’s World News Tonight, CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News granted their report a measly 54 seconds of combined airtime. NBC actually ignored the GOP report during their Tuesday newscast. (12 seconds from ABC on both days, 13 and 9 from CBS, and 8 from NBC on Monday)
In stark contrast, the report released by Democrats on Tuesday was granted nine minutes and eight seconds of combined airtime. Both ABC and NBC boosted the Democrat report for over three minutes (3:14 and 3:10 respectively). CBS clocked in with two minutes and 44 seconds.
If the time allotted wasn’t evidence enough of their preference for an impeachment outcome, how they talked about each of the reports made it clear. ABC and NBC talked about the GOP very blandly with CBS chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes describing it as a “preemptive strike.”
Again, in stark contrast, the networks celebrated the release of the Democratic report.
“Good evening. Democrats tonight have laid down the gauntlet, spelling out in detail the likely impeachment charges against President Trump,” declared NBC anchor Lester Holt Tuesday. “After weeks of hearing, the House Intelligence Committee today released its impeachment report.”
NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander backed him up, stating: “Tonight, House Democrats mapping out their case for impeachment in a 300-page report, accusing President Trump of abusing his power by pressuring Ukraine to help benefit his reelection, and then obstructing Congress' efforts to investigate.”
As if the findings of the Democratic report weren’t predetermined, CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell was excited to announce that, “There is breaking news as we come on the air. A new report tonight accuses President Trump was compromising national security to advance his personal political interests by trying to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election.”
“The report essentially lays out all the evidence for impeachment, and the House Intelligence Committee, which did the digging, is voting right now to hand those findings over to the House Judiciary Committee, which historically has handled articles of impeachment,” Cordes added.
Over on ABC, they were again throwing around the word “historic”. “And we begin with this historic next step tonight in the impeachment inquiry. The House Intelligence Committee revealing late today its 300-page impeachment report,” boasted anchor David Muir.
The same language was used by ABC senior national correspondent Terry Moran:
A historic moment in the Capitol. Adam Schiff stepping before the cameras to lay out the case for impeachment, accusing President Trump of subverting U.S. national security through a scheme to exploit Ukraine's desperate need for U.S. military assistance in their fight against Russian-backed separatists.
Another example of the liberal media’s disinterest in sharing the GOP’s findings with the public was this image taken at the GOP press conference to discuss their report on Tuesday. The image showed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaking to a nearly empty briefing room.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
December 3, 2019
6:31:56 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening and it's great to have you with us here on a very busy Tuesday night. And we begin with this historic next step tonight in the impeachment inquiry. The House Intelligence Committee revealing late today its 300-page impeachment report. And this evening, the committee now voting on it.
All of this as President Trump and the First Lady are on the world stage, meeting with NATO leaders at 10 Downing Street in London and welcomed to Buckingham Palace. Here at home, the Democratic chair of the committee, Adam Schiff, before the cameras today, saying the investigation found the President, quote, “placed his own personal and political interests above the national interests of the United States.” And he laid out evidence, including new phone calls in this investigation.
So, tonight, the vote. And where this goes next. All moving very quickly. And the President is now responding. ABC's Terry Moran leads us off from the hill tonight.
[Cuts to video]
TERRY MORAN: A historic moment in the Capitol. Adam Schiff stepping before the cameras to lay out the case for impeachment, accusing President Trump of subverting U.S. national security through a scheme to exploit Ukraine's desperate need for U.S. military assistance in their fight against Russian-backed separatists.
(…)
CBS Evening News
December 3, 2019
6:31:57 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Good evening and thank you so much for joining us. There is breaking news as we come on the air. A new report tonight accuses President Trump was compromising national security to advance his personal political interests by trying to pressure Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 election.
The report also accuses key administration officials of being involved in the scheme, and this now sets up the next phase of the impeachment inquiry: hearings before the House Judiciary Committee that begin tomorrow. Nancy Cordes is at the capitol tonight. And, Nancy Cordes is at the Capitol tonight. And Nancy, 300 pages, there’s a lot in this report.
NANCY CORDES: There is, Norah. The report essentially lays out all the evidence for impeachment, and the House Intelligence Committee, which did the digging, is voting right now to hand those findings over to the House Judiciary Committee, which historically has handled articles of impeachment.
[Cuts to video]
The report is based on two months of depositions and hearings involving 17 witnesses.
(…)
CORDES: The key finding is this: That President Trump used the power of his office to apply increasing pressure on the president of Ukraine to investigate a campaign rival, Joe Biden.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
December 3, 2019
7:01:43 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. Democrats tonight have laid down the gauntlet, spelling out in detail the likely impeachment charges against President Trump. After weeks of hearing, the House Intelligence Committee today released its impeachment report. It offers new evidence it says shows the President abused his power by soliciting [a] foreign country to help him win reelection and then wage an unprecedented campaign to obstruct Congress. Our Peter Alexander has details.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, House Democrats mapping out their case for impeachment in a 300-page report, accusing President Trump of abusing his power by pressuring Ukraine to help benefit his reelection, and then obstructing Congress' efforts to investigate. “The evidence of the President's misconduct is overwhelming,” the report reads, “and so too is the evidence of his obstruction of Congress.”
(…)
