Nancy Cordes
It’s as if the left knew what they were doing Sunday and Monday -- switching tunes to now opposing the Senate’s massive, $2 trillion stimulus package to help American workers and the economy. Why? Because as Monday’s broadcast network newscasts showed, the liberal media will provide any and all cover, refusing to assign blame to liberals and progressives pulling the carpet out at the last minute. ABC, CBS, and NBC framed the stimulus package’s failure as merely a “bitter fight” and “political battle” having caused “angry debate” and “frustration.”
What was going on CBS Tuesday night during the State of the Union? In their post-speech reactions, CBS journalists praised the “master showman” President’s “incredible remarks” that, while “restrained,” showcased “a strong record on the economy” and “emotionally compelling stories” about “great Americans.” Even more surprisingly, the praise was juxtaposed with condemnation for Democrats.
Monday was the final day of the Senate’s impeachment trial before Wednesday’s likely acquittal of President Trump. As such, the Democratic impeachment managers were pulling out all the stops, putting out every argument they had no matter how crazy. One claim by Congressman Adam Schiff (CA) suggested if they didn’t remove Trump from office, he might sell Alaska back to Russia. Despite his unhinged accusation, the broadcast networks touted his “warning” to Republicans.
Monday was day two for President Trump’s defense in the Senate impeachment trial and it was the first full day for his legal team to layout their fact-based arguments for acquittal. Yet, the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC chose not to air their arguments, as they did with House Democrats. Instead, they chose to disregard the defense in favor of pouncing on reported allegations made in the conveniently timed leak of former national security advisor, John Bolton’s yet to be released book.
Saturday’s abbreviated impeachment hearing was the first time President Trump’s legal team was able to have the Senate floor all to themselves during opening arguments, and the liberal media were not happy about it. All three of the broadcast networks used their evening newscasts to decry and whine about the arguments Trump’s legal team were making.
In their Thursday evening reports on the Senate impeachment trial, both CBS and NBC marveled and touted the work of Democratic prosecutors. Together they declared it a “dramatic day” where a “damning portrait” was painted by Democratic prosecutors, and quipped that the time for President Trump’s legal team to speak “can't come soon enough.” Anchor Norah O’Donnell kicked off CBS Evening News with another opening tease featuring an oversized plug for their impeachment coverage.
With the first day of opening arguments for the impeachment trial still unfolding at air time, CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell kicked off Wednesday's show by singing the praises of the Democratic impeachment managers. With an announcement of “breaking news” at the top of the opening teases, O’Donnell boasted: “The Democrats prosecuting the President open the Senate trial in dramatic fashion.”
After Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s master plan to delay the Senate impeachment trial ended in failure after a month, House Democrats finally got up and walked the articles of impeachment against President Trump over to the Senate for trial. It was that transfer of documents that had the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) all giddy with anticipation during their Wednesday evening newscasts.
Despite the fact Iran had killed a U.S. contractor in Iraq, staged an assault on the U.S. Embassy there, and launched a missile attack on U.S. forces, House Democrats were so overcome with their hatred for President Trump that they voted Thursday to restrict his powers to react to hostilities from the regime. Of course, that meant the liberal media had something else to rally behind seeing as their buddies in Iran had just killed nearly 176 innocent people by blowing a passenger jet out the sky.
For 20 minutes and 25 seconds, the entirety of their Wednesday evening airtime, that’s how much time CBS Evening News dedicated to hawking impeachment to their viewers. The time was used to gush about Democratic speeches, mock White House spin, decry the President’s anger, chide Americans unwilling to go along, and boast about the lack of impartiality from Senate Democrats running for President.
On Monday, the network morning shows seized on laughable Democratic spin accusing Senate Republicans of “failing to be impartial jurors” in the upcoming impeachment trial of President Trump. This from the same media that hasn’t expressed any concern over Democratic senators running for president while presiding over the impeachment of the Republican incumbent they’re vying to replace.
The networks on Monday morning offered a collective shrug over the news that a Democratic Congressman is switching parties over impeachment. NBC’s Today skipped the story entirely. ABC’s Good Morning America allowed 12 seconds on Congressman Jeff Van Drew and CBS This Morning managed 37 seconds.