Network news outlet ABC was not amused by President-Elect Donald Trump’s tweets targeting President Barack Obama Tuesday evening, as reporter Mary Bruce rebuked much of Trump’s harsh criticism of the lame-duck president. “Now, the president-elect, 1,200 miles away [from Trump Tower], but not off Twitter, where he again took aim at President Obama,” announced Tom Llamas, filling in for Anchor David Muir.
“Tonight, Donald Trump still on vacation, but not taking a break from Twitter, tweeting, "President Obama campaigned hard and personally in the very important swing states and lost…” reported Bruce. She wrote off Trump’s tweet as him simply “digging in” after Obama claimed he could have beaten Trump in a head-to-head election. “I think I could have mobilized a majority of the American people,” he stated.
Perhaps it’s because ABC spent a lot of time during the general election praising Obama’s aid to the Hillary Clinton campaign, one time claiming it was “just what the doctor ordered.” Or maybe because they fawned over the “one-two punch” of the president and the first lady campaigning combination. ABC even ignored the revelation that Obama had knowledge of Clinton’s private e-mail server.
She then scolded Trump for “boasting” about the how well the economy is doing after he was elected, “Trump's also taking credit for the economy, even before he takes the oath of office.” “But lots of factors contribute to economic growth,” warned, before praising Obama, “Employment has been steadily growing under the Obama administration.” But the number commonly used for the unemployment rate is inaccurate, because it does not take into account those who have given up looking for work.
“And after futures plunged on election night, the Dow is up, but some experts caution that rally should be short-lived,” Bruce noted, trying to put a damper on the record high stock market. Yet ABC wouldn’t dare report on the collapsing of ObamaCare. They spent most of the year ignoring its failings all together, as reported by the Media Research Center’s Mike Ciandella.
Bruce even knocked Trump for breaking a promise to be restrained on Twitter, and for attacking the United Nations. “Trump is also blasting the U.N. for its recent vote to condemn Israeli settlements, calling it ‘Just a club for people to get together,’’ she recalled. But Bruce never questioned if it was appropriate for an outgoing president to be make such outlandish and poorly backed assertions.
There were times during ABC’s general election coverage where their “news” from the Democratic side consisted solely of a speech Obama gave bashing Trump. To go from glorying Obama’s assaults on Trump and the GOP during the election, to rebuking Trump’s attacks against the president exposes the network’s true bias.
Transcript below:
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ABC
World News Tonight
December 27, 2016
6:39:12 PM EasternTOM LLAMAS: Now, the president-elect, 1,200 miles away, but not off Twitter, where he again took aim at President Obama. ABC's Mary Bruce at the White House tonight.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, Donald Trump still on vacation, but not taking a break from Twitter, tweeting, "President Obama campaigned hard and personally in the very important swing states and lost. The voters wanted to make America great again." Trump's digging in after President Obama suggested he could have won.
BARACK OBAMA: I think I could have mobilized a majority of the American people.
BRUCE: Trump's also taking credit for the economy, even before he takes the oath of office, boasting, "The world was gloomy before I won. There was no hope. Now the market is up nearly 10 percent and Christmas spending is over a trillion dollars!" But lots of factors contribute to economic growth. Employment has been steadily growing under the Obama administration. And after futures plunged on election night, the Dow is up, but some experts caution that rally should be short-lived.
Since winning, he's blasted out more than 200 tweets. A far cry from this promise.
DONALD TRUMP: I'm going to do very restrained, if I use it at all, I'm going to do very restrained.
BRUCE: His incoming press secretary suggests the tweets are here to stay.
SEAN SPICER: His use of social media in particular is going to be something that's never been seen before. He has this direct pipeline to the American people.
BRUCE: Trump is also blasting the U.N. for its recent vote to condemn Israeli settlements, calling it "Just a club for people to get together." Republican lawmakers are backing him up.
TOM COTTON: We should seriously consider withholding all funds from the United Nations until this anti-Israel resolution is rescinded entirely.
[Cuts back to live]
LLAMAS: Mary Bruce joins us live from the White House. And Mary, tonight, outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid weighing in on the future of the Democratic Party?
BRUCE: Tom, the outgoing senate Democratic leader warns that Democrats are a bit of a problem when it comes to the age of their party's bench. Reid reportedly saying that the democratic field of candidates looks like an old folks home. Tom?
LLAMAS: Mary, thank you.
