On Saturday evening, the NBC Nightly News devoted a full report to hyping a group of teenage environmental activists who are suing the United States government to demand that the courts impose regulations to combat global warming.
NBC host Jose Diaz-Balart talked up the "novel approach" as he set up the report:
We turn to climate change, and, as you may have heard, discussion of the issue is often about the kind of planet we want to leave our children. With that in mind, 21 young people concerned about the world they're going to be inheriting are trying a novel approach to protect their future.
Correspondent Ann Thompson began her pre-recorded piece by introducing 18-year-old musician and environmental activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez, who is taking part in the lawsuit. She accepted the liberal environmentalist take on global warming as the NBC reporter explained: "Filed during the Obama administration, the suit sponsored by Our Children's Trust seeks to phase out fossil fuels that cause climate change."
Martinez was then seen declaring: "Our constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property are being violated because of our government's inability to act."
Thompson briefly gave the Trump administration reaction: "The Justice Department tells NBC News the suit is 'unconstitutional' and says policy 'should be decided by the elected branches, not the courts.'"
Concluding the report, after Martinez was seen promising to appeal over and over again if they lose, Thompson added: "To protect the planet and their future."
