Friday’s broadcast network morning shows were in a jovial mood as they celebrated a “big win” and “milestone” for America as President Biden and congressional Democrats are set to vote on their “historic” and “massive economic plan” they claim will lower inflation, help save the planet, make prescriptions cheaper, and increase taxes.
And, to the shock of no one, they barely mentioned opposition to the legislation, dedicating a combined three sentences insisting Republicans were against it (with none from CBS) or the research showing it would raise taxes on the middle class and poor as well as financially benefit the rich and types that thought Solyndra would change the world.
CBS Mornings co-host Nate Burleson was jazzed in the show’s Eye Opener: “Breaking overnight, a milestone for Democrats on Capitol Hill on a massive bill addressing climate change and inflation.”
Congressional correspondent and January 6 Committee lackey Scott MacFarlane was more than happy to share the details about the goodies for groups such electric car owners (so, predominantly the rich) (click “expand”):
She had concerns about tax provisions and her colleagues appear to have relented now, preserving tax breaks for investment fund managers. So, what is in this bill Democrats call the Inflation Reduction Act? Well, there are new taxes to help generate billions of dollars to pay down some of the national debt, but also to pay to extend some of the subsidies to provide health care under the Affordable Care Act. Democrats are also calling this the largest climate change legislation in U.S. history. It’ll pay for tax breaks for people who buy energy-efficient appliances or fuel-efficient cars, as well as financial incentives for businesses that conserve energy.
If Democrats can pass this bill, it is a big victory for the Biden administration and for congressional Democrats with less than 100 days til the midterm elections. They want something new to show voters. As for the voting here, it begins tomorrow afternoon. It could easily run through early next week.
After the report, CBS Saturday Morning co-host Michelle Miller fretted: “[T]he polls seem to suggest they need some help.” For Miller, it’s personal as her husband is longtime liberal activist and former Democratic Mayor Marc Morial of New Orleans.
ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) was also on board. Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos bragged that “Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced her support for the Democrats' climate and tax bill securing a big win for President Biden and his agenda.”
Senior White House correspondent Marcy Bruce trumpeted how “this is a big deal” for Team Biden “to pass their historic climate, tax, and health care package” that would include “the largest investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history.”
“It is expected to help lower health care premiums and prescription drug costs and would increase, of course, taxes on big corporations and the wealthiest Americans. The President is promising that this will bring down inflation and save you money. Republicans, though, and even some experts dispute that,” she added, playing the role of White House press secretary.
NBC’s Today provided their own stamp of approval for what co-host Hoda Kotb hailed as a “massive economic plan...aimed at reducing inflation.”
Chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander called Sinema’s holdout “one of the biggest cliffhangers of the summer” in politics, so her support was “a big deal” to “help bring down inflation.”
To his credit, he noted Democrats “still facing plenty of political headwinds” (click “expand”):
ALEXANDER: [I]t would still include the largest climate investment in the country's history, would lower the price for some prescription drugs, and it’s expected to reduce the deficit. And perhaps most importantly, Democrats and many economists say it will help bring down inflation. But Republicans dispute that, Hoda. They are united against it.
KOTB: So, lets talk timeline for a second, Peter. If Democrats do have all the votes they need, how soon may it be before we see this bill passed?
ALEXANDER: Yeah, it’s a good question. The top Senate Democratic is Chuck Schumer. He said he would move forward with the bill tomorrow. He wants to get this passed next week. I think, simply speaking for Democrats, this would be another huge legislative win going into the midterms this fall. To be clear, they are still facing plenty of political headwinds. Historic inflation, high gas prices, even though those are starting to come down — of course, the President’s bad poll numbers, but it really would give Democrats something to run on with a series of popular policies.
Back in 2017 when Republicans passed their signature tax cut legislation, the contrast was stark on the networks. On December 19, 2017 ahead of a vote on the bill, GMA and Today slammed it as filled with “major political risks” that’d put the party in “dangerous...territory” with voters.
They were similarly unenthusiastic after its passage. On NBC’s Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie berated then-House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), asking if he was “living in a fantasy world” for believing the package would lead to economic growth and not view it as a handout for the ultra-rich.
A day later, he was interrogated on CBS This Morning and GMA with the shows suggesting it was out of step with the American people. Of course, notice how there wasn’t anything in Friday’s stories about whether this liberal wish list was something the American people wanted.
Friday morning’s state-run TV operation for liberals was made possible thanks to the endorsement of advertisers such as Ensure (on CBS), Subaru (on ABC), and Wayfair (on NBC). Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcripts from August 5, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
August 5, 2022
7:00 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking Overnight; Deal Breakthrough]
CECILIA VEGA: Breaking overnight, deal breakthrough. Senator Kyrsten Sinema now on board for the Democrats’ massive economic package. So, what changed, and will it help reduce inflation and the cost of living for Americans?
(....)
7:08 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking Overnight; Big Win for President Biden’s Agenda; Senator Sinema to Back Democrats’ Climate & Tax Bill]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: There is breaking news from Capitol Hill. Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema announced her support for the Democrats' climate and tax bill securing a big win for President Biden and his agenda. Senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce has the details. Good morning, Mary.
MARY BRUCE: Good morning, George. Well, this is a big deal for this White House after a lot of uncertainty. This morning, Democrats appear to have the votes to pass their historic climate, tax, and health care package. Arizona Seminor [sic] — Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Sinema had kept Washington guessing really for many days but overnight she announced she is ready to move forward after leaders agreed to scale back some of their tax proposals, dropping a $14 billion tax increase on some wealthy hedge fund managers and tweaking a new minimum tax on corporations that could help some manufacturers. She was also able to secure some more drought funding for her home state. Now, the Senate is expected to be in over the weekend to begin voting on this. You could see final passage early next week. The President stands ready to sign this as soon as possible, but a reminder here of the big picture. This would be the largest investment in fighting climate change in U.S. history. It is expected to help lower health care premiums and prescription drug costs and would increase, of course, taxes on big corporations and the wealthiest Americans. The President is promising that this will bring down inflation and save you money. Republicans, though, and even some experts dispute that. Michael.
MICHAEL STRAHAN: All right, Mary, thank you so much.
---------------------------------------
CBS Mornings
August 5, 2022
7:00 a.m. Eastern [TEASE]NATE BURLESON: Breaking overnight, a milestone for Democrats on Capitol Hill on a massive bill addressing climate change and inflation.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking Overnight; Spending Bill Breakthrough]
SENATOR MARK WARNER [on MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson Reports, 08/04/22]: The sausage-making of how we got here, folks will write lots of stories, or maybe even books about it.
(....)
7:03 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking Overnight; Climate Bill Breakthrough; Democrats Secure Votes to Pass Inflation Reduction Act]
DAVID BEGNAUD: But we begin with breaking news from overnight. After months of negotiations, Senate Democrats say they finally have the votes to pass a massive spending deal to try and tackle climate change and inflation. For more on what's in the bill and what it means, Scott MacFarlane joins us live from Capitol Hill this morning. Scott, Kyrsten Sinema came through for the Democrats last night. When are you thinking that there could be a vote on this?
SCOTT MACFARLANE: Could start this weekend, David. Good morning. They are going to work and vote through the weekend to finalize this deal. With no Republicans on board, Democrats need all 50 of their members to vote yes. And overnight, with Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona announcing support, they appear to have their 50th. Sinema was late to commit to this deal. She had concerns about tax provisions and her colleagues appear to have relented now, preserving tax breaks for investment fund managers. So, what is in this bill Democrats call the Inflation Reduction Act? Well, there are new taxes to help generate billions of dollars to pay down some of the national debt, but also to pay to extend some of the subsidies to provide health care under the Affordable Care Act. Democrats are also calling this the largest climate change legislation in U.S. history. It’ll pay for tax breaks for people who buy energy-efficient appliances or fuel-efficient cars, as well as financial incentives for businesses that conserve energy. If Democrats can pass this bill, it is a big victory for the Biden administration and for congressional Democrats with less than 100 days til the midterm elections. They want something new to show voters. As for the voting here, it begins tomorrow afternoon. It could easily run through early next week, Michelle.
MICHELLE MILLER: And the polls seem to suggest they need some help. Scott, thank you.
(....)
8:01 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Spending Bill Breakthrough]
BURLESON: President Biden's massive bill tackling inflation and climate change is expected to pass in the Senate after all Democrats climb on board.
MACFARLANE: It is a big victory for the Biden administration and for congressional Democrats with less than 100 days until the midterm elections.
---------------------------------------
NBC’s Today
August 5, 2022
7:01 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breakthrough]
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Breakthrough. Senate Democrats reach a deal with holdouts Kyrsten Sinema on their massive economic plan. What just got dropped from the bill to get her vote, and what happens now.
(....)
7:10 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking Overnight; Sinema Signs Off on Democrats’ Big Bill]
HODA KOTB: Well, let’s move now to an overnight breakthrough on Capitol Hill. A bill aimed at reducing inflation now appears to be heading towards passage after Democrats finally reached a deal with holdout Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema. NBC’s chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander joins us with more. Hey, Peter, good morning.
PETER ALEXANDER: Hey, Hoda. Good morning. Nice to see you. Politically speaking, this was one of the biggest cliffhangers of the summer. Kyrsten Sinema announcing late yesterday she will support moving forward with her party’s climate, tax, and health care package. That announcement came after days of lobbying from fellow Democrats. And to be clear, this is a big deal. It clears the way for a shrunken down version of President Biden’s domestic priorities to get through what is a 50/50 Senate. Remember, just last month, it seemed like the President’s agenda was dead. Well, Sinema — she negotiated some changes to the deal, but it would still include the largest climate investment in the country's history, would lower the price for some prescription drugs, and it’s expected to reduce the deficit. And perhaps most importantly, Democrats and many economists say it will help bring down inflation. But Republicans dispute that, Hoda. They are united against it.
KOTB: So, lets talk timeline for a second, Peter. If Democrats do have all the votes they need, how soon may it be before we see this bill passed?
ALEXANDER: Yeah, it’s a good question. The top Senate Democratic is Chuck Schumer. He said he would move forward with the bill tomorrow. He wants to get this passed next week. I think, simply speaking for Democrats, this would be another huge legislative win going into the midterms this fall. To be clear, they are still facing plenty of political headwinds. Historic inflation, high gas prices, even though those are starting to come down — of course, the President’s bad poll numbers, but it really would give Democrats something to run on with a series of popular policies. Hoda?
KOTB: Alright, Peter Alexander for us here at the White House. Peter, thanks.
