The major broadcast networks have made no secret that, above actual issues such as crime and the economy, they want voters to have Donald Trump’s criminal indictments and January 6 top of mind as they consider what matters for 2024. As such, they’ve spent roughly 335 minutes on the third indictment alone. On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, ABC and NBC cheered the changes to Governor Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) “floundering” and “struggl[ing]” campaign.
ABC’s newscasts — World News Tonight and then Good Morning America (GMA) — used chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl to spin the change in campaign manager as if it were another sign of his campaign’s immediate death.
Importantly, Karl has a financial incentive for DeSantis and Trump’s opponents to lose given his need to hawk an upcoming anti-Trump book (on top of the two he’s already published).
“Trump’s legal troubles don’t seem to be hurting his campaign at all. In fact, his tactics seem to be working. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once seen as the most formidable Republican challenger to Trump, is now trying to revive his floundering campaign. He replaced his campaign manager today, his third staff shakeup in a month,” Karl bragged on World News Tonight.
At the same time on NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt boasted in a news brief that “Ron DeSantis has replaced his campaign manager” in “[t]he latest staff shake-up as he struggles to gain traction against former President Trump.”
Fast-forward to Wednesday’s GMA and Karl hyped that “[a]s Donald Trump faces mounting legal trouble, his campaign for the Republican nomination is doing just fine” and “[i]t’s his Republican rivals who are struggling.”
Karl later cited DeSantis’s debate preparations before returning to piling on:
DeSantis had been considered Trump’s most formidable Republican challenger, once nearly tied for the lead. But in the latest 538 average of polls, he now trails Trump by nearly 40 points. And now, DeSantis has hired a new campaign manager: 35-year-old James Uthmeier, who’s worked with him in the governor’s office but has never run a campaign. It’s DeSantis’s third staff shake-up in a month.
Finally, on Today, Capitol Hill correspondent Garrett Haake also boasted that, despite the multiple indictments, “poll after poll shows Donald Trump pulling away from the rest of the Republican primary field” with “his rivals struggl[ing]” instead of surging.
Gee, if all the media do is talk about only one candidate (instead of the dozen-ish candidates), then many will think it’s over!
Haake later cited the change in campaign manager as another chapter in “a tumultuous month for the Florida governor, facing lagging poll numbers, complaints from big donors, and a campaign cash crunch.”
The liberal media trying to influence the GOP primary was made possible thanks to advertisers such as Dell (on ABC) and Ensure (on NBC). Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcript’s from August 8 and 9, click “expand.”
ABC’s World News Tonight with David Muir
August 8, 2023
6:41 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Developments; Major Campaign Shake-Up; DeSantis Makes Third Staff Change in a Month]
JONATHAN KARL: Trump’s legal troubles don’t seem to be hurting his campaign at all. In fact, his tactics seem to be working. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, once seen as the most formidable Republican challenger to Trump, is now trying to revive his floundering campaign. He replaced his campaign manager today, his third staff shakeup in a month.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS (R-FL) [on FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier, 07/31/23]: Well, look, at the end of the day, I’m the leader, you put out a commander’s intent, and you delegate for people to do it, then you evaluate, and it’s not up to what you want, then you just make adjustments.
KARL: DeSantis’s new campaign manager, James Uthmeier, is 35 years old, worked for DeSantis in the governor’s office, but has never managed a campaign.
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NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
August 8, 2023
6:37 p.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: DeSantis Campaign Shake-Up]
LESTER HOLT: In the race for president, Florida governor Ron DeSantis has replaced his campaign manager. The latest staff shake-up as he struggles to gain traction against former President Trump. The move comes after two previous rounds of campaign layoffs.
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ABC’s Good Morning America
August 9, 2023
7:10 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; DeSantis’ Major Campaign Shakeup; FL Governor Replaces Campaign Manager Ahead of First Debate]
REBECCA JARVIS: We turn now to Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who just replaced his presidential campaign manager. It is the third major staff shake-up in less than a month and ABC chief Washington correspondent Jon Karl is in Washington D.C. this morning. Good morning, Jon.
JONATHAN KARL: Good morning, Rebecca. As Donald Trump faces mounting legal trouble, his campaign for the Republican nomination is doing just fine. It’s his Republican rivals who are struggling.
(....)
7:11 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Race for the Republican Nomination Heats Up; Pence Qualifies for First GOP Debate as DeSantis Shakes Up Campaign]
KARL: ABC News has learned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has already begun debate prep sessions and even hired a debate coach. DeSantis had been considered Trump’s most formidable Republican challenger, once nearly tied for the lead. But in the latest 538 average of polls, he now trails Trump by nearly 40 points. And now, DeSantis has hired a new campaign manager: 35-year-old James Uthmeier, who’s worked with him in the governor’s office but has never run a campaign. It’s DeSantis’s third staff shake-up in a month.
GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS (R-FL) [on FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier, 07/31/23]: Well, look, at the end of the day, I’m the leader, you put out a commander’s intent, and you delegate for people to do it, then you evaluate, and it’s not up to what you want, then you just make adjustments.
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NBC’s Today
August 9, 2023
7:06 a.m. Eastern[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Defiant Trump on the Trail]
GARRETT HAAKE: And, look, as poll after poll shows Donald Trump pulling away from the rest of the Republican primary field, he’s increasingly running against not just President Biden but against the entire American justice system that he sees as targeting him unfairly. All this as his rivals struggle to catch up with the frontrunner.
(....)
7:07 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: DeSantis Campaign Shake-Up]
HAAKE: Meanwhile, Mr. Trump’s closest Republican rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, is moving to reset his campaign again, replacing his campaign manager with his long-time chief of staff. The shake-up follows a tumultuous month for the Florida governor, facing lagging poll numbers, complaints from big donors, and a campaign cash crunch. DeSantis insists he’ll benefit from low expectations telling Dasha Burns:
DESANTIS: I would much rather be underestimated. When they underestimate you, that’s when we’re able to strike.
