With 2021 quickly drawing to a close, and Americans beginning to travel for Christmas and tuning out the news, CBS decided Wednesday night was one of their few chances to effectively spin for the Biden Administration before the New Year. As a feature of their A-block, CBS Evening News was quick to parrot White House talking points that U.S. consumer confidence rose to its highest levels since July, but only briefly mentioned inflation as an afterthought.
Fill-in host Jamie Yuccas enthusiastically told viewers that the Biden Administration would be extending the moratorium on student loan payments for another six months, before passing the segment off to the network’s chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett to tell viewers this very important news: “The White House said today-- and this is a direct quote-- it had saved Christmas.” Garrett then clarified the White House’s remarks by saying “meaning fears of empty or nearly empty store shelves simply haven’t materialized.”
He also let viewers know that “Biden said store shelves are at 90 percent capacity, and he said Americans should have no trouble finding whatever they need for the holidays.” Garrett did hedge later in his report by saying that inflation is still around and the Omicron variant is still hampering the economy.
At the end of his segment, before he passed it back to Yuccas, Garrett reported that the Biden Administration is giving 40 million Americans with student loans a 90-day pause in repaying student loan debt. Adding that May 1 will be when loan payments are due to be paid again.
Meanwhile, over on NBC Nightly News, Anchor Lester Holt was much more skeptical of the Biden Administration’s claims that the economy was improving and the supply chain crisis is over.
In a news brief that lasted just twenty-six seconds, Holt reported:
Amid bottlenecks, log jams, and delays, today President Biden tried to paint an optimistic view of the American supply chain, claiming a crisis never materialized after speaking with business leaders, the President said packages are moving, gifts are being delivered and shelves are not empty. The head of FedEx acknowledged not all of the supply chain issues were resolved, but was optimistic that most of Santa's products will be delivered.
For the second night in a row, NBC covered a story more fairly than their third-place rival CBS. NBC reported the White House’s claims, then reported on a contradictory statement from another source, in this case, FedEx.
This is Journalism 101. Good job NBC. CBS on the other hand gets coal in their stockings for Christmas.
CBS running cover for the Biden Administration’s economic failures was brought to you by Geico and Febreze. Their contact information is linked. CBS has also asked you to text CBS Evening News Anchor Nora O’Donnell at this number: (202) 217-1107
To read the relevant transcripts of both segments click “expand”:
CBS Evening News
12/22/2021
6:39:44pmJAMIE YUCCAS: America's economic forecast looks a little brighter tonight. U.S. Consumer confidence is now at its highest level since July with more people planning to make a big purchase or go on vacation in the next six months. And there's some relief tonight for Americans with student loans. CBS' Major Garrett is at the White House. Major, the White House gave an update on that supply chain bottleneck ahead of the holidays. What you can tell us about that?
MAJOR GARRETT: It sure did. Good evening to you Jamie. The White House said today-- and this is a direct quote-- it had saved Christmas. Meaning fears of empty or nearly empty store shelves simply haven’t materialized. President Biden said store shelves are at 90% capacity, and he said Americans should have no trouble finding whatever they need for the holidays. Yet, inflation persists, and the Omicron variant, at some level, is stalking the U.S. Economy, so the administration said today it was giving some 40 million borrowers a bit of a break, extending for 90 days a long-running pause in student alone repayments. That pause, Jamie, will now continue until May 1st.
NBC Nightly News
12/22/2021
7:13:33pmLESTER HOLT: Amid bottlenecks, log jams, and delays, today President Biden tried to paint an optimistic view of the American supply chain, claiming a crisis never materialized after speaking with business leaders, the President said packages are moving, gifts are being delivered and shelves are not empty. The head of FedEx acknowledged not all of the supply chain issues were resolved, but was optimistic that most of Santa's products will be delivered.
