On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a visit to Washington D.C. to meet with President Joe Biden and congressional leadership to ask for more money to fight off Russia. Despite billions already spent and earmarked for the Ukraine effort, the three evening news broadcasts scolded House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and his Republican members for being reluctant to spend even more American taxpayer dollars on the foreign conflict.
"Some House Republicans are drawing a hard line, refusing to budge on more money for Ukraine," ABC News correspondent Terry Moran huffed on World News Tonight. "House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had said he wanted, quote, accountability from Zelenskyy on how the money is being spent," he added.
Moran then sneered that "in a stunning setback, McCarthy, for the second time, failed to muster enough Republican votes to move forward a major defense spending bill, something that typically just sails through."
"With a fragile four-vote majority, McCarthy is at the mercy of a handful of his far-right members," Moran taunted.
Meanwhile, over on CBS Evening News, White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe snarked: "What a difference nine months makes" because "last December, Zelenskyy delivered a prime-time address before a joint session of Congress," yet now "McCarthy said there was no time for such a speech and wouldn't even be seen in the halls of power with the Ukrainian president."
"Zelenskyy instead met behind closed doors with leaders of the House and the full Senate. That's because while a majority of Americans continue to support providing assistance, there's a mostly Republican divide on Capitol Hill on how to keep funding the war," O'Keefe added.
NBC Nightly News, for their part, used Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to attack Republicans. "Mr. Zelenskyy said if we don't get the aid, we will lose the war. That's a quote from him," Schumer claimed.
Correspondent Peter Alexander bemoaned that "Republican opposition to more aid has been growing, with 29 Republicans in a letter to the White House today arguing against new funding. Others demanding answers about the billions already spent."
The transcripts are below:
ABC’s World News Tonight
9/21/2023
6:42:08 p.m. EasternTERRY MORAN: Some House Republicans are drawing a hard line, refusing to budge on more money for Ukraine. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had said he wanted, quote, accountability from Zelenskyy on how the money is being spent. Still, after their meeting today, McCarthy sounding more supportive.
SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY: Zelenskyy's answered a lot of questions for me.
MORAN: But the Speaker is struggling to get his members on the same page, and Ukraine is just one sticking point. Today, in a stunning setback, McCarthy, for the second time, failed to muster enough Republican votes to move forward a major defense spending bill, something that typically just sails through.
MCCARTHY: I had two people flip, so, I have to figure out how to fix that.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Did you know that they were going to flip before the vote?
MCCARTHY: No, that wasn't the impression they had given me.
MORAN: With a fragile four-vote majority, McCarthy is at the mercy of a handful of his far-right members.
MCCARTHY: This is a whole new concept of individuals that just want to burn the whole place down. That doesn't work.
MORAN: The rebel Republicans are vowing to shut the government down in just nine days if they don't get their way on a host of issues, issuing this threat to any Republicans who would break ranks.
REP. MATT GAETZ (R-FL): Now, if we've got some of these moderate Republicans who want to go and join up with the Democrats, they will be signing their own political death warrant, and they will be handing it to their executioner.
CBS Evening News
9/21/2023
6:41:48 p.m. EasternED O’KEEFE: What a difference nine months makes. Last December, Zelenskyy delivered a prime-time address before a joint session of Congress. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said there was no time for such a speech and wouldn't even be seen in the halls of power with the Ukrainian president. Zelenskyy instead met behind closed doors with leaders of the House and the full Senate. That's because while a majority of Americans continue to support providing assistance, there's a mostly Republican divide on Capitol Hill on how to keep funding the war.
REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): We need to give them everything they need.
REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA): We should be for a peace resolution, ending the war there, not funding it.
NBC Nightly News
9/21/2023
6:42:28 p.m. EasternSEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Mr. Zelenskyy said if we don't get the aid, we will lose the war. That's a quote from him.
PETER ALEXANDER: Still, Republican opposition to more aid has been growing, with 29 Republicans in a letter to the White House today arguing against new funding. Others demanding answers about the billions already spent.
SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY: I thought it was direct. I thought it was productive. I raised issues with him. We're very concerned about accountability.
