Eager to find a new way to boost Democrats after Robert Mueller’s report did not find President Trump guilty of Russian collusion, on Wednesday, all three network morning shows celebrated the administration’s legal opposition to ObamaCare as a “winning issue” and “political gift” for liberal lawmakers.
“And this morning, Democrats seem very ready to turn the conversation from Robert Mueller’s report to health care in this pivot to policy, focusing intensely now on something that affects tens of millions of Americans and something they see politically as a winning issue against President Trump,” a relieved Hallie Jackson declared on NBC’s Today show.
Moments later, the correspondent confidently announced: “It’s an issue that helped propel Democrats to control of the House in November.” Jackson then teed up a clip of herself grilling Republican House Whip Steve Scalise on the topic during a Tuesday press conference: “Democrats see this as a winning issue and they point to the midterms as proof of that. Aren’t they right?”
After the soundbite, she repeated: “Democrats making the pivot to policy after the Attorney General’s summary of Robert Mueller’s report found no collusion between the Trump administration and Russia.”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, correspondent Mary Bruce warned: “This move by the Trump administration to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act could leave millions of Americans without coverage, including those with pre-existing conditions.”
After noting that Trump “didn’t respond” to her question on Tuesday about a Republican health care plan, the reporter proclaimed: “And that is part of the reason why Democrats here feel like this is such a political gift. They are quick to point out that Republicans right now do not have a new replacement plan.”
Later that evening, both ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News scared viewers by claiming that the President “aims” to “leave millions suddenly uninsured.”
Reporting for CBS This Morning on Wednesday, correspondent Paula Reid touted: “Democrats seized the opportunity to focus on health care as Republican efforts to repeal ObamaCare helped them retake the House in November.” She hyped how court cases about the law “will likely take over a year,” therefore “keeping the issue front and center through 2020.”
Moments later, co-host Bianna Golodryga observed: “Many Democrats view it as a gift, we shall see.”
If one line of attack against the Trump administration falls flat on its face, Democrats can rely on the media to help them change the subject to another.
