On Monday, the network morning shows managed to feature some variant of the word “impeachment” a total of 17 times while reporting on President Trump’s phone call with the President of Ukraine about corruption allegations against Joe Biden’s son Hunter. In addition, ABC, NBC and CBS eagerly touted a letter from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accusing Trump of “lawlessness.”
“The ultimatum. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now demanding the Trump administration turn over that secret whistleblower complaint as President Trump acknowledges he spoke with Ukraine’s president about Joe Biden while his administration was withholding U.S. aid to that country,” co-host George Stephanopoulos gushed at the top of ABC’s Good Morning America. He then breathlessly asked: “Is this evidence of a new impeachable offense?”
In a report that followed minutes later, chief White House correspondent Jon Karl quoted Pelosi trashing the President:
Now Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is giving the Trump administration a deadline of Thursday to turn over the secret whistleblower complaint that first raised concerns about that phone call. If they don’t turn it over, she wrote in a letter to Congress, the administration, quote, “will be entering a grave new chapter of lawlessness which will take us into a whole new stage of the investigation.”
Stephanopoulos then turned to congressional correspondent Mary Bruce and announced: “That was a dramatic escalation from Nancy Pelosi yesterday.” Bruce agreed as she hyped “a real shift here on Capitol Hill when it comes to the question of impeachment” and excitedly noted: “Even Democrats who so far have been reluctant to go down this path are saying this may be changing their calculus, that we may be at a tipping point.”
The reporter was particularly enthralled by comments from one of the leading partisans among congressional Democrats: “Chairman Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee is suggesting that the President’s actions here, that these latest revelations may be so incriminating that the House is left with few other options. He says they may have, quote, ‘crossed the Rubicon.’”
While lamenting that “Pelosi notably did not even mention the word ‘impeachment’ in that letter,” Bruce wishfully observed that “she certainly is hinting at the possibility.” Claiming to present “the other side,” the correspondent highlighted far-left “Democrats here who have been pushing for impeachment for some time are growing increasingly frustrated. They are outraged with their own party’s muddled response and refusal, so far, to impeach.” Stephanopoulos chimed in: “Yeah, and the numbers of Democrats calling for impeachment has been steadily increasing over the last several weeks.”
The host then wondered: “...besides opening an impeachment investigation, what are the other options for the members of Congress?” Bruce detailed other possible avenues of investigation, but warned: “...all of the plan Bs that are available could be very slow moving and that is only like to add to Democrats’ growing frustration here on the Hill.”
GMA hyped calls for Trump’s impeachment a total of seven times, outdoing either of it’s network competitors.
NBC’s Today show only managed to bring up the I-word a total of five times on Monday, with co-host Hoda Kotb setting the tone of the coverage in the top-of-the-show tease: “Troubling conversation? President Trump admits for the first time he talked about Joe Biden in a phone call with the leader of Ukraine, but claims he did nothing wrong....While Democrats demand the White House hand over that explosive whistleblower complaint, hinting at impeachment if it does not happen.”
In her report, White House correspondent Kristen Welker insisted that “the controversy is growing and calls from Democrats for impeachment are intensifying.” She reiterated this later in the piece:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has resisted Democrats’ calls for impeachment, toughened her tone on Sunday. Pelosi calling the allegations “a serious possible breach of constitutional duties by the President,” warning if the complaint isn’t turned over to Congress, the administration “will be entering a grave new chapter of lawlessness which will take us into a whole new stage of investigation.”
In a news brief at the top of the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour, co-host Craig Melvin proclaimed: “The controversy is adding to the growing calls among Democrats for impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling the allegations, quote, ‘a serious possible breach of constitutional duties by the President.’”
Following up on the topic early in the 8:00 a.m. ET hour, Welker pushed the talking point of the day one more time: “On Capitol Hill, calls are mounting among Democrats for impeachment.”
Another five mentions of impeachment were delivered on CBS This Morning. While teasing the show’s top stories, co-host Gayle King blared: “Questionable call. President Trump acknowledges he spoke with Ukraine’s leader about Joe Biden. How Mr. Trump’s outreach to a foreign power is prompting new calls for the President’s impeachment.”
After a report seizing on Pelosi’s fears that the Trump administration may be entering “a grave new chapter of lawlessness,” campaign correspondent Ed O’Keefe promoted how 2020 Democrats, including Biden, were exploiting the news. “Biden is calling for the House to investigate, but stopped short of mentioning impeachment,” the reporter declared. He then noted how “Over the weekend in Iowa, other Democratic contenders went further.” A soundbite ran of Kamala Harris ranting: “We need to absolutely right away begin impeachment proceedings. He’s got to go.” Another clip played of Julian Castro shouting to supporters: “How many crimes does this president have to commit before Congress will act and impeach him?!”
At least those impeachment mentions were uttered by Democrats and not journalists. However, CBS chose to feature those quotes and built much of the segment around those comments.
The fifth and final use of the impeachment term came at the top of the 8:00 a.m. ET hour, when co-host Anthony Mason remarked: “President Trump is starting three days of meetings with allies and other foreign leaders at the U.N. General Assembly today. A phone call with one of them, the president of Ukraine, is raising new calls from Democrats that he should be impeached.”
Apparently the media have learned nothing from the Russia investigation debacle and are already on to their next scheme to remove Trump from office – without even having all the facts.
Here is a full transcript of the September 23 coverage on ABC’s GMA:
7:00 AM ET TEASE
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The ultimatum. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now demanding the Trump administration turn over that secret whistleblower complaint as President Trump acknowledges he spoke with Ukraine’s president about Joe Biden while his administration was withholding U.S. aid to that country. Is this evidence of a new impeachable offense?
7:03 AM ET SEGMENT
CECILIA VEGA: We’re gonna turn now to Washington and the demand for answers after that whistleblower complaint. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is demanding the Trump administration turn over information about the President’s phone call with Ukraine’s leader. This as President Trump himself appeared to admit that he talked to Joe Biden – talked about Joe Biden during that call. My White House partner in crime, Jon Karl, is here with us this morning in New York. Jon, the big question right now is, did the President pressure a foreign leader to investigate a political rival?
JON KARL: Good morning, Cecilia. That is the question. But the President, as you point out, already appears to be acknowledging that he did, in fact, talk to the president of Ukraine about Joe Biden. Pressure or not, that acknowledgment that he spoke to a foreign leader about his political rival is raising serious concerns among Democrats and some key Republicans as well.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump’s Whistleblower Battle; Pelosi Gives White House Deadline to Turn Over Complaint]
Just days after The Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump pressured the president of Ukraine to investigate the business dealings of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, the President now appears to be acknowledging he did, in fact, talk about Biden when he spoke to the Ukrainian president in July.
DONALD TRUMP: The conversation I had was largely congratulatory. Was largely the fact that we don’t want our people, like Vice President Biden and his son, creating [sic] to the corruption already in the Ukraine.
KARL: At the time of the phone call, the Trump administration had been holding back $250 million in aid to Ukraine that had been approved by Congress.
TRUMP: I know when I give pressure, and that was not pressure.
KARL: Now Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is giving the Trump administration a deadline of Thursday to turn over the secret whistleblower complaint that first raised concerns about that phone call. If they don’t turn it over, she wrote in a letter to Congress, the administration, quote, “will be entering a grave new chapter of lawlessness which will take us into a whole new stage of the investigation.”
Biden, campaigning in Iowa, is firing back at the President.
JOE BIDEN: I know Trump deserves to be investigated. He is violating every basic norm of a president. You should be asking him the question, why is he on the phone with a foreign leader trying to intimidate a foreign leader? If that’s what happened. That appears what happened. You should be looking at Trump.
KARL: For the most part, criticism of the President’s actions here has come from Democrats, but there is one key exception, Senator Mitt Romney is now saying that if the President asked or pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate a political rival, quote, “it would be troubling in the extreme.”
Meanwhile, George, the President is on the world stage all week here in New York at the U.N. General Assembly.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Including meeting the Ukrainian – the Ukrainian president right there.
KARL: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: The big question now, as you saw Nancy Pelosi’s ultimatum right there, the President said he was open to releasing the transcript of this call. Any indication the White House will actually follow through on that or the whistleblower complaint?
KARL: Well, the White House has talked about – the White House aides have talked about possibly releasing the transcripts or the complaint, but I’ll tell you, the fact that Pelosi herself is demanding this may actually set it back. This president, this White House, has repeatedly stonewalled Congress over and over again. And just yesterday you heard from both the Secretary of Treasury and the Secretary of State that it’s unlikely that they’ll release that transcript.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, so let’s take that to Congress. Thanks, Jon. Let’s bring in our senior congressional correspondent Mary Bruce for more on this. That was a dramatic escalation from Nancy Pelosi yesterday.
MARY BRUCE: Yeah, George, we are seeing a real shift here on Capitol Hill when it comes to the question of impeachment. Even Democrats who so far have been reluctant to go down this path are saying this may be changing their calculus, that we may be at a tipping point. Chairman Adam Schiff of the House Intelligence Committee is suggesting that the President’s actions here, that these latest revelations may be so incriminating that the House is left with few other options. He says they may have, quote, “crossed the Rubicon.”
Now, Nancy Pelosi notably did not even mention the word “impeachment” in that letter but she certainly is hinting at the possibility. While, George, on the other side, Democrats here who have been pushing for impeachment for some time are growing increasingly frustrated. They are outraged with their own party’s muddled response and refusal, so far, to impeach.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, and the numbers of Democrats calling for impeachment has been steadily increasing over the last several weeks.
So we’re facing this big deadline on Thursday. The Director of National intelligence is supposed to come to Capitol Hill, as you saw, Nancy Pelosi’s demand for him to release the complaint. If it doesn’t happen, besides opening an impeachment investigation, what are the other options for the members of Congress?
BRUCE: Well, George, we’re in a little bit of unprecedented territory here. Democrats are making it clear they want this whistleblower complaint and they’re going to use every bit of leverage and tool that they have available. That includes their power of the purse and possibly fighting this out in court. Now, come Thursday, if they don’t get the information that they want, Democrats could move ahead to subpoena that complaint or the transcript of the President’s phone call. But, George, all of the plan Bs that are available could be very slow moving and that is only like to add to Democrats’ growing frustration here on the Hill.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Mary Bruce, thanks very much.
8:03 AM ET SEGMENT
STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re gonna get the latest now on that ultimatum from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, giving the Trump administration a deadline to turn over information about the President’s phone call with the Ukrainian president where he urged him to investigate Joe Biden. Want to go back to our chief White House correspondent Jon Karl, who’s here with the latest. Hey, Jon.
JON KARL: Good morning, George. Pelosi’s ultimatum comes as President Trump appears to be acknowledging that during that phone call he did, in fact, talk to the president of Ukraine about his potential 2020 rival, former Vice President Joe Biden. Take a listen to this.
TRUMP: The conversation I had was largely congratulatory. Was largely corruption, all of the corruption taking place, was largely the fact we don’t want our people, like Vice President Biden and his son creating [sic] to the corruption already in the Ukraine.
KARL: Now the Speaker of the House is giving the administration a deadline of Thursday to turn over the whistleblower complaint that first raised concerns about this call. Failure to do that, she says, would be, quote, “a grave new chapter of lawlessness which will take us into a whole new stage of this investigation.”
And former – and Republican senator and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is also raising the alarm, saying the President – if the President asked or pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate a political rival, quote, “it would be troubling in the extreme.” And he appears to be acknowledging he did just that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, and the President talked about Joe Biden corruption, and of course there’s no evidence on the record that Joe Biden acted in a corrupt way at all.
KARL: No evidence at all. The President’s out there repeating it. So is his attorney, Rudy Giuliani.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Jon Karl, thanks very much.
Here is a full transcript of the coverage on NBC’s Today show:
7:00 AM ET TEASE
HODA KOTB: Troubling conversation? President Trump admits for the first time he talked about Joe Biden in a phone call with the leader of Ukraine, but claims he did nothing wrong.
DONALD TRUMP: That was not pressure. I know when I give pressure.
KOTB: While Democrats demand the White House hand over that explosive whistleblower complaint, hinting at impeachment if it does not happen.
7:02 AM ET SEGMENT
CRAIG MELVIN: Meanwhile on this Monday morning, our top story, that whistleblower complaint against President Trump, as he admits talking to Ukraine’s president about Joe Biden and his son. And that has Democrats escalating their calls for a full investigation. Adding to the drama, the President is joining fellow world leaders at the United Nations here in New York City this week. We have two reports, starting with NBC’s Kristen Welker, she is over at Trump Tower. Kristen, good morning to you.
KRISTEN WELKER: Craig, good morning to you. President Trump is kicking off a week of high stakes diplomacy here in New York as his own foreign policy is coming under heightened scrutiny. The President insisting he didn’t say anything wrong to the leader of Ukraine, but this morning, the controversy is growing and calls from Democrats for impeachment are intensifying.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump Talks Ukraine Call; Acknowledges Discussing Biden as Dems Hint at Impeachment]
Overnight, President Trump touching down in New York for the U.N. General Assembly after acknowledging this weekend he did mention former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a phone call with the president of Ukraine.
DONALD TRUMP: It was largely the fact that we don’t want our people, like Vice President Biden and his son, creating [sic] to the corruption already in the Ukraine.
WELKER: According to The Washington Post, during the call on July 25, the President pressured the Ukrainian president to investigate a company with ties to Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. That call is at the root of a whistleblower complaint by an intelligence official. Among the key questions, did the President cross a line by asking a foreign leader’s help to investigate a political rival? And did he threaten to withhold U.S. military aid to Ukraine?
TRUMP: That was not pressure. I know when I give pressure, and that was not pressure.
WELKER: In this tense exchange on Saturday, former Vice President Joe Biden pointed to the fact there’s never been any evidence of wrongdoing tied to his son’s business, telling a reporter to focus on the President.
BIDEN: Why is he on the phone with a foreign leader, trying to intimidate a foreign leader, if that’s what happened. That appears what happened. You should be looking at Trump.
WELKER: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has resisted Democrats’ calls for impeachment, toughened her tone on Sunday. Pelosi calling the allegations “a serious possible breach of constitutional duties by the President,” warning if the complaint isn’t turned over to Congress, the administration “will be entering a grave new chapter of lawlessness which will take us into a whole new stage of investigation.” Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the sole Republican to speak out, demanded answers, adding if the President did pressure the president of Ukraine, “it would be troubling in the extreme.”
MELVIN: So Kristen, as we mentioned, President Trump here in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly, what are some of the issues at stake?
WELKER: Well, Craig, the questions swirling around this Ukraine call will loom large, particularly because the President is going to be meeting with the president of Ukraine on Wednesday, so expect both leaders to get some tough questions about all of that.
But perhaps the biggest issue is Iran. Remember, the United States says Iran was behind that attack against Saudi Arabia’s oil field. The United States has already imposed tough new sanctions against Iran. President Trump expected to really try to build up international support for a broader international response. Now, the president of Iran is also going to be here this week, Craig, but at this point, no plans for the two leaders to meet. President Trump will be chairing a meeting on religious freedom a little bit later on today. Craig and Hoda?
MELVIN: Alright, Kristen Welker at Trump Tower. Kristen, thank you.
7:30 AM ET NEWS BRIEF
MELVIN: One of the other stories we’re following on this Monday morning, President Trump heads into a three-day visit to the United Nations this week amid another political firestorm. The President acknowledging Sunday he did, in fact, mention former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a phone call with the president of Ukraine. According to The Washington Post, the President pressured the Ukrainian leader to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings in that country. Among the key questions, did the President cross a line by asking a foreign leader’s help to investigate a political rival?
TRUMP: That was not pressure. I know when I give pressure, and that was not pressure.
MELVIN: The controversy is adding to the growing calls among Democrats for impeachment. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi calling the allegations, quote, “a serious possible breach of constitutional duties by the President.”
8:00 AM TEASEHODA KOTB: Tough talk, President Trump admits he did mention former Vice President Joe Biden during a phone call with the Ukrainian president.
TRUMP: There was nothing. It was a perfect conversation.
KOTB: Democrats now calling for a full investigation. So where do things go from here? We’re live with the latest.
8:02 AM ET SEGMENT
MELVIN: President Trump is here in the New York City for the United Nations General Assembly a day after admitting that he talked about former Vice President Joe Biden in a phone call with the leader of Ukraine. NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker is at Trump Tower with the very latest on this. Kristen, good morning.
KRISTEN WELKER: Hi, Craig, good morning to you, President Trump did arrive here at Trump Tower overnight to kick off a week of high stakes foreign policy, and it comes as he acknowledged over the weekend that he did discuss former Vice President Joe Biden and his son during a phone call with the president of Ukraine. Now, according to The Washington Post, during that call in July, the President pressured the Ukrainian leader to investigate a company with ties to Biden’s son, Hunter. The President insists he didn’t say anything wrong. Well, Biden fired back, noting there has never been any evidence of wrongdoing tied to his son’s business. On Capitol Hill, calls are mounting among Democrats for impeachment.
Now, this is going to loom large here at the U.N. this week, particularly because President Trump is set to meet with the president of Ukraine on Wednesday. Today President Trump will be chairing a meeting on religious freedom. Craig?
MELVIN: Alright, Kristen Welker there at Trump Tower. Kristen, thank you.
Here is a full transcript of the coverage on CBS This Morning:
7:00 AM ET TEASE
GAYLE KING: Questionable call. President Trump acknowledges he spoke with Ukraine’s leader about Joe Biden. How Mr. Trump’s outreach to a foreign power is prompting new calls for the President’s impeachment.
7:03 AM ET SEGMENT
GAYLE KING: Welcome to CBS This Morning. President Trump says he spoke with Ukraine’s leader about one of his strongest rivals in the 2020 campaign. That's former Vice President Joe Biden. He did not confirm or deny that he asked for an investigation of Biden’s son and his business interest in Ukraine. Published reports say, though, that the President did exactly that, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called that “a serious possible breach of constitutional duties.”
TONY DOKOUPIL: She said any effort by the White House to withhold information would mark, in her words, “a grave new chapter of lawlessness.” Paula Reid is at the United Nations traveling with the President. Big week, Paula, but also big controversy. So how there expected to play out at the U.N.?
PAULA REID: Good morning, Gayle. [sic] The most anticipated event on the President’s schedule this week is his conversation with the leader of Ukraine. This comes amid controversy over reports the President pressured his Ukrainian counterpart to investigate the Biden family.
DONALD TRUMP: I said absolutely nothing wrong. It was perfect.
REID: On Sunday, President Trump defended a July phone call with the President of Ukraine where he discussed former Vice President Joe Biden.
TRUMP: We don’t want our people like Vice President Biden and his son creating to the corruption already in the Ukraine.
REID: The call has come under scrutiny after a whistleblower’s complaint to the intelligence community’s inspector general. According to the Wall Street Journal, during the call, Mr. Trump urged the Ukrainian leader eight times to investigate the Biden family.
TRUMP: There was no quid pro quo. There was nothing.
REID: A claim the Ukrainian foreign minister backed, denying there was any coercion. But Democrats are calling for renewed scrutiny into the Trump administration’s recent release of military aid to Ukraine.
SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY: There are likely a bunch of different explanations, political pressure was mounting on the President from Republicans. But obviously the timing of this looks really terrible.
REID: On Twitter and in statements, the President has been suggesting Biden improperly used his position as Vice President to help out his son. In 2016, while vice president, Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in American loan guarantees unless the Ukraine dismissed the top prosecutor said to be lax on corruption. Biden’s son Hunter served on the board of a company who had come under scrutiny by the prosecutor.
There’s no evidence that the former Vice President or his son acted inappropriately. In a rare letter to Democrats and Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned of a “whole new stage of investigation” if the Trump administration continues to conceal the whistleblower’s complaint. The President says he will consider releasing a transcript of the call. Later this week, the acting Director of National Intelligence will testify on Capitol Hill about that whistleblower complaint that so far has been withheld from lawmakers. Anthony?
7:06 AM ET SEGMENT
ANTHONY MASON: The former Vice President wants an investigation of the President’s phone call with Ukraine's leader. Biden says Mr. Trump is using the presidency to smear his campaign. The new poll shows Elizabeth Warren taking the lead over Biden in Iowa where the first Democrats will cast their votes in February. Ed O’Keefe is covering Campaign 2020 in Waterloo, Iowa. How's Biden reacting to the pressure?
ED O’KEEFE: Well, Anthony, good morning, the former Vice President responded angrily to the news over the weekend, but now his campaign is trying to spin it to its advantage saying it proves the President is most concerned about running against Biden in 2020.
JOE BIDEN: Focus on the violation of the constitution this President is engaged in.
O’KEEFE: Joining an auto workers picket line in Kansas City Sunday, Joe Biden pointed the finger back at President Trump. Over the weekend, the former Vice President slammed the President over reports he pressured the Ukrainian leader to investigate unsubstantiated accusations against Biden and his son hunter who once served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
BIDEN: Trump is doing this because he knows I’ll beat him like a drum.
O’KEEFE: Biden is calling for the House to investigate, but stopped short of mentioning impeachment.
BIDEN: I'm calling the President release the transcript of the call. Let everybody hear what it is. Let the House see it and see what he did.
O’KEEFE: Over the weekend in Iowa, other Democratic contenders went further.
KAMALA HARRIS: We need to absolutely right away begin impeachment proceedings. He's got to go.
JULIAN CASTRO: How many crimes does this president have to commit before Congress will act and impeach him?!
O’KEEFE: What do you make of the mess with Ukraine and the whistleblower and the president?
CORY BOOKER: I did not think that Donald Trump could shock me anymore. But this behavior is stunning.
O’KEEFE: The controversy comes amid signs of trouble for the Biden campaign. A new poll shows senator Elizabeth Warren jumping ahead of Biden by two points among likely Iowa caucus-goers. Joining a different auto workers strike in Detroit, Warren brushed off the numbers.
WARREN: What this is about is about a message that we are sick and tired of an America that works for a thinner and thinner slice at the top and isn't working for anyone else.
O’KEEFE: Now in another sign that the Biden campaign is trying to capitalize on this controversy, it's sent out at least three fundraising emails to supporters saying that the President is mounting a misinformation campaign and that only money will right this wrong. Now why are we here in Waterloo this morning? We're about to board the campaign bus of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg to talk to him about his campaign. That poll shows that he's in fourth place. We’ll talk about how he's trying to get to first, about this Ukraine controversy, his new health care plan, and other issues. You'll see it all tomorrow on CTM.
8:02 AM ET NEWS BRIEF
ANTHONY MASON: President Trump is starting three days of meetings with allies and other foreign leaders at the U.N. General Assembly today. A phone call with one of them, the president of Ukraine, is raising new calls from Democrats that he should be impeached. The President confirmed yesterday that he spoke to Ukraine’s president about former Vice President Joe Biden and said he would consider releasing a transcript of that call, but he stopped short of saying he asked Ukraine to investigate Biden.
TONY DOKOUPIL: The Wall Street Journal says during that July 25th phone call, Mr. Trump asked the new Ukrainian president about eight times to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. When Biden was VP, he threatened to withhold U.S. loans from Ukraine unless it got rid of its top prosecutor. The President and other Republicans accuse Biden of doing so because Hunter Biden was a board member at an oil company the prosecutor was investigating. Biden and his son have denied all wrongdoing, and there is no evidence of any.
