On Wednesday, all three network morning shows presented an united front while praising 2020 Democratic candidates for “showing a united front against President Trump” during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. Reporters eagerly touted how all 12 contenders on stage supported impeachment and denounced Trump.
“Democrats’ fiery debate. Candidates unite behind impeachment...,” co-host Gayle King proclaimed at the top of CBS This Morning. Minutes later, correspondent Ed O’Keefe touted: “It was the fourth round of debates in the Democratic presidential primary, but the first set against the backdrop of impeachment. And on that issue, there was near universal agreement.”
A series of soundbites ran of the candidates rushing to declare their support for overturing the results of the 2016 election:
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS [D-CA]: Donald Trump needs to be held accountable.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
TOM STEYER: I started the Need to Impeach movement.
O’Keefe concluded: “All 12 candidates in agreement on one topic – impeaching President Trump.”
Reporting for NBC’s Today show, correspondent Peter Alexander used nearly identical language: “But one thing all of the Democrats could agree on, the issue of impeachment, showing a united front against President Trump.” The coverage included a similar selection of Democratic soundbites. Repeating the story early in the 8:00 a.m. ET hour, Alexander emphasized how “Democrats collectively condemned President Trump.”
“A moment of unity on the issue of impeachment,” correspondent Linsey Davis announced on ABC’s Good Morning America. After more clips of the 2020 field trying to outdo each other in calling for Trump’s removal, Davis added: “The fiercest attacks of the night were reserved for President Trump...”
Talking to White House correspondent Jon Karl moments later, co-host George Stephanopoulos observed: “And, Jon, the other way this debate was different last night, far more focus on President Trump than you had seen in the earlier debates where Democrats were more focused on each other.” Karl responded in part: “You can no longer ignore Donald Trump, the impeachment inquiry is center here and Trump was very much front and center in this debate.”
Missing from the network coverage was any discussion of how radical it was for Democrats unanimously wanting to impeach the sitting president during an election year, rather than let voters decide on who should be in the White House. In addition, not once did any of the journalists on CBS, NBC, or ABC point out that such support for impeachment could put Democrats in political jeopardy during a general election.
In 2020, Democrats can count on the liberal media to provide cover for whatever extreme agenda they chose to pursue.
Help fight against the liberal media's impeachment crusade
Here are excerpts of the October 16 coverage on CBS This Morning:
7:00 AM ET
GAYLE KING: Democrats’ fiery debate. Candidates unite behind impeachment, divide over health care, and target frontrunner Elizabeth Warren.
(...)
7:04 AM ET
ED O’KEEFE: It was the fourth round of debates in the Democratic presidential primary, but the first set against the backdrop of impeachment. And on that issue, there was near universal agreement.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS [D-CA]: Donald Trump needs to be held accountable.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
TOM STEYER: I started the Need to Impeach movement.
O’KEEFE: All 12 candidates in agreement on one topic – impeaching President Trump.
SEN. CORY BOOKER [D-NJ]: I swore an oath to do my job as a senator, do my duty. This president has violated his. I will do mine.
O’KEEFE: And former Vice President Joe Biden tried once again to move the discussion away from his son, Hunter, and his work in Ukraine.
JOE BIDEN: My son did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong.
(...)
Here are excerpts of the coverage on NBC’s Today show:
7:04 AM ET
(...)
PETER ALEXANDER: But one thing all of the Democrats could agree on, the issue of impeachment, showing a united front against President Trump.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN [D-MA]: Impeachment is the way that we establish that this man will not be permitted to break the law over and over without consequences.
ALEXANDER: The target of the President’s controversial Ukraine call, former Vice President Joe Biden, defending himself and his son Hunter’s lucrative position on the board a Ukrainian gas company.
JOE BIDEN: My son did nothing wrong. Rudy Giuliani, the President, and his thugs have already proven they, in fact, are flat lying.
(...)
8:02 AM ET
ALEXANDER: Joe Biden again brushing off questions of any wrongdoing and the Democrats collectively condemned President Trump.
(...)
8:03 AM ET
PETER ALEXANDER: But one thing all of the Democrats could agree on, the issue of impeachment, showing a united front against President Trump.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN [D-MA]: Impeachment is the way that we establish that this man will not be permitted to break the law over and over without consequences.
(...)
Here are excerpts of the coverage on ABC’s GMA:
7:00 AM ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The candidates clash over health care, guns, abortion rights, take on President Trump.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And call foul on questions about the President’s false attacks against Joe Biden’s son.
SEN CORY BOOKER [D-NJ]: The second issue we cover on this stage is elevating a lie and attacking a statesman. That was so offensive.
(...)
7:05 AM ET
LINSEY DAVIS: Biden also facing questions about his son Hunter’s business dealings with Ukraine, which President Trump asked the Ukrainians to investigate despite no evidence of wrongdoing.
JOE BIDEN: My son did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I carried out the policy of the United States government in rooting out corruption in – in Ukraine.
DAVIS: New Jersey Senator Cory Booker defending Biden, calling out the question.
SEN. CORY BOOKER [D-NJ]: The second issue we cover on this stage is elevating a lie and attacking a statesman. That was so offensive.
(...)
7:06 AM ET
DAVIS: A moment of unity on the issue of impeachment.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Trump is the most corrupt president in the history of this country.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS [D-CA]: As a former prosecutor, I know a confession when I see it.
JULIAN CASTRO: He should be removed.
DAVIS The fiercest attacks of the night were reserved for President Trump...
(...)
7:08 AM ET
STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Jon, the other way this debate was different last night, far more focus on President Trump than you had seen in the earlier debates where Democrats were more focused on each other.
JON KARL: Well, particularly in our debate in Houston. It was – you know, you went long periods of time with no mention whatsoever of Donald Trump, the candidates wanted to focus on what they would do and attack their rivals in this race. You can no longer ignore Donald Trump, the impeachment inquiry is center here and Trump was very much front and center in this debate.
(...)
