On Friday, both NBC’s Today show and CBS This Morning helped left-wing activists and the Democratic Party threaten corporations into opposing voting integrity reforms in states across the country. The network shills listed leftist “demands” that called on companies like Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines to actively lobby against Republican election laws and campaign for voting changes that would favor Democrats.
“Now to that growing backlash over the controversial new voting law in the state of Georgia. Critics of that law say it amounts to voter suppression,” co-host Craig Melvin announced while introducing the Today show coverage. The word “controversial” was actually uttered threes in a minute as the report began, just in case viewers forgot that NBC was opposed to the GOP bill.
Correspondent Blayne Alexander excitedly proclaimed: “...here in Georgia, the countdown to the boycott is officially on.” She ominously added:
Critics are giving these businesses until next week to fulfill a very specific set of demands. Now, of course all of this is in response to that controversial voting law that imposes new ID requirements on absentee voting. But now, critics say that the fight goes far beyond the state of Georgia.
Alexander has spent the past week reporting from Georgia on the newly-passed legislation, parroting DNC talking points the whole time.
After showing a clip of one left-wing activist pouring out a bottle of coke in front of Atlanta’s Coca-Cola Museum as part the intimidation tactics, the reporter neutrally referred to “religious leaders piling the pressure on the soft drink giant, and other Georgia corporations, in the wake of the state’s controversial voting bill, telling Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot: Either stand with them or face a boycott.” The Democratic Party affiliation of those “religious leaders” was conveniently ignored.
Alexander then cited “demands” from the left-wing advocacy group Brennan Center for Justice, named for liberal Supreme Court Justice William Brennan: “The demands: That corporations publicly oppose the law and back lawsuits to stop it, support federal voting rights legislation, and stand against bills currently under consideration in at least 47 other states that critics say would restrict voting access.”
Moments later, she gleefully pointed out “more pressure” coming from President Biden, who was “backing a possible push to move this summer’s All-Star baseball game out of Atlanta.”
On CBS This Morning, correspondent Ed O’Keefe warned: “About 55 more restrictive voting proposals are up for serious consideration in 24 states. Five have been signed into law, including the new law in Georgia passed last week.” He then turned to supposed “CBS News election law expert David Becker” – who is actually an established leftist hack – to condemn a similar voting reform bill in Texas. Becker ranted:
The provisions in the Texas law are actually making Texas even worse than they were before the pandemic. It is making it harder for people to vote by mail. One of the most restrictive states, if not the most restrictive states, for mail voting in the country.
O’Keefe happily declared that “Corporate opposition to the Republican proposals is growing,” before teeing up a vile, fact-free accusation hurled by Biden: “Meanwhile, President Biden says he supports calls from some Major League Baseball players to move this summer’s All-Star Game out of Atlanta because of Georgia’s new voting law.” A soundbite followed of this disgusting smear from the President, totally detached from reality: “This is Jim Crow on steroids, what they’re doing in Georgia and 40 other states.”
Not only did CBS refuse to fact-check Biden during Thursday’s CBS Evening News, Friday’s This Morning had the audacity to cite the President’s tirade as if it were credible information.
Turning to Georgia, O’Keefe promoted the Democratic Party’s bullying:
Religious leaders are also calling for a national boycott beginning next Wednesday of Coca-Cola, Delta, and Home Depot, three of Atlanta’s largest employers. Coca-Cola and Delta have issued statements in opposition to Georgia’s new voting law, but these religious leaders say the companies should be doing more and should be speaking out against these voting rights laws that are up for consideration in other sates.
Again, notice that the partisan activists were simply labeled “religious leaders.”
The networks are happy to do the left’s bidding when it comes to shutting down voting reforms backed by Republicans while pushing demands that big business back whatever election rigging Democrats deem necessary.
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Here is a full transcript of the April 2 report on NBC’s Today show:
8:03 AM ET
CRAIG MELVIN: Now to that growing backlash over the controversial new voting law in the state of Georgia. Critics of that law say it amounts to voter suppression. Now, they’re stepping up pressure on the states biggest companies, like Coca-Cola and Home Depot and Delta to do more or face a nationwide boycott. NBC’s Blayne Alexander is in Atlanta. Blayne, good morning.
BLAYNE ALEXANDER: Well, Craig, good morning to you, here in Georgia, the countdown to the boycott is officially on. Critics are giving these businesses until next week to fulfill a very specific set of demands. Now, of course all of this is in response to that controversial voting law that imposes new ID requirements on absentee voting. But now, critics say that the fight goes far beyond the state of Georgia.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Backlash Against Georgia Voting Law; Growing Pressure on Businesses Over Controversial Reforms]
UNIDENTIFIED MAN [LIBERAL ACTIVIST]: And right now [pours out bottle of Coca-Cola] my Coke is flat.
ALEXANDER: Standing in the shadow of Atlanta’s World of Coca-Cola museum, religious leaders piling the pressure on the soft drink giant, and other Georgia corporations, in the wake of the state’s controversial voting bill, telling Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot: Either stand with them or face a boycott.
BISHOP REGINALD T. JACKSON [SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH]: We will learn to like some other drinks. We will learn to fly on some other airlines.
ALEXANDER: Republicans say that the new law makes elections more secure and expands early in-person voting in most counties. But critics call it voter suppression, saying that it creates hurdles for black voters to cast ballots. The demands: That corporations publicly oppose the law and back lawsuits to stop it, support federal voting rights legislation, and stand against bills currently under consideration in at least 47 other states that critics say would restrict voting access. [Citing Brennan Center for Justice]
The latest in Texas, where overnight, airlines and other businesses objected to a law that critics say makes it harder to vote. Many of those bills introduced by Republican lawmakers reacting to false claims of fraud in the 2020 election, including by former President Trump.
What do you want to see from these businesses?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN [LIBERAL ACTIVIST]: We need more businesses to be speaking out.
ALEXANDER: Both Delta and Coca-Cola released their strongest condemnation of the bill in the days after it became law, now calling it unacceptable. And more pressure, President Biden backing a possible push to move this summer’s All-Star baseball game out of Atlanta. Georgia governor Brian Kemp says that would only hurt middle class workers.
GOV. BRIAN KEMP [R-GA]: They just don’t understand the facts of the bill.
PROTESTERS CHANTING: Stand with Park! Stand with Park! Stand with Park!
ALEXANDER: All of it comes as we hear from Georgia state lawmaker Park Cannon, speaking out for the first time since she was arrested outside the Governor’s office as he signed the bill.
STATE REP. PARK CANNON [D-GA]: I felt as if time was moving in slow motion. My experience was painful.
ALEXANDER: And Craig, overnight, we are also hearing from the Major League Baseball commissioner about the concept of possibly moving the All-Star game out of Atlanta. He’s making it clear that baseball is against any sort of law that restricts voting rights. Still, he says when it comes to moving the actual game, that brings about some difficult issues, but he says they are having conversations about it. Craig?
MELVIN: Blayne Alexander for us there in Atlanta. Blayne, thank you.
Here is a full transcript of the report on CBS This Morning:
7:12 AM ET
ADRIANA DIAZ: This morning, the focus of Republican efforts to change state voting laws has shifted to Texas. The state senate there passed a bill yesterday to limit early voting hours, make drive-through voting illegal, and restrict voting by mail. Democrats in the country’s second-largest state claim it’s intended to keep their supporters away from the polls. Senior White House and political correspondent Ed O’Keefe reports.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Voting Rights Battle Hits Texas; State Senate Advances Restrictions Bill Amid Dem, Corporate Criticism]
ED O’KEEFE: The Texas bill is still up for consideration in the state house, but Democrats say it targets some of the Lone Star State’s most Democratic areas, like Harris County, encompassing Houston, where more than 100,000 cast drive-through ballots last year during the pandemic. Critics also say it would make it harder for minority voters to cast ballots.
JOAQUIN GONZALEZ [TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT ATTORNEY]: It is, you know, part of this pattern that we’re seeing across the country, of bills that would make it harder to vote, and suppress the vote.
O’KEEFE: About 55 more restrictive voting proposals are up for serious consideration in 24 states. Five have been signed into law, including the new law in Georgia passed last week. While some states expanded voting options due to COVID, CBS News election law expert David Becker says proposals like the one in Texas go far beyond returning to pre-pandemic levels.
DAVID BECKER: The provisions in the Texas law are actually making Texas even worse than they were before the pandemic. It is making it harder for people to vote by mail. One of the most restrictive states, if not the most restrictive states, for mail voting in the country.
O’KEEFE: Corporate opposition to the Republican proposals is growing. American Airlines, a major Texas employer, says it’s strongly opposed to the Texas bill because it will limit voting access. Meanwhile, President Biden says he supports calls from some Major League Baseball players to move this summer’s All-Star Game out of Atlanta because of Georgia’s new voting law.
JOE BIDEN: This is Jim Crow on steroids, what they’re doing in Georgia and 40 other states.
O’KEEFE: Georgia Republican Governor Brian Kemp struck back.
GOV. BRIAN KEMP [R-GA]: I think the people are standing up and realizing the games that are being played here, and they’re going to be fighting back with us.
O’KEEFE: The Georgia law includes new restrictions on voting by mail, limits where ballot drop boxes can be placed, and when they can be accessed, and gives the state legislature greater control over how elections are run.
Religious leaders are also calling for a national boycott beginning next Wednesday of Coca-Cola, Delta, and Home Depot, three of Atlanta’s largest employers. Coca-Cola and Delta have issued statements in opposition to Georgia’s new voting law, but these religious leaders say the companies should be doing more and should be speaking out against these voting rights laws that are up for consideration in other sates. If you’re interested in learning more about them, we just posted a rundown of some of the more interesting bills at cbsnews.com. Tony?
TONY DOKOUPIL: Alright, Ed, I’ll take a look in the commercial break. Thank you very much, we appreciate it.
