Despite Thursday’s Today show featuring an over 10-minute long interview with a sitting Republican member of Congress, only a paltry 29 seconds of the coverage focused on Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney’s criticism of current President Joe Biden. Instead, nearly all of the exchange was centered on co-host Savannah Guthrie urging the newly-ousted House GOP leader to attack her fellow Republicans and former President Trump.
Viewers could be forgiven if they thought Donald Trump was still in the White House and Republicans were still in control of Congress based on the amount of GOP-bashing that occurred in the interview. “You’ve made statements since January 6th, you fist bumped President Biden at the joint address to Congress. Do you think there was a last straw where you lost the support of your Republican colleagues?,” Guthrie sympathetically wondered early in the sit-down.
After Cheney voiced support for a congressional commission to look into the January 6th riot on Capitol Hill, Guthrie promptly urged her to indict her Republican colleagues: “Do you think there were members of Congress who were complicit in the attack and that a commission could uncover that?”
The morning show anchor then repeatedly pressed Cheney on whether she would run for president:
How far are you willing to take this? Would you run for president?...But my question was, would you run for president to stop that?...Before I drop it, will you rule out a run for president?
Guthrie finally briefly alluded to Republican opposition to the left-wing agenda of the current president:
GUTHRIE: One of the things that your critics say is instead of talking about President Biden, we’re talking about Liz Cheney. That that is really at the heart of what this vote is about and why they want you out of leadership.
CHENEY: Look, I’ve been very clear that I think President Biden’s policies are dangerous. You know, every single day I’m fighting against those policies and will continue to do that. My view is to be as effective as we can be to fight against those things, our party has to be based on truth.
That exchange about Biden’s “dangerous” policies only lasted 29 seconds.
Guthrie made sure to quickly steer back to going after the GOP:
To be a leader in the Republican Party right now, do you have to buy the lie?...Are you the leader of the opposition in exile right now in the Republican Party?...A lot of people frame this as a battle for the soul of the Republican Party....If belonging to the Republican Party requires you to believe that the election was fraudulent and that President Trump is the rightful winner, would you ever consider leaving the Republican Party and becoming and independent?
In another portion of the interview aired later in the show, Guthrie insisted that Republican “sexism” must have fueled Cheney’s ouster: “You are a political leader in your own right. But it is interesting that here you are, the top female in leadership in the House. Do you see sexism in anything that has gone on here?...So one woman against the Republican Party and Donald Trump, how does that strike you?” Cheney refused to buy into the insinuation.
The leftist media have been eagerly using Republican Party disagreements to distract from a border crisis, bad jobs report, and gas lines across the country. Reporters like Guthrie are doing everything they can to give President Biden a pass and portray the GOP in chaos.
Guthrie’s effort to use Cheney to launch a barrage against Republicans was brought to viewers by Citi and Lincoln. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a transcript of Guthrie’s questions to Cheney in the exchange aired on May 13:
7:06 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And as mentioned, just moments after that vote, Congresswoman Cheney joined me for an exclusive interview sharing her immediate reaction, everything that led up to that moment, and what she sees as a must-win fight to restore her party.
Can you take me inside those moments for you, when you lost your leadership position?
(...)
GUTHRIE: You’re looking at your Republican colleagues in the eye, how did it feel? What was that like?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Three and a half months ago there was a vote on you, which you overwhelmingly won, 145 votes to 61. Today it was just a voice vote, it wasn’t even close. What happened? What changed?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Some of your colleagues say, though, “We supported you before, Congresswoman Cheney, you made your point, now drop it. Let’s focus on the future.”
(...)
GUTHRIE: You’ve made statements since January 6th, you fist bumped President Biden at the joint address to Congress. Do you think there was a last straw where you lost the support of your Republican colleagues?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Do you think there were members of Congress who were complicit in the attack and that a commission could uncover that?
(...)
GUTHRIE: What does it say about former President Trump that he will not accept this loss?
(...)
GUTHRIE: How far are you willing to take this? Would you run for president?
(...)
GUTHRIE: But my question was, would you run for president to stop that?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Before I drop it, will you rule out a run for president?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Whatever it takes?
(...)
GUTHRIE: One of the things that your critics say is instead of talking about President Biden, we’re talking about Liz Cheney. That that is really at the heart of what this vote is about and why they want you out of leadership.
REP. LIZ CHENEY [R-WY]: Look, I’ve been very clear that I think President Biden’s policies are dangerous. You know, every single day I’m fighting against those policies and will continue to do that. My view is to be as effective as we can be to fight against those things, our party has to be based on truth.
GUTHRIE: To be a leader in the Republican Party right now, do you have to buy the lie?
(...)
GUTHRIE: What is the hold that President Trump has the party?
(...)
GUTHRIE: How do you explain it?
(...)
GUTHRIE: 70% of the Republican Party right now believes President Trump’s lies about the election. So if you’re out of lockstep with the party, why should you be in leadership?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Will you run for reelection?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Do you think you can win?
(...)
GUTHRIE: The Trump political team is actively looking to coalesce around a primary challenger to you. What is your message to them?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Are you the leader of the opposition in exile right now in the Republican Party?
(...)
GUTHRIE: A lot of people frame this as a battle for the soul of the Republican Party. You’re out of office, Trump is ascendant, hasn’t that battle been waged and won? Didn’t Trump win it?
CHENEY: Actually, I’m in office and he’s out of office.
GUTHRIE: Fair. You’re out of your leadership office.
(...)
GUTHRIE: Do you think Leader McCarthy has placed his own ambitions to be Speaker of the House above principle?
(...)
GUTHRIE: What did it mean when Kevin McCarthy, days after the January 6th riots and insurrection, went down to Mar-A-Lago and visited with President Trump?
(...)
GUTHRIE: If belonging to the Republican Party requires you to believe that the election was fraudulent and that President Trump is the rightful winner, would you ever consider leaving the Republican Party and becoming and independent?
CHENEY: I’m not leaving the party.
GUTHRIE: Do you think the President should or could be criminally charged?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Your father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, is a veteran of a few political battles himself, what does he think about the stand that you’re taking?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Do you think he’s proud to be your father on this day?
(...)
GUTHRIE: Our conversation with Congresswoman Cheney. Actually, I also asked her whether she thinks there’s any sexism in anything that’s unfolded, and we’ll show you what she said at the top of the next hour.
HODA KOTB: If anyone thought – you wondered if she was going to hold back, the answer is N-O, no. Wow.
GUTHRIE: She was resolute, she's defiant, and I think she’ll be making a lot of waves with some of those remarks. By the way, if you want to see more of our interview with the Congresswoman, you can go to our streaming channel, Today All Day, at noon and six Eastern. See it almost in its entirety, see it anytime on the Today show YouTube channel.
8:02 AM ET
HODA KOTB: We’re going to get right to Your News at 8:00. Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney is vowing to continue her fight after fellow House Republicans stripped her of her leadership role. Cheney, ousted yesterday for refusing to be silent about former President Trump’s false election claims and the Capitol riot. After the voice vote, Democrats and a few Republicans, commended the Congresswoman as a lawmaker who put her country before her party. But former President Trump called her, quote, “a bitter horrible human being.”
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Well, moments after that vote yesterday, I sat down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with the Congresswoman in Washington, D.C., and among other things, I asked her if she felt like there may be more than politics behind the loss of her leadership post.
You are a political leader in your own right. But it is interesting that here you are, the top female in leadership in the House. Do you see sexism in anything that has gone on here?
(...)
GUTHRIE: So one woman against the Republican Party and Donald Trump, how does that strike you?
(...)
GUTHRIE: The Congresswoman said she speaks to her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, usually every day, and she said that she learned from him the importance of having the courage of your convictions and standing up for what you believe in. And you can see our entire interview online.
