Wednesday's CBS This Morning deemed a Facebook post from Senator Bernie Sanders worthy of a 55-second short report. Norah O'Donnell noted how the left-wing politician "criticized some of the Cabinet picks" from President-Elect Donald Trump. She quoted from Sanders, who asserted that "the American people are going to have to organize and fight back against this reactionary movement toward oligarchy." Alex Wagner also cited how the Vermont senator "singled out" two of the nominations in particular, and zeroed in on how the EPA pick is "a skeptic of climate change."
O'Donnell first highlighted how Trump's Cabinet nominations "include 11 millionaires, seven former CEOs, eight people with government experience, and five military veterans." She continued with the excerpt from Senator Sanders's Facebook post. An on-screen graphic trumpeted, "Getting Berned: Sanders Rips Trump Cabinet Picks In Facebook Post."
Wagner, who previous worked for the leftist Center for American Progress, continued by pointing out how "Sanders singled out the men chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and the Labor Department." The former MSNBC anchor then detailed how Scott Pruitt, Trump's EPA pick, "has sued the agency multiple times — including to block federal measures to reduce smog and curb toxic emissions from power plants," and that he is "also a skeptic of climate change." She concluded with a sentence about Labor Secretary-Designate Andrew Puzder, who is "against minimum wage increases, and wants to overturn a rule expanding overtime."
Senator Sanders targeted one other would-be Trump Cabinet member in his social media post: Betsy Devos. The two-sentence blast decried how the President-Elect "nominated an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head who does not believe in environmental protection, a Labor Secretary who is opposed to organized labor and a Secretary of Education who wants to do away with public education."
The transcript of the O'Donnell/Wagner segment from CBS This Morning on December 21, 2016:
[CBS News Graphic: "Getting Berned: Sanders Rips Trump Cabinet Picks In Facebook Post; President-Elect's Cabinet Picks; 16 Nominations To Date: -11 Millionaires, -Includes 2 Billionaires; -7 Former CEOs; -8 With Government Experience; -5 Veterans"]
NORAH O'DONNELL: Donald Trump's presidential inauguration is now less than one month away. He has nominated 16 people for his Cabinet so far. His choices include 11 millionaires, seven former CEOs, eight people with government experience, and five military veterans.
Bernie Sanders, yesterday, criticized some of the Cabinet picks. He wrote on Facebook — quote, 'As never before in our history, the American people are going to have to organize and fight back against this reactionary movement toward oligarchy.'
[CBS News Graphic: "Scott Pruit (sic): -EPA Administrator Nominee; -Launched Multiple Lawsuits Against EPA Regulations; -Climate Change Skeptic; Andrew Puzder: -Secretary of Labor Nominee; -Opposes Raise Min. Hourly Wage To $15; -Wants To Overturn Overtime Rule"]
ALEX WAGNER: Sanders singled out the men chosen to lead the Environmental Protection Agency and the Labor Department. Mr. Trump has tapped Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA. Pruitt has sued the agency multiple times — including to block federal measures to reduce smog and curb toxic emissions from power plants. Pruitt is also a skeptic of climate change. The President-Elect's pick to head the Labor Department, Andrew Puzder, is against minimum wage increases, and wants to overturn a rule expanding overtime.
