MRC’s director of media analysis and NewsBusters executive editor Tim Graham provided analysis on the Fox Business Network following White House press secretary Sean Spicer’s Thursday briefing, slamming the media for its collusion with the Democratic Party on attacking the Trump administration’s tax proposal as done solely to benefit President Trump.
FBN host Neil Cavuto brought on Graham after Spicer left the podium, ruling in his own analysis that “you got a good idea here, not only about the Michael Flynn thing which is of course is escalating here...but on the tax cut thing as well and where this all stands and rollout of that.”
“[O]ne of the things echoed again, I have seen this raised again and again in a lot of press today, is whether we should looking at latest tax cut through the prism what it does for Donald Trump. Now, you — is that, first of all, a fair question? What you do you think,” Cavuto wondered.
Graham replied that since Trump is the first self-described billionaire to become president (and a Republican one too), the media’s instinctively used this as a cudgel to attack any financial proposals he’ll make:
Well, again this is the president, the first President who’s been a, he says, a billionaire. Any tax cut, any decrease in the tax cut, you would expect would naturally be — be of benefit [to] Donald Trump. The question, that’s not really the question. Is it fair? Yeah, but it’s kind of a stupid question. It’s an obvious question. You know, the real question is, is the that only reason he would do such a thing?
“These people really think that he put his hand on the Bible said I, you know, take this office to benefit myself. That’s the — that just shows you the way liberal media always comes at this. And this man can’t possibly have an unselfish bone in his body,” Graham added.
Cavuto agreed, taking note of the media’s massive double standard when it comes to how tax cuts are viewed when done by a Democrat versus a Republican: “I remember Barack Obama's allegedly middle class tax cut and all the — or even Bill Clinton's tax cuts for business community. When he was President, they didn't get nearly this amount of heat.”
Just before the end of the segment, Graham injected some humor and sarcasm regarding the media’s daily collusion with their fellow liberals:
Well clearly, once again we see an illustration of the thesis, that whatever the Democrat Party position is, also happens to be what the media thinks the question of the day is. I'm shocked, shocked, that Democratic Party talking points and Jim Acosta talking points or the MSNBC talking point are exactly the same.
Here’s the transcript of the Graham appearance on FBN’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast from April 27:
FBN’s Cavuto: Coast to Coast
April 27, 2017
1:53 p.m. EasternNEIL CAVUTO: Alright, you got a good idea here, not only about the Michael Flynn thing which is of course is escalating here as the inspector general has been looking into those ties and when he was paid and for what, what financial transactions were involved there, but on the tax cut thing as well and where this all stands and rollout of that. Tim Graham joins us right now, the MRC’s director of media analysis. And Tim, one of the things echoed again, I have seen this raised again and again in a lot of press today, is whether we should looking at latest tax cut through the prism what it does for Donald Trump. Now, you — is that, first of all, a fair question? What you do you think?
TIM GRAHAM: Well, again this is the president, the first President who’s been a, he says, a billionaire. Any tax cut, any decrease in the tax cut, you would expect would naturally be — be of benefit [to] Donald Trump. The question, that’s not really the question. Is it fair? Yeah, but it’s kind of a stupid question. It’s an obvious question. You know, the real question is, is the that only reason he would do such a thing? These people really think that he put his hand on the Bible said I, you know, take this office to benefit myself. That’s the — that just shows you the way liberal media always comes at this. And this man can’t possibly —
CAVUTO: But, Tim, you look at all the major press today
GRAHAM: — have an unselfish bone in his body.
CAVUTO: Well, you know, I mean, you look at all the major press, today is seen through that — that this is a cut that benefits largely the rich, that this is just a boon for — a friendly to his buddies. I guess that is the way it is going to go. I remember Barack Obama's allegedly middle class tax cut and all the — or even Bill Clinton's tax cuts for business community. When he was President, they didn't get nearly this amount of heat.
GRAHAM: Well clearly, once again we see an illustration of the thesis, that whatever the Democrat Party position is, also happens to be what the media thinks the question of the day is. I'm shocked, shocked, that Democratic Party talking points and Jim Acosta talking points or the MSNBC talking point are exactly the same.
CAVUTO: Alright. I’m sorry to be short with you, Tim, with all this breaking news and all the — more after this. Tim Graham of MRC, the fallout after this.
