Another day another leftist freak-out over an appointment by President-Elect Donald Trump from the Big Three networks. The liberal outrage Thursday was over Trump’s selection of fast food CEO Andrew Puzder to head up the Labor Department. “Continuing on the workers' front, Mr. Trump named as his new labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, a fast-food chain CEO and anti-regulation crusader who says raising the minimum wage is bad for business,” reported Dean Reynolds on CBS Evening News.
Disgust in Puzder’s position of opposition to raising the minimum wage was a common theme through all the reports by ABC, CBS, and NBC. “And another potentially problematic confirmation,” warned Katy Tur on NBC Nightly News, “The CEO of Carl's Jr and Hardee's, Puzder said raising the federal minimum wage means cutting jobs.”
“Puzder is also open to automation. Telling Business Insider last spring, machines, unlike people, ‘never take a vacation, they never show up late,’ and never file suit,” Tur continued, “Some Democrats called it a war on labor.” She then played a clip of New York Senator Chuck Schumer hammering Trump. “The president-elect's heading in the direction of the bosses, not of the workers,” he told Tur.
“Puzder's company owns Hardee’s and Carl's Jr., best known for these racy ads,” quipped ABC’s Tom Llamas during his report on World News Tonight, “He's a vocal opponent of raising the minimum wage to $10.10 and of expanding overtime pay eligibility to 4 million Americans.” Llamas then seemed to chide Trump for assembling a cabinet of successful people, “Puzder himself is a millionaire, one of nine millionaires and billionaires named to the Trump cabinet so far.”
Reynolds had one more point to bring up put before he ended his report. Speaking to Anchor Scott Pelley he claimed, “Now, in the late 1980s, Andrew Puzder's then-wife alleged in divorce proceedings that he had physically abused her, and her attorney at the time told us today he had evidence of physical abuse.” But he quickly noted, “But, Scott, today, she gave CBS News an email which she said she sent to Puzder just last week which states that she made the whole thing up.”
The collective distaste the networks seemed to have for Puzder’s positions on labor and wages stems from a misunderstanding of economics. It is common knowledge that there is a close correlation between high minimum wage and high unemployment, but liberals prefer to think raising wages solves all problems. Llamas’ claim about Puzder’s position on expanding overtime is misleading, because it only broadens the definition of workers who fall under its preview, including salaried employees.
Transcript below:
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CBS Evening News
December 8, 2016
6:40:02 PM Eastern…
DEAN REYNOLDS: Continuing on the workers' front, Mr. Trump named as his new labor secretary, Andrew Puzder, a fast-food chain CEO and anti-regulation crusader who says raising the minimum wage is bad for business.
ANDREW PUZDER: We are not dependent on the government at our company for any particular benefits so, I don't really think American businesses should be.
[Cuts to live]
REYNOLDS: Now, in the late 1980s, Andrew Puzder's then-wife alleged in divorce proceedings that he had physically abused her, and her attorney at the time told us today he had evidence of physical abuse. But, Scott, today, she gave CBS News an email which she said she sent to Puzder just last week which states that she made the whole thing up.
…
NBC Nightly News
December 8, 2016
7:12:06 PM EasternTAMRON HALL: Now to the presidential transition, another major cabinet pick from President-Elect Trump is drawing scrutiny tonight. This time his nominee to lead the labor department. Meantime, there's new fall-out after the president-elect went after a union boss on social media. NBC's Katy Tur has all the latest.
[Cuts to video]
KATY TUR: On high in Trump Tower, the president-elect is filling out his cabinet. Today with an eye on jobs, jobs, jobs. Fast-food billionaire Andrew Puzder is Trump's pick for labor secretary. And another potentially problematic confirmation. The CEO of Carl's Jr and Hardee's, Puzder said raising the federal minimum wage means cutting jobs.
ANDREW PUZDER: When you raise the cost of hiring low-skilled and young workers, you really price them out of their jobs.
TUR: Puzder is also open to automation. Telling Business Insider last spring, machines, unlike people, “never take a vacation, they never show up late,” and never file suit. Some Democrats called it a war on labor.
CHUCK SCHUMER: The president-elect's heading in the direction of the bosses, not of the workers.
…
ABC
World News Tonight
December 8, 2016
6:41:44 PM EasternTOM LLAMAS: The president-elect's battle with the Carrier union leader comes as he picks fast food executive Andrew Puzder for secretary of labor.
AD VOICE OVER: Grass fed beef.
LLAMAS: Puzder's company owns Hardee’s and Carl's Jr., best known for these racy ads. He's a vocal opponent of raising the minimum wage to $10.10 and of expanding overtime pay eligibility to 4 million Americans. Puzder himself is a millionaire, one of nine millionaires and billionaires named to the Trump cabinet so far.
…
