Late Thursday evening, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a stay on President Donald Trump’s travel ban executive order effectively keeping it from taking effect. Every network in the Big Three (ABC, CBS, and NBC) led their evening news programs with the development, but ABC came off as exceptionally hyped. “Good evening, and we begin with that breaking news here tonight,” announced anchor David Muir on World News Tonight, “A major defeat for President Trump, and his temporary immigration ban.”
“This is a significant setback for this White House after the ban caused controversy across this country and the world,” Muir continued, “After President Trump's temporary ban on immigrants and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations.”
Chief White House correspondent Jon Karl seemed to be equally excited as he began his report. “This is a big setback for the White House and a decision that will outrage the president of the United States,” he told Muir.
Between the two of them, they claimed that the federal court’s decision was a “major defeat” two times and a “big setback” three times in the span of just 40 seconds. “Tonight, a major defeat for the white house. That three-judge appeals panel deciding not to reinstate the president's travel ban. A big setback for President Trump,” stated Karl’s voice over, irritating what he and Muir were just saying.
The two brought up how Trump didn’t wait for the decision before criticizing the judges. Karl recalled that “President Trump started attacking the judges of the ninth circuit court even before they issued their ruling.” But neither of them mentioned the long history of presidents who have targeted the courts. CBS has been the only network to take that initiative.
While wrapping up the report, Muir asked “First, are we hearing from this White House, and it would seem President Trump was already taking aim even before the decision,” effectively teeing up Karl to mock the president’s statements. “He said any high school kid would know that the president has the authority to do this, obviously the court disagreed,” Karl concluded.
Despite ABC’s excitement about the Ninth Circuit’s decision being a “major defeat” there is a pretty decent chance it will be overturned. According to Fox News, “It routinely is the most overturned court in the U.S. In 2012, the Supreme Court reversed 86 percent of the rulings it reviewed from the ninth.” Fox also noted the court’s humiliating nicknames, “Critics deride the court, calling it the ‘Ninth Circus’ and the ‘Nutty Ninth.’”
Transcript below:
ABC
World News Tonight
February 9, 2017
6:31:21 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening, and we begin with that breaking news here tonight. A major defeat for President Trump, and his temporary immigration ban. A federal appeals court, just a short time ago, releasing its ruling deciding against reinstating the ban. This is a significant setback for this White House after the ban caused controversy across this country and the world. After President Trump's temporary ban on immigrants and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim nations. So, let's get to our chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl, who’s with me in New York tonight. Jon good evening.
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JON KARL: Good evening David. This is a big setback for the White House and a decision that will outrage the president of the United States.
[Cuts to video]
Tonight, a major defeat for the white house. That three-judge appeals panel deciding not to reinstate the president's travel ban. A big setback for President Trump.
[ Chanting ]
And set off chaos at airports hours after it went into effect. Families detained. Makeshift legal clinics set up. An Iraqi translator for the US government turned away, and only allowed back into the country once the Washington state court put the travel ban on hold.
IRAQI TRANSLATOR: I fought for my rights and I succeeded.
KARL: President Trump started attacking the judges of the ninth circuit court even before they issued their ruling.
DONALD TRUMP: And I was a good student. I understand things. I comprehend very well. Okay? Better than I think almost anybody. And I want to tell you, I listened to a bunch of stuff last night on television that was disgraceful.
KARL: But lawyers for Washington state argued the president's executive order violated the constitution, and had done harm not just to the travelers from the affected countries, but also to the state of Washington.
JUDGE RICHARD R. CLIFTON: What's the harm to the state of Washington?
NOAH PURCELL: We had students and faculty at state universities who were stranded overseas. We had families that were separated.
KARL: The White House argued that the president clearly has the authority to impose the ban and that putting it on hold is downright dangerous.
TRUMP: Believe me. I have learned a lot in the last two weeks. And terrorism is a far greater threat than the people of our country understand.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: All right. So let's get back to our chief White House correspondent, Jonathan Karl tonight. First, are we hearing from this White House, and it would seem President Trump was already taking aim even before the decision?
KARL: Well, we’re hearing from the Justice Department just now, David, saying, “The Justice Department is reviewing this decision and considering its options.” But you're exactly right on this. You heard from the president of the United States as he heard the oral arguments. He called them disgraceful. They won't be surprised by this, but they will be outraged by it. He said any high school kid would know that the president has the authority to do this, obviously the court disagreed.
MUIR: All right.
…
