After spending the morning playing up the non-win of Georgia Democrat Jon Ossoff, ABC and CBS continued to play their game of spin-the-story Wednesday evening. “The President put all of his support behind Republicans in yesterday's congressional special election in Georgia, but it turned out that Democrat Jon Ossoff was the top vote-getter,” Anchor Scott Pelley announced on CBS Evening News, “Still, he fell just 2 points short of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off.”
But what Pelley failed to mention was that despite how much Ossoff was “the top vote getter,” the Republican vote was dangerously split between 11 different candidates. Things will be different in a few months after the Republican vote solidifies behind Karen Handel. That’s not to mention that there will be a different level of voter turnout for the runoff.
On ABC World News Tonight, Anchor David Muir was still enamored with Ossoff’s performance in the race. “Millions of dollars poured into that state by supporters of the Democrat Jon Ossoff, got 48% of the vote overnight,” he stated as he seemed to lament the fact that there would have to be a runoff election in June.
“Tonight, both sides are calling it a victory. But that Democrat came very close to winning on a first try in a district that's gone Republican for decades,” he warned, as he used the results as a springboard to then place the blame on President Trump, “A reflection of some of the anger at town halls across the country.”
ABC Correspondent Cecilia Vega used the narrow loss to mock Trump and revel in the rowdy town halls Republicans have been experiencing. “As the GOP gets its first scare at the ballot box, at town meetings across the country, many Republicans are getting a fresh taste of voter frustration with the President,” she declared at the top of her report.
Vega seemed to enjoy playing the numerous clips she had of Senator Jodi Ernst being peppered with questions about what she thinks of Trump. “Ernst also agreeing with a constituent who asked why the President spends so much time at his Florida resort, costing taxpayers millions,” she reported, a concern ABC didn’t care to have during the Obama administration.
While ABC and CBS were still singing the praises of Ossoff, NBC seemed to have packed up and moved on for now since they didn’t touch the story at all during NBC Nightly News. That’s something because NBC embarrassed themselves the night of the election with how much they gushed over him.
Relevant portions of the transcripts below:
CBS Evening News
April 19, 2017
6:40:05 PM EasternSCOTT PELLEY: The President put all of his support behind Republicans in yesterday's congressional special election in Georgia, but it turned out that Democrat Jon Ossoff was the top vote getter. Still, he fell just 2 points short of the 50% needed to avoid a run-off. So the district, which Mr. Trump won, will vote again in June.
...
ABC
World News Tonight
April 19, 2017
6:40:19 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: We turn now back here at home to the special election in Georgia being watched very closely by President Trump. Millions of dollars poured into that state by supporters of the Democrat Jon Ossoff, got 48% of the vote overnight. Very close to that 50% mark needed to win the race outright. There will now be a runoff. We'll face former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, the highest finisher among the 10 other Republicans in the running. Tonight, both sides are calling it a victory. But that Democrat came very close to winning on a first try in a district that's gone Republican for decades. A reflection of some of the anger at town halls across the country. And here tonight ABC's Cecilia Vega.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: As the GOP gets its first scare at the ballot box, at town meetings across the country, many Republicans are getting a fresh taste of voter frustration with the President. In Iowa last night, Senator Joni Ernst confronted with this question.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I would like to know, how you can support a man that treats women the way Donald Trump does? And he treats disabled people poorly as well.
…
VEGA: Ernst also agreeing with a constituent who asked why the President spends so much time at his Florida resort, costing taxpayers millions.
JODI ERNST: I do wish that he would spend more time in Washington, D.C., that is what we have the White House for. That is something that has been bothering not just me, but some other members of our caucus.
…
