With investigators still trying to track down who sent bombs to CNN, the Clintons, and other prominent Democrats and still no motive in sight, liberal broadcast networks ABC and NBC put the blame squarely on President Trump’s shoulders during their Wednesday broadcasts. This, as they ignored attacks against members of the Republican Party around the country for weeks.
It was clear from the start who they thought should be held responsible for the attacks. During NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt touted CNN President Jeff Zucker for releasing a statement Wednesday “blasting the White House and the President.” It was quite an unusual way to describe the statement given the day’s events.
“Tonight, while the FBI hunts down whoever sent these bombs, and their motives remain unknown, no matter who sent them, there are growing calls to turn down the heated political rhetoric before somebody gets hurt,” Holt declared.
When chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell took over the report, she decried how President Trump had delivered “another fiery speech attacking his favorite targets, Democrats” this week and was “[g]oing after Hillary Clinton and the media, especially CNN.”
“While there are no answers yet on what led to today's incidents, President Trump has the biggest megaphone,” she argued before adding that “there are growing questions about how he’s using it.” After clearly placing the brunt of the blame on Trump, she touted CNN’s combative statement against the White House:
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker tonight saying, “there is total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media ... Words matter.” Anger now spreading in all directions.
According to Mitchell’s setup, all of the heated rhetoric stemmed from Trump and proceeded to list off recent instances of heated confrontations.
After her network ignored it for well over a month, NBC finally mentioned the knife attack against GOP congressional candidate Rudy Peters of California. Mitchell also played a soundbite of Hillary Clinton calling for unity on Wednesday. “It's a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together,” the former Secretary of State said.
Of course, Mitchell failed to mention how Clinton championed greater incivility just two short weeks ago. Again, her network ignored it.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, anchor David Muir noted Trump’s call for unity but quickly dismissed it by proclaiming, “it does lead to scrutiny tonight of the political rhetoric in this country, and has it finally reached a breaking point?”
During the report, senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega recalled Trump’s “sober call for unity” but also touted CNN’s Zucker “mincing no words” in his own heated remarks. Vega completely ignored the attacks against the GOP and chided how President Trump was probably not going to learn a lesson from the day’s attacks:
Now, there is discussions among some sources about whether he might want to tone it down in the wake of what happened today, but all of the consensus says that no one speaking for Donald Trump except Donald Trump himself. The question now with less than two weeks to go in these midterms, will he take his own advice and heed this call for unity?
In sharp contrast, CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang took time on the CBS Evening News to not only show examples Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric, but she also played soundbites of Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder, and California Congresswoman Maxine Waters calling for greater incivility from their supporters. All of those Democrats had bombs sent to them.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 24, 2018
6:39 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: We heard the President from the White House this afternoon calling for unity. But it does lead to scrutiny tonight of the political rhetoric in this country, and has it finally reached a breaking point? Here's ABC's senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega tonight.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: President Trump's message today, a sober call for unity.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: This egregious conduct is abhorrent to everything we hold dear and sacred as Americans.
VEGA: But CNN President Jeff Zucker mincing no words, writing, "There is a total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media." Moments like this, just six days ago in Montana. President Trump praising a Republican congressman who pleaded guilty to body slamming a reporter.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: So, let's bring in Cecilia Vega, she’s live at the White House. Cecilia, we heard the President, obviously called for unity, calling the pipe bombs abhorrent, but it's going to lead to questions about the rhetoric, as I’ve mentioned, we've been hearing in the country for some time now.
VEGA: David, and the White House is already facing those questions here tonight. And again, that is because of what happened today. All of the targets are people that the President regularly attacks himself. Now, there is discussions among some sources about whether he might want to tone it down in the wake of what happened today, but all of the consensus says that no one speaking for Donald Trump except Donald Trump himself. The question now with less than two weeks to go in these midterms, will he take his own advice and heed this call for unity?
MUIR: All right, Cecilia Vega with us tonight as well. Thank you, Cecilia.
NBC Nightly News
October 24, 2018
7:08 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Tonight, while the FBI hunts down whoever sent these bombs, and their motives remain unknown, no matter who sent them, there are growing calls to turn down the heated political rhetoric before somebody gets hurt. The head of CNN Jeff Zucker blasting the White House and the President late today. We get details from NBC's Andrea Mitchell.
[Cuts to video]
ANDREA MITCHELL: Just this week, another fiery speech attacking his favorite targets, Democrats.
(…)
MITCHELL: Going after Hillary Clinton and the media, especially CNN.
(…)
MITCHELL: And last week, praising a Republican congressman for attacking a reporter.
(…)
MITCHELL: While there are no answers yet on what led to today's incidents, President Trump has the biggest megaphone and there are growing questions about how he’s using it. CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker tonight saying, “there is total and complete lack of understanding at the White House about the seriousness of their continued attacks on the media ... Words matter.” Anger now spreading in all directions.
A Republican candidate in Sacramento fighting off an anti-Trump knife attacker.
RUDY PETERS: He's screaming I'm going to kill you.
MITCHELL: Senator Ted Cruz and his wife chased out of a D.C. restaurant.
(…)
MITCHELL: A Republican candidate in Pennsylvania threatening the Democratic governor in a video.
(…)
MITCHELL: Raising the question, is politics becoming dangerous?
HILLARY CLINTON: It's a time of deep divisions and we have to do everything we can to bring our country together.
MITCHELL: Tonight, Republican congressman Steve Scalise, almost dying after a political shooting targeting Republicans at a softball practice last year, tweeting, “we must agree that this is a dangerous path, and it cannot become the new normal.” Andrea Mitchell, NBC News.
