Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) made headlines Monday afternoon when she told The Washington Post that she was against impeaching President Trump unless it was absolutely necessary. For the evening broadcasts of ABC News and NBC News, it was the second topic they covered after yet another deadly crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8. But CBS News buried it deep in the last few minutes of the broadcast and only gave it a fleeting 17 seconds.
Meanwhile, Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision ignored Pelosi’s comments altogether.
For CBS Evening News, anchor Jeff Glor delivered the meager news brief. “In a new interview, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is against impeaching President Trump, saying the process is, quote, ‘So divisive to the country,’” he reported. “Pelosi tells The Washington Post: ‘He is just not worth it.’ Though she does believe the President, she says, is unfit to hold the office.”
In contrast, CBS dedicated two minutes and five seconds to hyping Vice President Joe Biden possibly joining the Democratic Party’s large 2020 field, and the Democratic National Committee selecting Milwaukee, Wisconsin to have their convention.
On NBC Nightly News, they framed Pelosi’s stance as something that could cause strife within the Democratic caucus in the House.
Anchor Lester Holt seemed surprised and declared Pelosi was “speaking out like we’ve never heard her before on a controversial issue, in this case, the possibility of impeaching President Trump.” And as he was handed it off to NBC chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson, he framed the report as “how her remarks could divide Democrats.”
After reading from Pelosi’s statement, Jackson cautioned that, “Not everyone in her party agrees, possibly setting up a showdown with more progressive Democrats like [Michigan] Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.” Of course, NBC had to play the soundbite of Tlaib angrily declaring they were going to "impeach the mother f-[Bleep]”.
As for ABC’s World News Tonight, they mixed Pelosi’s comments into a report that included Trump’s proposed budget. And as they were wrapping up the segment anchor David Muir wanted chief White House correspondent Jon Karl to explain Pelosi’s “political calculation here.”
In his explanation, Karl appeared to admit that the Democrat-led House investigations into seemingly all aspects of President Trump’s life were simply efforts to damage his reelection chances:
David, it's a reflection of political reality. There are simply not the votes to impeach the President and remove him from office. And Nancy Pelosi would much rather run against a wounded and heavily investigated Donald Trump, than wage a lost cause effort to remove him from office through impeachment.
So, impeachment is now a “lost cause effort.” Interesting. The liberal media must be very disappointed now.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
March 11, 2019
6:52:07 p.m. EasternJEFF GLOR: In a new interview, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she is against impeaching President Trump, saying the process is, quote, “So divisive to the country”. Pelosi tells The Washington Post, quote, “He is just not worth it." Though she does believe the President, she says, is unfit to hold the office.
ABC’s World News Tonight
March 11, 2019
6:37:05 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Meantime, to breaking news from Washington. What House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just said a short time ago President Trump and impeachment, saying the President “isn't worth it”. And the other major news, the President's budget proposal making news tonight, because of what's in it and what’s not. Here's ABC's chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl now.
[Cuts to video]
JON KARL: Nancy Pelosi has no problem being the President’s chief nemesis.
(…)
KARL: But today, for the first time, the Speaker of the House flatly declared she is against impeaching President Trump, telling The Washington Post, “I'm not for impeachment. Unless there's something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I don't think we should go down that path because it divides the country. And he's just not worth it."
(…)
MUIR: But Jon, I did I want to get back to what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said late today, that she's not for impeachment. As we all know, some House Democrats, particularly some of the freshmen have been very enthusiastic, very keen at the prospect of impeachment proceedings. She's the leader, though, so, what's behind her going public tonight? What’s her political calculation here?
KARL: David, it's a reflection of political reality. There are simply not the votes to impeach the President and remove him from office. And Nancy Pelosi would much rather run against a wounded and heavily investigated Donald Trump than wage a lost cause effort to remove him from office through impeachment.
NBC Nightly News
March 11, 2019
7:06:51 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: There is more developing news tonight from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is speaking out like we’ve never heard her before on a controversial issue, in this case, the possibility of impeaching President Trump. NBC's Hallie Jackson has more on how her remarks could divide Democrats.
[Cuts to video]
HALLIE JACKSON: Even as she says it, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi knows it's a headline. “I'm not for impeachment,” the country's top Democrat tells The Washington Post tonight. Adding, “this is news.” She explains, “unless there's something so compelling and overwhelming, and bipartisan, I don't think we should go down that path because it divides the country and he's just not worth it.”
Not everyone in her party agrees, possibly setting up a showdown with more progressive Democrats like Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.
REP. RASHIDA TLAIB: Because we're going to go in there and impeach the mother f-[bleep].
(…)
