After finally discovering positive economic news on Thursday, ABC World News Tonight anchor David Muir intentionally deceived his audience about what the numbers showed in context. After making it seem as though massive unemployment was on the rise, he brought on congressional correspondent Mary Bruce to campaign for former Vice President Joe Biden’s recently released economic plan as the solution.
It should be noted the two news items were meant to be delivered as a packaged deal. In addition to their combined airtime lasting less than two minutes (1:50), this was how Muir pitched it:
Now, to the economy and American jobs tonight. 1.3 million American workers filed new unemployment claims last week. The 16th week in a row that that number has been above a million. 18 million Americans are now collecting benefits.
Of course, the coronavirus and how to revive the economy for all families afterward will be front and center this election, and today, former Vice President Joe Biden revealing his plan. Here's Mary Bruce.
But the truth of the matter was, those new unemployment claims were on the decline and thus it was critical context Muir intentionally hid from viewers.
As Bloomberg reported on Thursday, “initial jobless claims fell by the most in a month.” Though, they tried to blunt the good news with negative speculation, Bloomberg did admit the drops were beating projections:
The jobs data showed initial jobless claims in regular state programs fell by 99,000 to 1.31 million in the week ended July 4. That was a steeper drop than forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Continuing claims -- the total number of Americans claiming ongoing unemployment benefits in state programs -- declined to 18.1 million in the week ended June 27, compared with a median projection of 18.8 million.
Those facts were damned by Bruce, who immediately lauded Biden as the solution to the problem ABC spun. “Joe Biden today in the battleground state of Pennsylvania touring a manufacturing plant, and challenging the President on Trump's signature issue, the economy,” she boasted.
After touting Biden for “ripped into Trump's response to the pandemic,” Bruce did the same when talking about Biden “outlining his plan for an economic comeback, including investing $300 billion in new technologies and $400 billion to power demand for American-made products.”
“A plan Biden says will create 5 million new jobs and be paid for by reversing Trump's tax cuts for wealthiest Americans,” she added.
Bruce scoffed at the Trump campaign’s criticism of the plan, which she failed to disclose was written in conjunction with socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and parroted the Biden campaign:
“And the Trump campaign is now firing back, slamming Biden's plan and saying he would raise taxes on all Americans, but Biden says that's not true. The taxes would only go up on large corporations and the most wealthy.”
Previously, as reported by Joseph Vazquez of MRC Business, ABC joined CBS and NBC in censoring a massive upgrade May’s positive jobs report while all three cast doubt on the legitimacy of the June jobs report. It’s all part of how they’re trying to deceive viewers on the state of the economy to help Biden get elected.
ABC’s hawking of Biden’s economic plan was sponsored Ensure and Purina. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
July 9, 2020
6:44:53 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Now, to the economy and American jobs tonight. 1.3 million American workers filed new unemployment claims last week. The 16th week in a row that that number has been above a million. 18 million Americans are now collecting benefits.
Of course, the coronavirus and how to revive the economy for all families afterward will be front and center this election, and today, former Vice President Joe Biden revealing his plan. Here's Mary Bruce.
[Cuts to video]
JOE BIDEN: Hey, buddy, how are you?
MARY BRUCE: Joe Biden today in the battleground state of Pennsylvania touring a manufacturing plant, and challenging the President on Trump's signature issue, the economy.
BIDEN: Donald Trump loves to talk and talk and talk, but after three and a half years of big promises, what do the American people have to show for all the talk?
BRUCE: Biden ripped into Trump's response to the pandemic, saying he's making matters worse.
BIDEN: His failures come with a terrible human cost and deep economic toll. Time and again, working families are paying the price for this administration's incompetence.
BRUCE: Biden stopping by his childhood home in nearby Scranton.
BIDEN: Well, I couldn't come to Scranton without coming by the old house.
BRUCE: And outlining his plan for an economic comeback, including investing $300 billion in new technologies and $400 billion to power demand for American-made products. A plan Biden says will create 5 million new jobs and be paid for by reversing Trump's tax cuts for wealthiest Americans.
[Cuts back to live]
And the Trump campaign is now firing back, slamming Biden's plan and saying he would raise taxes on all Americans, but Biden says that's not true. The taxes would only go up on large corporations and the most wealthy. David?
MUIR: All right, Mary Bruce on the campaign for us again tonight. Thank you, Mary.
