Unbelievably, the CBS Evening News thought the day after President Biden’s arbitrary deadline to get Americans out of Afghanistan was the perfect time to drop the subject completely. There was absolutely no mention of Afghanistan on their Wednesday newscast but they found the time to dedicate over two minutes (2:05) to bashing and decrying Texas’s new pro-life law. And while they covered Afghanistan, ABC’s World News Tonight failed to mention anything about the 100-200 Americans abandoned there.
“Well, tonight, it is nearly impossible to get an abortion in Texas. The most restrictive abortion law in the country went into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to act on a request to block it,” whined CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell.
And senior national correspondent Ben Tracy tried to stoke fear and animosity against the conservative justices. “Conservatives now have a 6-3 majority on the court, and, Norah, that case could overturn Roe v. Wade, which established that right to abortion back in 1973,” he said.
As for the time breakdown on ABC, they gave almost equal time bashing the pro-life law and Afghanistan (2:12 and 2:13, respectively), focusing on the Taliban take over and General Mark Milley’s reassurances to veterans that their sacrifice was worth it.
In stark contrast to their broadcast competitors, NBC Nightly News dedicated their Afghanistan segment to the Americans Biden left behind. “And we're learning more tonight about the Americans still trapped in Afghanistan, desperate to get out, but with little hope, as the Taliban forces put their strength on display,” announced fill-in anchor Tom Llamas.
After noting that the Taliban were “parading” around in “the billions of dollars worth of American weapons and equipment they now have in their arsenal,” White House correspondent Geoff Bennett spotlighted how Biden left behind a child and a man who had apparently saved his life:
Among them, a three-year-old California boy, an American citizen trapped with his family in Kabul. And Afghans who helped America's military effort are stuck too, like the Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Senator Biden when he was trapped in Taliban territory on a trip there years ago, now telling The Wall Street Journal, "Mr. President, save me and my family." Tonight, the White House committing to get him out.
“Of the more than 120,000 mostly Afghans airlifted from the Kabul airport, initial figures suggest just 8,500 were Afghans who helped U.S. military forces,” he added.
And though it went unmentioned by NBC, there was the case of the 27 grade school students from California who were abandoned in the country after Biden’s deadline passed. “The Sacramento area is home to one of the United Sates' largest Afghan American communities. How these students will be able to return to the U.S. in a now Taliban-controlled Afghanistan is unclear,” wrote NPR.
Back on NBC, Bennett concluded by noting: “[T]he State Department tonight acknowledging for the first time the majority of the tens of thousands of Afghans who helped American troops are still stuck in Afghanistan under the Taliban.”
And for the sake of consistency, it's worth noting that NBC spent 1 minute 43 seconds on Afghanistan and 1 minute 59 seconds on the pro-life law.
These disgraceful omissions of Afghanistan and the trapped Americans from their newscasts were made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Febreze on ABC and Advil on CBS. CBS Evening News has also asked people to “text Noah” at this number: (202) 217-1107.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC Nightly News
September 1, 2021
7:13:24 p.m. EasternTOM LLAMAS: And we're learning more tonight about the Americans still trapped in Afghanistan, desperate to get out, but with little hope as the Taliban forces put their strength on display. Geoff Bennett reports.
[Cuts to video]
GEOFF BENNETT: Tonight, the Taliban parading what it says is some of the billions of dollars worth of American weapons and equipment they now have in their arsenal, as the Biden administration weathers fierce criticism for the Americans left behind when U.S. Forces withdrew.
Among them, a three-year-old California boy, an American citizen trapped with his family in Kabul. And Afghans who helped America's military effort are stuck too, like the Afghan interpreter who helped rescue then-Senator Biden when he was trapped in Taliban territory on a trip there years ago, now telling The Wall Street Journal, "Mr. President, save me and my family." Tonight, the White House committing to get him out.
Of the more than 120,000 mostly Afghans airlifted from the Kabul airport, initial figures suggest just 8,500 were Afghans who helped U.S. military forces.
While at the Pentagon today, the secretary of defense and the chairman of the joint chiefs with a message to veterans who may be struggling to process the tumultuous end to America's longest war.
GEN. MARK MILLEY (chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff): We are all conflicted with feelings of pain and anger, sorrow and sadness combined with pride and resilience. [Transition] Your service mattered and was not in vain.
[Cuts back to live]
BENNETT: Meantime, the State Department tonight acknowledging for the first time the majority of the tens of thousands of Afghans who helped American troops are still stuck in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Tom?
LLAMAS: Geoff Bennett with that new reporting tonight, Geoff, thank you.
