As Donald Trump announced another cabinet pick, all three networks on Friday touted liberal talking points on Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder. But it was Today journalist Peter Alexander who chided the Carl’s Jr. CEO for his company’s racy ads. NBC is the same network that in 2015 devoted an entire week to promoting the graphic, sex-drenched movie Fifty Shades of Grey.
Alexander played a clip of a Carl’s Jr. fast-food ad featuring scantily clad women and chided, “While Puzder approves of these racy ads, he opposes broader overtime pay and minimum wage increases.” What does one have to do with the other? Alexander didn’t say.
Additionally, it seems odd for NBC to suddenly turn prudish after promoting Fifty Shades of Grey for a full week, repeatedly playing clips and trailers from the bondage film.
Over on Good Morning America, Tom Llamas sounded a similar note: “Trump's transition team announcing another high-profile hire. Millionaire fast food executive, Andrew Puzder to be labor secretary. Puzder's company owns Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Best known for these ads." He then played video of the commercials.
The journalist mentioned the liberal worry on the minimum wage: “He is a critic of ObamaCare and has argued against substantially raising the minimum wage.”
On CBS This Morning, Major Garrett described Puzder as “the newest Trump-selected millionaire.” He added, “Puzder opposes raises the minimum wage, arguing it cuts jobs by unnecessarily increasing labor costs”
Earlier this week, the New York Times and CNN went after “climate denialist” Scott Pruitt, comparing the skepticism of the Environemental Protection Agency nominee to opposing interracial marriage.
Partial transcripts are below:
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Today
12/9/16
7:14PETER ALEXANDER: Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for Labor Secretary, Andrew Puzder, CEO of Hardee's and Carl’s Jr. While Puzder approves of these racy ads [clip of Carl’s ad], he opposes broader overtime pay and minimum wage increases.
ANDREW PUZDER: When you raise the higher of low skilled and young workers, you really price them out of their jobs.
ALEXANDER: Democrats now taking aim.
SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER: You couldn't find someone more anti-labor for Labor Secretary. And that's a very bad sign for the workers of America.
GMA
12/9/16
7:05TOM LLAMAS: And Trump’s transition team announcing another high-profile hire. Millionaire fast food executive, Andrew Puzder to be labor secretary. Pudzer’s company owns Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Best known for these ads.
[Carl’s Jr. Ad] The all natural burger.
LLAMAS:He is a critic of Obamacare and has argued against substantially raising the minimum wage. The Trump team, says he is a proven job creator and ABC learning the President-elect will be keeping another job besides Commander In Chief.
CBS This Morning
12/9/16
7:10MAJOR GARRETT: The newest Trump-selected millionaire, fast food CEO Andrew Puzder as Labor Secretary. Puzder is CEO of CKE restaurants the parent company of Carl's Jr. And
Hardee's. Puzder opposes raises the minimum wage, arguing it cuts jobs by unnecessarily increasing labor costs. He wrote a book entitled "Job Creation: How It Really Works and Why Government Doesn't Understand It."ANDREW PUZDER: People who would rely on big government instead of free markets simply do not understand how jobs and careers are created.
