CBS This Morning journalist Major Garrett on Tuesday jumped to blame Donald Trump and Republican “hardliners” for a potential government shutdown. Garrett made little effort to find culpability for the liberal Democrats in the Senate who are demanding a clean DACA bill in return for keeping the government open. He began by whining, “It was just a week ago, cabinet room, President Trump, bunch of lawmakers. Nearly an hour of televised immigration give and take where the President said he would sign anything because he could, quote, ‘take the heat.’”
Getting in front of a possibly looming shutdown, Garrett identified the guilty parties: “Then came the backlash. Hardliners accused Mr. Trump of weakness and toying with amnesty by providing protection from deportation for immigrants brought to the country illegally by their parents.”
Do Democrats have "hardliners?" Garrett didn't say. He concluded his summary of who was to blame:
At the prodding of chief of staff John Kelly and Domestic Policy Adviser Steven Miller, the President demanded more money for a border wall, an end to the visa lottery system, and reduced immigration through family ties. Well, that complicated Oval Office talks late last week, tempers flared. The President used a vulgarity. And that expletive and racial overtones have stalled immigration talks, a government shutdown looms. And the President is trying to blame Democrats and Democrats alone for this impasse. Welcome, John, to this mid-January summary of bipartisanship, President Trump-style.
Contrast that with how ABC’s Jon Karl covered a possible shutdown on Tuesday's Good Morning America. He noted, “Democrats have made it clear if they do not have protection for the Dreamers, they will not agree to extend government funding.” So, it would seem that Democrats would assume at least some of the responsibility, right, Mr. Garrett?
Over on NBC’s Today, Peter Alexander sounded much more like CBS and less like ABC's Karl. He blamed, “The war over President Trump's words is threatening to derail hopes for a immigration deal and making the challenge of avoiding a government shutdown, now just three days away, that much greater.”
Interestingly, another segment, in a different hour of CBS This Morning, offered more balance. Nancy Cordes admitted, “Republicans warn that if there is a government shutdown, Democrats would get the blame. Privately, some Democrats worry about that possibility.”
However, Major Garrett doesn’t seem too worried about that possibility.
A transcript of the CBS This Morning segment is below:
CBS This Morning
1/16/18
8:03:26am to 8:05:14GAYLE KING: President Trump says Democratic Senator Dick Durbin is hurting chances of reaching an immigration deal. Durbin says that the President did use a vulgar word to describe some immigrants during an Oval Office meeting last week. Mr. Trump tweeted last night, "Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals can't get made when there is no trust." Democrats want the DACA program protecting young, illegal immigrants to be part of a deal to avoid a government shutdown by Friday. Major Garrett is at the White House with the latest on this story. Major, good morning.
MAJOR GARRETT: Good morning. Here's a big question for President Trump this year — can he cut deals with Democrats? Last year all the biggest deals, well, only with Republicans. And bipartisanship 2018 is in trouble after a promising start. Remember, it was just a week ago cabinet room, President Trump, bunch of lawmakers. Nearly an hour of televised immigration give and take where the President said he would sign anything because he could, quote, ‘take the heat.’” Then came the backlash. Hardliners accused Mr. Trump of weakness and toying with amnesty by providing protection from deportation for immigrants brought to the country illegally by their parents.
And at the prodding of chief of staff John Kelly and Domestic Policy Adviser Steven Miller, the President demanded more money for a border wall, an end to the Visa lottery system, and reduced immigration through family ties. Well, that complicated Oval Office talks late last week, tempers flared. The President used a vulgarity. And that expletive and racial overtones have stalled immigration talks, a government shutdown looms. And the President is trying to blame Democrats and Democrats alone for this impasse. Welcome, John, to this mid-January summary of bipartisanship, President Trump-style.
7:13
NANCY CORDES: Republicans warn that if there is a government shutdown, Democrats would get the blame. Privtely, some Democrats worry about that possibility.
