Thursday night and Friday morning saw the emerging of a new spin from the liberal media. The 2020 Democratic presidential field now has “moderates” and “centrists.” This only makes sense if journalists fully explain just how far left the party has lurched. Instead, they simply referred to people like Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg as the center.
On CBS This Morning, reporter Ed O’Keefe insisted, “Perhaps the differences most stark between those right at center stage, the national frontrunner Joe Biden, a moderate, sandwiched between two liberals, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.” Joe Biden is a moderate? His lifetime American Conservative Union score is 12. His final scores (before becoming vice president) in 2008, 2007 and 2006 were, respectively, 0, 0 and 4.
This Morning co-host Gayle King began the show by pushing the same talking point: “We're going to begin with the latest Democratic debate where ten presidential candidates showed a clear divide between the parties' political center and its left wing.”
On Thursday’s Nightline, Terry Moran hyped, “It probably won't move the needle much in the polls, but after a campaign dominated by progressive voices, tonight the centrists struck back.” On Friday’s Good Morning America, Jon Karl claimed, “And the beginning of that debate, you saw the revenge of the moderates.”
In post-debate analysis, Joy Reid tried to spin Buttigieg as “in the middle.” She insisted, “You know, Buttigieg, I would say, the centrist of the candidates up there. He’s in the middle.”
Buttigieg is rabidly pro-abortion and wants to end the electoral college. These are the Democratic moderates? Only if you believe the new spin from the liberal media.
Partial transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
Nightline
9/13/19 (9/12/19 in central)12:40 AM ET
TERRY MORAN: The debate's done, let the spinning begin. After the debate that was substantive. The headline might be that. It was a well-moderated debate, shout out to our colleagues there. It probably won't move the needle much in the polls, but after a campaign dominated by progressive voices, tonight the centrists struck back.
CBS This Morning
9/13/19
7:02GAYLE KING: Welcome to CBS This Morning. We're going to begin with the latest Democratic debate where ten presidential candidates showed a clear divide between the parties' political center and its left wing. It was the first time that all the top Democrats in this race appeared together.
7:07 AM ET
ED O’KEEFE: Perhaps the differences most stark between those right at center stage, the national frontrunner Joe Biden, a moderate, sandwiched between two liberals, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
MSNBC post debate coverage
09/13/19
1:38 AM ETJOY REID: You know, Buttigieg, I would say, the centrist of the candidates up there. He’s in the middle.
Good Morning America
09/13/197:07 AM ET
JON KARL: And the beginning of that debate, you saw the revenge of the moderates.
