The network newscasts on Thursday morning parroted Biden talking points when it comes to the President’s handling of the escalating crisis in Ukraine. None of them questioned Joe Biden’s control of a situation that seems to be spiraling out of control. Instead, NBC assured Americans that the Democrat is “sensitive” to ramifications like sky-high gas prices.
CBS Mornings DID wonder if “the President” was “up for” this emergency situation. However, co-host Tony Dokoupil meant the President of Ukraine. Not the President of the United States. Talking to former Ambassador Bill Taylor, he demanded:
Let's talk about the other leader in this equation, the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I've been pointing out all morning that just three years ago he was playing president in a TV show about Ukraine. Now he's in the real thing, and it is very real indeed. You met with him recently. Is he up for this?
Over on the Today show, Stephanie Ruhle talked about how spooked Wall Street seems and skyrocketing prices of oil and gas at the pump. But don’t worry, she assured, Biden cares deeply about all of this:
Oil barrel over $100 a barrel. That's a big number. We know on average gas prices around $3.50 a gallon around the country. Analysts say it could get as high as $4. We have heard from President Biden. He is acutely aware of this. He is very sensitive to the price at the pump for the American people. He said he will do everything he can.
Most of the time, the networks just regurgitated what Biden currently thinks about the situation. On CBS Mornings, co-host Nate Burleson stated, “Coming up, President Biden says he won't send American troops to Ukraine to fight the Russians, so will there be any military response by NATO countries to the invasion?”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host George Stephanopoulos stressed that Biden was on top of all this: “President Biden has been warning of this for weeks.” Reporter Mary Bruce agreed, “He has and, George, we are going to hear from him later today when he announces new severe sanctions against Russia.”
The closest anyone came to criticism was on the Today show when reporter Kristen Welker acknowledged: “A number of Republicans and some Democrats have been calling on the administration to deliver an even bigger blow to Putin via sanctions.”
On Tuesday, the networks played Biden defender, refusing to blame him for the invasion. None of the networks the last few days have mentioned Biden’s reckless okay of a “minor incursion” in January, comments that seem to give Putin a green light to attack.
The propaganda on ABC was sponsored by Liberty Mutual, on NBC by Citi and on CBS on Progressive insurance. Click on the links to let them know what you think.
