Unlike ABC, CBS Mornings on Friday actually called out the Biden administration’s flip flopping over whether Russian sanctions work or don’t. ABC’s Good Morning America, however, pretended like Joe Biden hasn’t repeatedly contradicted his own White House on the issue.
On Friday, reporter Ed O’Keefe played a clip of the President responding to a question about whether sanctions will make Vladimir Putin change course. Biden responded with this incredible claim: “I did not say that, in fact, the sanctions would deter him. Sanctions never deter.”
O’Keefe didn’t let that stand, noting: “He didn't say it, but senior administration officials said before Russia invaded that's what he believed.”
He then played a montage of administration officials saying exactly that:
JAKE SULLIVAN (National Security Adviser): The President believes that sanctions are intended to deter.
ANTHONY BLINKEN (Secretary of State): The purpose of the sanctions in the first instance is to try to deter Russia from going to war.
Townhall found at least six times when the administration explicitly said this was the goal of sanctions. So maybe ABC (and other outlets) need to ask whether the White House has failed?
"We want them to have a deterrent effect, clearly,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said of the Biden administration's sanctions on Russia during an interview on Fox News.
“The President believes that sanctions are intended to deter,” said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
"We do see them as having a deterrent impact," Psaki said of sanctions in a press briefing. She later emphasized "there is a deterrent" brought to bear with sanctions, claiming "we’ve seen the deterrent impact work at times. Right?"
Over on Good Morning America, Cecilia Vega let Biden get away with these direct contradictions. She simply averted her gaze to the flip flopping: “President Biden announcing new sanctions on more than 400 Russian lawmakers, state-owned defense companies and dozens more Russian elites. The President insisting NATO's unity will defeat Putin.”
As MRC analyst Kevin Tober noted on Thursday, ABC also ignored the backtracking by the White House.
Over on NBC’s Today, reporter Kristen Welker gently called out the hypocrisy, noting that “the Biden administration initially said was the goal” with sanctions.
KRISTEN WELKER: Still the President pushed back when asked about U.S. sanctions against Russia and whether they failed deter Putin from going to war. Something the Biden administration initially said was the goal. The President’s message now?
JOE BIDEN: Sanctions never deter. You keep talking about that. The maintenance of sanctions, increasing the pain, that's what will stop him.
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Partial transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS Mornings
3/25/2022
ED O’KEEFE: On Thursday the President and leaders of NATO, the G-7, and EU announced new sanctions on more than 400 Russian officials including more than 300 members of Russia's parliament. Mr. Biden faced questions about whether they'll work.
CHRISTINA RUFFINI: Deterrence didn't work. What makes you think Vladimir Putin will alter course based on the action you've taken today?
JOE BIDEN: I did not say that, in fact, the sanctions would deter him. Sanctions never deter.
O’KEEFE: He didn't say it, but senior administration officials said before Russia invaded that's what he believed.
JAKE SULLIVAN (National Security Adviser): The President believes that sanctions are intended to deter.
ANTHONY BLINKEN (Secretary of State): The purpose of the sanctions in the first instance is to try to deter Russia from going to war.
Good Morning America
3/25/2022
7:07CECILIA VEGA: Allies in a united show of force against Vladimir Putin. President Biden on his way here to Poland right now and he is pushing European leaders to isolate Putin even more by cutting off their dependency to Russian oil. This morning, President Biden with European allies making a big promise that could help them and hurt Moscow, saying the U.S. will ramp up shipments of gas to Europe so countries are less dependent on Russian oil.
...
VEGA: President Biden announcing new sanctions on more than 400 Russian lawmakers, state-owned defense companies and dozens more Russian elites. The President insisting NATO's unity will defeat Putin.
Today
3/25/2022KRISTEN WELKER: Still the President pushed back when asked about U.S. sanctions against Russia. And whether they failed deter Putin from going to war. Something the Biden administration initially said was the goal. The President’s message now?
JOE BIDEN: Sanctions never deter. You keep talking about that. The maintenance of sanctions, increasing the pain, that's what will stop him.
WELKER: And when asked if he was too quick to take military action off the table and whether that emboldened Putin?
BIDEN: No and no.
