On Tuesday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that stripped the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to continue with President Obama’s Clean Power Plan and the Big Three networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) went nuts. “After suffering defeat in Congress in his promise to replace ObamaCare, President Trump returned back to the executive order route today to try to deliver on another major campaign vow,” whined anchor Lester Holt at the start of NBC Nightly News, “It’s a jobs move that like the health care gamut entails shredding another major piece of the Obama legacy.”
“As President Donald Trump struggles to find his footing in an attempt to show strength today by obliterating his predecessor's record on the environment,” reporter Kristen Welker exclaimed after Holt handed it off to her.
Welker’s report dipped into climate alarmism as she proclaimed that the elimination of the Clean Power Plan harmed national security. “And tonight, environmentalists decrying the executive order, saying combatting climate change is key to protecting the planet, the economy, and even national security,” she reported. She followed that up with a clip of Democratic Senator Ed Markey asserting that “This is not an executive order, this is a declaration of war.”
Who the United States was going to war with over the striking down of the Clean Power Plan was never explained, but then again that’s kind of how fake news works.
The NBC reporter had a big smile on her face as she said that the White House was “bracing for a fierce fight with environmental groups already promising to block President Trump's environmental agenda in court.”
Again, Welker failed to explain what legal standing those groups would have in court. Especially since, as reported by Major Garrett on CBS Evening News, “In 2016, the Supreme Court blocked Mr. Obama's Clean Power Plan after more than 20 states complained it exceeded federal law.” So, how can the removal of the Clean Power Plan, which was also an executive order, be stopped when it was already ruled unconstitutional by the highest court in the land?
Despite CBS being the only network to share that fact, they too came down hard on the President’s order. “His order would allow coal mining on federal lands, permit the oil industry to release more methane, and would allow more carbon pollution from power plants that burn coal,” complained CBS anchor Scott Pelley while sounding disgusted, “Mr. Trump said all of this is intended to put American miners back to work.”
ABC’s World News Tonight (as did the other networks) cast doubt on Trump’s claims that coal mining jobs would come back. “But the White House doesn't know exactly how many new mining jobs will come out of this executive order,” said Cecilia Vega, “Environmentalists say the President is overselling the revival of jobs in a declining industry.” She then touted that “Fewer than 75,000 coal mining jobs remain in the U.S. By comparison, there are more than 650,000 renewable energy jobs.”
ABC anchor David Muir book ended the segment by seemingly trying to set up the coal mining families for disappointment:
But the White House was pressed today. Just how many jobs do they think this move today will create and will coal jobs really come back in big numbers for those families who heard the promise? … so many coal mining families heard those promises during the campaign from then-candidate Donald Trump. White House Press Secretary Spicer was asked: “How many jobs this new executive order would create?” How did he answer?
It’s true that jobs in the coal industry had been declining for a long time. But there is a major difference between the market naturally deciding to move away from the use of coal based on the completion and the heavy hand of Government squashing the completion of its clean energy pet project. There was no mention of how Obama’s sacred “legacy” resulted in power plants being shut down and the skyrocketing prices for electricity that immediately followed.
Transcript below:
NBC Nightly News
March 28, 2017
7:01:24 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening. After suffering defeat in Congress in his promise to replace ObamaCare, President Trump returned back to the executive order route today to try to deliver on another major campaign vow, bringing back a dying coal industry. It’s a jobs move that like the health care gamut entails shredding another major piece of the Obama legacy, in this case, regulations meant to protect the environment. Tonight, the President's actions are sparking celebration in coal country, outrage from environmentalists, and big questions of whether some of those jobs can ever come back. NBC’s Kristen Welker has details.
[Cuts to video]
KRISTEN WELKER: As President Donald Trump struggles to find his footing in an attempt to show strength today by obliterating his predecessor's record on the environment. A move he says will create jobs.
...
WELKER: The reality, federal data shows mines have been losing jobs for decades under both parties. Right now, there are less than 75,000 coal jobs compared to more than 650,000 jobs in renewable energy, which can be less expensive to produce. The shift on display in Michigan, where Jerry Anderson CEO of the state's largest electric company says cheap natural gas is good for business.
JERRY ANDERSON: We’re going to build natural gas renewables for the foreseeable future.
WELKER: And tonight, environmentalists decrying the executive order, saying combatting climate change is key to protecting the planet, the economy, and even national security.
ED MARKEY: This is not an executive order, this is a declaration of war.
[Cuts back to live]
WELKER: The administration couldn't say how many jobs today's actions could create, but is bracing for a fierce fight, with environmental groups already promising to block President Trump's environmental agenda in court. Lester.
HOLT: All right. Kristen walker, thank you.
ABC
World News Tonight
March 28, 2017
6:35:35 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: The other major development tonight, President Trump taking swift action to rollback much of President Obama's climate change policies. The President signing a sweeping order today, coal miners standing beside him. The President promising often during the campaign that he would bring back coal mining jobs. But the White House was pressed today. Just how many jobs do they think this move today will create and will coal jobs really come back in big numbers for those families who heard the promise? ABC senior White House correspondent Cecilia Vega at the White House.
...
VEGA: But the White House doesn't know exactly how many new mining jobs will come out of this executive order. Environmentalists say the President is overselling the revival of jobs in a declining industry. Fewer than 75,000 coal mining jobs remain in the U.S. By comparison, there are more than 650,000 renewable energy jobs. Today the Sierra Club called the President's action, "The single biggest attack on climate action in U.S. history, period." Candidate Trump called climate change a hoax.
TRUMP: It's a hoax. It's a moneymaking industry, okay? It's a hoax, a lot of it.
VEGA: Today, we asked the White House if anything has changed. Does the President still believe that climate change is a hoax?
SEAN SPICER: He does not believe that as I mentioned at the onset, that there is a binary choice between job creation, economic growth and caring about the environment, and that's what we should be focusing on.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: And Cecilia Vega with us live from the White House tonight. And Cecilia, as you know, so many coal mining families heard those promises during the campaign from then-candidate Donald Trump. White House Press Secretary Spicer was asked “How many jobs this new executive order would create?” How did he answer?
VEGA: Well, he didn't really have answer. Even though this order was billed as a means to create jobs, the White house doesn't have an estimate. Sean Spicer turning the focus from workers to coal company owners, saying “the industry is applauding this order.” David.
MUIR: Cecilia Vega asking the questions there at the White House for us today. Cecilia, thank you.
