On Thursday, some network newscasts, like NBC Nightly News, almost completely avoided the testimony of acting FBI director Andrew McCabe, skipping over how he put a severe crimp in anti-Trump narratives -- insisting the FBI's Russia probe was "adequately resourced" and that it hasn't been suppressed or impeded in any way. The late-night comedians were also allergic to those clips that night, but Trevor Noah was the most aggressive in running just the clips he liked:
TREVOR NOAH: James Comey had been scheduled to testify in congress today but because he's gone that job fell to Comey’s second-in-command, F.B.I. Associate director Andrew McCabe. This is where Trump may have realized he made the classic mistake. He shot the sheriff but he did not shoot the deputy. (Laughter)
SEN. MARTIN HEINRICH: Is it accurate the rank and file no longer supported director Comey?
ANDREW McCABE: No, sir, that is not accurate. [edit] I hold director Comey in the absolutely highest regard. I have the highest respect for his considerable abilities and his integrity, and it has been the greatest privilege and honor of my professional life to work with him. [edit] I can tell you, also, that director Comey enjoyed broad support within the F.B.I. And still does to this day.
NOAH: Wow, broad support. I don't think I've ever liked any co-worker as much as that guy likes Comey. Hell, I don't even think my mom likes me as much that guy liked Comey. My mother would give me support but not "broad support." ( Laughter ) The FBI loved Comey so much they have been flying their flag at half-mast. Yeah. Also it’s because James Comey was the only one tall enough to put it at the top. That's part of the reason. (Laughter ) So the explanation they had to fire James Comey because he lacked FBI support, that's nonsense. But like a bull, the White House produces a lot of (bleep).
CNN’s JOE JOHNS: The White house continues to change the narrative on how the president reached his decision. Initially touting deputy attorney general rod Rosenstein's letter.
SARAH SANDERS: It's real simple here, the deputy attorney general made a very strong recommendation, the prsident followed it, and he made a quick and decisive action to fire James Comey. [edit] I don't think there was ever an attempt to pin the decision on the deputy attorney general.
NOAH: It's 2017. Why do people lie like cameras are not a thing? Because we saw you. You just tried to pin it on deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein. Why is this so complicated? Was Comey fired because to have the deputy attorney general's letter or not? I wish there was some blabbermouth in the White House who wasn't briefed on the lie they were supposed to tell.
Noah also skipped the fact that Rosenstein denied the liberal media claim that he threatened to quit over the Comey ruckus. The late-night hosts only brought up McCabe to mock Trump as intolerant of truth-tellers. ABC's Jimmy Kimmel offered this crack:
KIMMEL: You know, one of the reasons they'vre been giving for that firing is that trump said James Comey lost the trust of rank and file FBI agents. And today the acting head of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, flatly contradicted that. He said the vast majority of agents hold a deep positive connection to director Comey. So he's fired too, then, right?
On NBC, Seth Meyers offered a variation on that:
MEYERS: Acting FBI director Andrew McCabe testified before the Senate Intelligence committee today. It went like this, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" "I do." "Okay. You're fired.”
