On Tuesday, the network morning shows celebrated Democrats engaging in a partisan stunt on Senate floor late into Monday night as they accused Republicans of supposedly crafting health care reform legislation “shrouded in secrecy.” None of the broadcasts bothered to point out the blatant hypocrisy of Democrats whining about the process after they themselves used secretive tactics to shove through ObamaCare in 2010.
NBC Today co-host Matt Lauer breathlessly proclaimed to viewers: “Also this morning, there’s new controversy over the Republicans’ push to overhaul health care....with GOP lawmakers crafting it in secret, Democrats staged an overnight protest on Capitol Hill.” Correspondent Kristen Welker declared: “Republicans have been working behind closed doors, exactly what they accused Democrats of doing when they crafted ObamaCare. Now Democrats are ready to declare war.”
While using GOP criticism of Democrats’ behavior on ObamaCare to accuse conservative lawmakers of being inconsistent, the hypocrisy of liberal legislators was glossed over.
Instead, Welker hyped:
Overnight, Democrats staging a dramatic talk-a-thon on the Senate floor, threatening to delay all business unless Republicans open up their health care talks to the public. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accusing Republicans of concealing a bill that hurts the middle class.
The lopsided report featured soundbites from five Democratic senators “taking turns tearing into the GOP.” Only a brief clip of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was included for rebuttal: “ObamaCare is collapsing around us and the American people are desperately searching for relief.”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, substitute co-host and World News Tonight anchor David Muir fretted: “Overnight, the Senate health care battle growing tense as Democrats went past midnight protesting the lack of open hearings over the bill Senate Republicans hope will replace ObamaCare....Democrats saying it’s been shrouded in secrecy.”
Moments later, fellow co-host Robin Roberts hailed: “Democrats launching a marathon protest last night.” Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce enthused: “Yeah, it was an all-nighter up here on the Senate as Democrats are railing against Republicans for writing their health care bill behind closed doors.” The reporter recited liberal talking points perfectly: “This is legislation that could dramatically roll back the expansion of Medicaid and change the way Americans get their coverage. But there have been no hearings and no open debate.”
After noting that “Republican leaders insist that they’ve been working on this for years, that there’s been plenty of debate in the past,” Bruce added: “But Democrats, they aren’t buying it. And they say they are going to use every single procedural tool they have available to them to try and delay this fight and force Republicans to bring their bill out into the open.”
The “secrecy” surrounding ObamaCare’s passage was completely ignored in the coverage.
Echoing her network colleagues, Gayle King told the audience of CBS This Morning: “Democrats took to the Senate floor last night to call out Republicans for crafting their health care bill behind closed doors.” Correspondent Nancy Cordes wrung her hands over “members of this 13-person working group that has been drafting the new law behind closed doors.” She reiterated: “Democrats, as you mentioned, took to the Senate floor all afternoon and evening to criticize the secretive process.”
Similar to the Today show report, five soundbites followed from five Democratic senators ripping Republicans. However, unlike Today, not even a single Republican was featured.
The CBS morning show was silent on Democratic hypocrisy.
Democrats shoved ObamaCare through Congress by the narrowest partisan margin after making numerous secret backroom deals to secure the votes. The liberal media not only avoided criticizing that process, but journalists openly cheerleaded for the legislation and dismissed Republican critics as obstructionist.
The word “obstructionist” wasn’t mentioned once during Tuesday morning’s network coverage of the Democrats throwing a tantrum on Capitol Hill.
Here are full transcripts of the June 20 reports on NBC, ABC, and CBS:
Today
7:10 AM ET
MATT LAUER: Also this morning, there’s new controversy over the Republicans’ push to overhaul health care. It’s one of the most important pieces of legislation of the Trump presidency. And with GOP lawmakers crafting it in secret, Democrats staged an overnight protest on Capitol Hill. NBC’s White House Correspondent Kristen Welker has that story. Kristen, good morning to you.
KRISTEN WELKER: Hi, Matt, good morning to you. Senate Republicans say they could have an outline of their health care proposal as early as Wednesday, aiming for a vote by the July 4th recess, but Republicans have been working behind closed doors, exactly what they accused Democrats of doing when they crafted ObamaCare. Now Democrats are ready to declare war.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Senate Showdown Over Health Care; Dems Hold Late-Night Protest Over GOP “Secrecy”]
SEN. ELIZABETH WARREN [D-MA]: You’re fighting back. We’re fighting back.
WELKER: Overnight, Democrats staging a dramatic talk-a-thon on the Senate floor, threatening to delay all business unless Republicans open up their health care talks to the public. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accusing Republicans of concealing a bill that hurts the middle class.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER [D-NY]: The Republicans are writing their health care bill under the cover of darkness because they’re ashamed of it.
WELKER: The Republican Majority Leader firing back.
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL [R-TN]: ObamaCare is collapsing around us and the American people are desperately searching for relief.
WELKER: Democrats taking turns tearing into the GOP.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: So I say to the Republican leadership, what are you afraid of? Bring that bill out!
SEN. BRIAN SCHATZ [D-HI]: There’s no mark-up. There are no committee hearings. It’s just 13 dudes.
SEN. KAMALA HARRIS [D-CA]: If this bill were as wonderful as its proponents would like us to believe, it would be out in the open.
WELKER: Republicans under fire after promising to repeal and replace ObamaCare for eight years. The biggest sticking point, Medicaid. Conservatives want to spend less, while moderates want more coverage for low-income families. Adding pressure, the President privately telling Senate Republicans the bill passed by the House is “mean” because of its limited coverage. After he praised the legislation in the Rose Garden.
DONALD TRUMP [MAY 4, 2017]: This is a real plan. This is a great plan.
WELKER: Still, the White House trying to keep the focus on health care and the rest of the President’s agenda, with the Russia probe looming large.
(...)
Good Morning America
7:07 AM ET TEASE
DAVID MUIR: We’re going to turn to other developments out of Washington this morning. Overnight, the Senate health care battle growing tense as Democrats went past midnight protesting the lack of open hearings over the bill Senate Republicans hope will replace ObamaCare. They want to pass it before July 4th. Democrats saying it’s been shrouded in secrecy.
7:10 AM ET SEGMENT
ROBIN ROBERTS: More now on the health care battle in the Senate. Democrats launching a marathon protest last night. Our Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce, well, she was up late on Capitol Hill, as many were. Good morning, Mary.
MARY BRUCE: Good morning, Robin. Yeah, it was an all-nighter up here on the Senate as Democrats are railing against Republicans for writing their health care bill behind closed doors. This is legislation that could dramatically roll back the expansion of Medicaid and change the way Americans get their coverage. But there have been no hearings and no open debate.
Now Republican leaders insist that they’ve been working on this for years, that there’s been plenty of debate in the past. But Democrats, they aren’t buying it. And they say they are going to use every single procedural tool they have available to them to try and delay this fight and force Republicans to bring their bill out into the open. Even though they don't have the political power to actually block Republicans.ROBERTS: And Senate Republicans say they want to get this done before they go home for the July 4th recess. How’s that looking?
BRUCE: Yeah, in order to get that done to meet that goal, well, they have just nine legislative days left to pull this off. Now Republicans insist they’re getting closer, they’re making progress, and that a vote next week is still possible. But Robin, this morning, we still have seen no legislation.
ROBERTS: Alright, Mary Bruce, up late and up early this morning for us. Thank you.
CBS This Morning
7:15 AM ET
GAYLE KING: Democrats took to the Senate floor last night to call out Republicans for crafting their health care bill behind closed doors. A CBS News poll just out this morning shows a large majority of Americans, 73 percent, say Senate Republicans should discuss their health care plan in public in the open. Fifty seven percent of Americans say ObamaCare needs some changes. Twenty eight percent want it repealed entirely. Nancy Cordes is on Capitol Hill with the latest. Good morning.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning. Senate Republicans are now signaling that they could release the text of this major piece of legislation by the end of the week and that could give the full Senate just a week to review it because Senate Republican leaders want to hold a vote before the July 4th recess. Now, that is an ambitious deadline for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell who is one of the members of this 13-person working group that has been drafting the new law behind closed doors. Democrats, as you mentioned, took to the Senate floor all afternoon and evening to criticize the secretive process.
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D): These 13 senators represent just ten states out of our 50.
SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY (D): We're talking about one sixth to one fifth of the American economy.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS: (D): What are you afraid of? Bring that bill out.
SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN (D): What's going on here?
SENATOR BRIAN SCHATZ (D)I won't vote for anything that's being jammed down America's throats.
CORDES: Now, this rush to move forward is a risky one because many Republican senators don't even know yet what is in the bill and there is a very narrow margin here, 50 of the 52 Republican senators need to be on board and vote yes to pass the bill. The challenge for Senate Republicans is that they need to try to come up with something that pushes fewer people off of the insurance rolls than the House GOP bill appears to do. And you'll recall, Charlie, that the President celebrated when that House bill passed, but then later called it mean.
CHARLIE ROSE: I do indeed. Nancy, thanks.
