While the broadcast networks were thrilled in September at the prospect that President Trump might strike a deal with Democrats to pass DACA legislation, his call for border security to be part of any such proposal left the NBC, ABC, and CBS morning shows crying foul Monday morning as they channeled liberal outrage.
“The President also waging a new battle over immigration this morning, with the White House demanding a border security crackdown in exchange for protecting young undocumented immigrants, known as DREAMers, from deportation,” correspondent Kristen Welker declared on NBC’s Today. She warned viewers: “The most controversial request? Funding for a southern border wall, a key Trump campaign promise.”
Continuing to bemoan the supposed “crackdown” proposal, the White House reporter noted:
Also on the list of immigration proposals: cracking down on sanctuary cities, tougher action against unaccompanied minors, and beefed up border security. In a statement, Democratic leaders said the White House can’t be serious about compromise given the hardline policies they’re asking for.
At the top of 8 a.m. ET hour, fellow correspondent Peter Alexander quoted Democratic Party talking points word for word:
Overnight, leading Democrats rejecting the proposals as a failed attempt at compromise. In a joint statement, Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer saying the wall “was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations.” Adding, “If the President was serious about protecting the DREAMers, his staff has not made a good faith effort to do so.”
On ABC’s Good Morning America, fill-in co-host and World News Tonight anchor David Muir announced: “Overnight, the Trump administration revealing their list of demands they say need to be met to strike a deal on protecting the so-called DREAMers....Democratic leaders quickly responding this morning, saying the President can’t be serious.”
“He wants funding for a border wall, he wants a tougher legal immigration system in this country. The response, you said it, David, from Chuck and Nancy, as he calls them, this administration can’t be serious,” followed correspondent Mary Bruce minutes later.
At the top of CBS This Morning, co-host Charlie Rose proclaimed: “Top Democrats reject the President’s new demand for an immigration crackdown as part of a deal to extend DACA.” During his later report, correspondent Major Garrett lamented: “When President Trump ended DACA but signaled he was open to a legislative compromise, we reported at the time that soon the White House would follow up with very tough immigration proposals. Well, now they’re here.”
After characterizing the policy proposal as being “meant to reassure President Trump’s base that he hasn’t gone soft on the issue,” Garrett touted how “Democratic leaders said the proposals go ‘far beyond what is reasonable.’” Continuing to read from the Democrats’ partisan statement, he offered: “‘This proposal fails to represent any attempt at compromise,’ they wrote. Referring to earlier talks with the President, the Democratic leaders said wall funding ‘was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations.’”
All the hosts and correspondents seemed to forget that Democrats were the minority party and not actually the ones setting the agenda in Washington. Perhaps that memory loss explains the apparent shock they had at the Republican president actually making legislative demands.
The biased coverage across the three networks was brought to viewers by Kohl’s, Lincoln, and Tylenol.
Here are excerpts of the October 9 coverage on NBC, ABC, and CBS:
Today
7:04 AM ET(...)
KRISTEN WELKER: The President also waging a new battle over immigration this morning, with the White House demanding a border security crackdown in exchange for protecting young undocumented immigrants, known as DREAMers, from deportation. The Trump administration circulating a wish list in Congress. The most controversial request? Funding for a southern border wall, a key Trump campaign promise.
DONALD TRUMP: We will build a wall, believe me.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump’s Border Wall Showdown; Immigration Demands Could Derail “DREAMers” Deal]
WELKER: Also on the list of immigration proposals: cracking down on sanctuary cities, tougher action against unaccompanied minors, and beefed up border security. In a statement, Democratic leaders said the White House can’t be serious about compromise given the hardline policies they’re asking for.
(...)
8:03 AM ET
PETER ALEXANDER: Also this morning, a wish list from the White House on immigration reform. The Trump administration’s top priority, a renewed push for a southern border wall, in exchange for a deal to protect young immigrants, known as DREAMers, from deportation.
Overnight, leading Democrats rejecting the proposals as a failed attempt at compromise. In a joint statement, Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer saying the wall “was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations.” Adding, “If the President was serious about protecting the DREAMers, his staff has not made a good faith effort to do so.”
(...)
Good Morning America
7:04 AM ET(...)
DAVID MUIR: Overnight, the Trump administration revealing their list of demands they say need to be met to strike a deal on protecting the so-called DREAMers, young undocumented immigrants brought here as children. Democratic leaders quickly responding this morning, saying the President can’t be serious.
(...)
7:07 AM ET
MUIR: And in the meantime, Cecilia, as we watch this back and forth with Bob Corker, a fellow Republican, we’re following another major political headline this morning involving immigration and the DREAMers, the 800,000 undocumented immigrants that were children brought here by their parents. We remember that dinner, Cecilia, you reported on it. The President, Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leaders came out saying major progress on the DREAMers without tying it to the wall. That doesn’t appear to be the case anymore.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: White House Lays Out DACA Demands; Sent Immigration “Wish List” to Congress”]
CECILIA VEGA: Yeah, exactly, it sounds like President Trump is attaching conditions to this deal to allow DACA recipients to stay in this country. He wants funding for a border wall, he wants a tougher legal immigration system in this country. The response, you said it, David, from Chuck and Nancy, as he calls them, this administration can’t be serious.
(...)
CBS This Morning
7:00 AM ET TEASE
CHARLIE ROSE: And top Democrats reject the President’s new demand for an immigration crackdown as part of a deal to extend DACA.
(...)
7:03 AM ET
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: The President challenged Democrats to support his immigration goals in order to so-call keep the DACA protection for young undocumented immigrants. Major Garrett is at the White House with more. Major, good morning.
MAJOR GARRETT: Good morning. When President Trump ended DACA but signaled he was open to a legislative compromise, we reported at the time that soon the White House would follow up with very tough immigration proposals. Well, now they’re here. And the timing reflects as grim political reality here at the White House, where aides are significantly worried tax reform will falter, leaving the President with no significant accomplishments in his first year. And at the end of that first year, negotiating with Democrats to legalize an Obama-era executive action many Trump supporters regard as amnesty.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Border Crackdown; President Lays Out New Hardline Approach on Immigration]
The White House sent Congress an immigration wish list meant to reassure President Trump’s base that he hasn’t gone soft on the issue that helped propel him to the presidency. The administration told Congress any DACA deal must fund the border wall, crackdown on sanctuary cities, impose new skills-based legal immigration criteria, and speed up deportation procedures.
Democratic leaders said the proposals go “far beyond what is reasonable.” “This proposal fails to represent any attempt at compromise,” they wrote. Referring to earlier talks with the President, the Democratic leaders said wall funding “was explicitly ruled out of the negotiations.”
(...)
