In a stunning display of hypocrisy Wednesday, the liberal media performed a 180-degree turn in their opinion of former White House strategist Steve Bannon. Before the new year, they all treated Bannon as the scum of the Earth and claimed he used his news outlet as a propaganda tool to rally alt-right racists and neo-Nazis. So what made them change their minds so drastically? He dished the dirt on President Trump in a book that’s soon to be released, written by journalist Michael Wolff.
On Wednesday evening, all three of the major news networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) put off reporting the winter storm making its way through the south and up the east coast so they could glorify Bannon’s comments.
“Good evening. And it's great to have you with us here on a very busy Wednesday night. That major storm slamming into the east. The track now shifting, more snow, and we'll show you in just a moment here,” announced ABC’s sensationalist anchor David Muir on World News Tonight. “But first, the hurricane that blew through the West Wing today. Steve Bannon turning on this White House, turning on the President's family.”
Muir handed the report off to Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega who touted Hurricane Bannon for asserting that the controversial Trump Tower meeting was “treasonous.” “In an explosive new book, Bannon calls the sit-down ‘treasonous,’ ‘unpatriotic,’ and he says team Trump, quote, ‘should have called the FBI immediately,’” she hyped.
Despite reports that nothing was gained from the Trump Tower meeting and that the President didn’t learn about the meeting until much later, Vega excitedly parroted Bannon’s hyperbole:
But Bannon says there's no way that's true. Saying the chance that Donald Trump Jr. didn't walk the attendees right up to his father's office after the meeting ended was, quote, “zero.” And he warns, they're going to “crack Don Jr. like an egg on national TV.”
There was similar excitement over on NBC Nightly News, where anchor Lester Holt began the program by declaring:
There is no love lost between President Trump and his former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon tonight after Bannon was quoted in a forthcoming new tell-all book accusing the President's son of a treasonous act and suggesting the special counsel investigation may be on the right track.
During the NBC News segment, White House Correspondent Peter Alexander highlighted a clip of himself haranguing Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders by asking: “Did the President's son, Donald Trump Jr., commit treason?” “I think that's a ridiculous accusation,” she replied.
“Bannon gives credence to the special counsel's probe,” Alexander praised. “’This is all about money laundering.’ Noting Manafort's indictment arguing Robert Mueller is going after the President by zeroing in on some of those closest to him.”
NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos told Alexander that he thinks Bannon was trying to create a legal defense for himself, basically calling out the Trumps to keep himself clean. Although, a more likely scenario is, as Daily Wire founder and Andrew Breitbart protégé Ben Shapiro warned when Bannon was fired: All-out war with Trump.
“I said one year ago that Bannon understands that in the game of thrones, you win or die; he doesn’t intend to die. Now that he’s been beheaded by Trump, look for him to try to become the Night King, leaving destruction in his wake,” Shapiro warned.
The liberal media’s opinion of Bannon turned around at breakneck speed. It turns out that in their eyes, you can go from being a crazy neo-Nazi that publishes fake news to a folk hero as long as you smear those they think should be smeared.
Relevant portions of the transcripts below:
ABC
World News Tonight
January 3, 2018
6:31:37 PM EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening. And it's great to have you with us here on a very busy Wednesday night. That major storm slamming into the east. The track now shifting, more snow, and we'll show you in just a moment here. But first, the hurricane that blew through the West Wing today. Steve Bannon turning on this White House, turning on the President's family. President Trump's one-time chief strategist and close friend now calling that meeting at Trump Tower, with Don Jr., Jared Kushner and that Russian lawyer, quote, “treasonous.” Tonight, the President is now firing back. ABC's Senior White House Correspondent Cecilia Vega leading us off.
[Cuts to video]
CECILIA VEGA: Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon tonight out with bombshell accusations about that now infamous Trump Tower meeting. Donald Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and a Russian lawyer whom they were told had dirt on Hillary Clinton. In an explosive new book, Bannon calls the sit-down “treasonous,” “unpatriotic,” and he says team Trump, quote, “should have called the FBI immediately.” Don Jr. Has downplayed the meeting.
(…)
VEGA: The President insists he was not aware of the meeting during the campaign. But Bannon says there's no way that's true. Saying the chance that Donald Trump Jr. didn't walk the attendees right up to his father's office after the meeting ended was, quote, “zero.” And he warns, they're going to “crack Don Jr. like an egg on national TV.” Just months ago, the President lavished praise on his former chief strategist.
(…)
...
NBC Nightly News
January 3, 2018
7:01:19 PM EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, everyone and thank you for joining us. There is no love lost between President Trump and his former Chief Strategist Steve Bannon tonight after Bannon was quoted in a forthcoming new tell-all book accusing the President's son of a treasonous act and suggesting the special counsel investigation may be on the right track. The book, based on 200 interviews, has President Trump firing back saying Bannon, who was one of the early architects of the Trump presidency, has lost his mind. Our Peter Alexander, now with much more.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, explosive new claims from Steve Bannon insisting that controversial 2016 Trump Tower meeting between the President's son and a group of Russians was “treasonous” and “unpatriotic,” noting Trump Jr., Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, all in attendance, should have called the FBI immediately.
Did the President's son, Donald Trump Jr., commit treason?
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: I think that's a ridiculous accusation.
ALEXANDER: Bannon, who didn't join the campaign for another two months, asserts there's “zero” chance Trump Jr. didn't introduce his Russian guest to his father. “They're going to crack don junior like an egg on national TV,” Bannon warns. The White House has said the President first learned about the meeting a year later. Trump today fuming.
(…)
ALEXANDER: Bannon gives credence to the special counsel's probe. “This is all about money laundering.” noting Manafort's indictment arguing Robert Mueller is going after the President by zeroing in on some of those closest to him.
DANNY CEVALLOS: This may be strategic by Bannon to try and demonstrate that he had no part in conduct that he may perceive as risky by other members of the Trump team.
ALEXANDER: "Fire and fury" reportedly based on 200 interviews, many conducted inside the West Wing, also reignites questions about Mr. Trump's view of women reportedly calling and aide Hope Hicks “a piece of tail” in front of her. And using a vulgar expletive to describe Sally Yates, the acting attorney general, who he would go on to fire.
As for his ingurgitation day, “The soon-to-be president,” Michael Wolff writes. “Was angry feeling slighted by the Obamas. And celebrities who refused to perform for him.” Bearing the brunt, Melania Trump who, according to the book, seemed on the verge of tears. The first lady's office dismissing it all as fiction. Wolff claims first daughter Ivana and husband Jared Kushner have entertained their own political future agreeing she'd be the one to run for president.
The author airing dirty laundry about the President's unusual habits and demands at the White House, reprimanding the housekeeping staff for picking up his shirt, saying: “If my shirt's on the floor, it's because I want it on the floor.”
(…)
