Three weeks until the midterm elections and it’s Beto or bust in the Texas Senate race for the liberal media. During Wednesday’s edition of ABC’s World News Tonight, sensationalist anchor David Muir and Congressional correspondent Mary Bruce gushed about Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke and how he called Republican Senator Ted Cruz by President Trump’s 2016 nickname for him: ‘Lyin’ Ted’. The nickname was thrown around five times in just the one report.
If someone was trying to make a caricature or spoof of a biased report from the liberal media, this was the end result and they got an A+.
From the get-go, it was a joke. Muir’s lead-in demonstrated that it was going to be anything but a serious discussion of the issues despite the fact the candidates were just in a debate. “Democrat Beto O’Rourke fighting to unseat Senator Ted Cruz. The two facing off in a heated debate overnight. O’Rourke using a nickname for Cruz first used by President Trump,” he touted.
“Democrat Congressman Beto O’Rourke taking on Republican Senator Ted Cruz, with the words of President Trump,” Bruce boasted before played back-to-back soundbites of Trump and O’Rourke slapping Cruz with the nickname:
TRUMP: In the case of lyin' Ted Cruz, lyin Ted. Lies oh, he lies. You know Ted. He brings the Bible, holds it high, puts it down, lies.
O’ROURKE: Ted Cruz is for Ted Cruz. He's dishonest. It's why the President called him "Lyin' Ted," and it's why the nickname stuck, because it's true.
Bruce sprinted past the crucial fact that “Cruz is leading in the polls” and praised how “O’Rourke is hauling in the cash.” “A staggering $38 million in just three months. He's cultivated a nice guy image in these behind the scenes iPhone campaign videos,” she commended as if that was somehow better than actually being ahead. Her downplaying of O’Rourke’s poor poll numbers didn’t do him any favors considering RealClear Politics has him down seven points.
“O’Rourke skateboarding and air drumming through the drive-through,” she fawned. But while Bruce was touting O’Rourke in the drive-through, she hid his DWI from viewers. According to reports, not only was he driving extremely fast on the highway: “He lost control and hit a truck, sending his car careening across the center median into oncoming lanes. The witness, who stopped at the scene, later told police that O’Rourke had tried to drive away from the scene.”
With all their glee about the "Lyin’ Ted" nickname coming back, there was no mention of how O’Rourke received four Pinocchios from The Washington Post for lying about fleeing the scene during a previous debate.
And while O’Rourke was the “nice guy” according to Bruce, Cruz was dubbed the “conservative firebrand.” She almost scoffed at the idea that Cruz was “changing his tone” to now call “for Americans to come together.”
As Muir and Bruce wrapped up the segment, the duo went right back to boasting about Beto using Trump’s nickname. “The President first coining the phrase ‘Lyin’ Ted’ during the presidential campaign, but now it the Democratic candidate for Senate using that same terminology,” Muir reiterated as if it actually meant something important.
“Yeah, and President Trump says he was watching that debate last night and he says that O’Rourke isn't the same league as Ted Cruz,” Bruce scoffed clearly trying to portray it as a hot take. But since she chose not to focus on the issues (like a serious reporter), she abdicated her duty as a journalist to note that observers had Cruz as the winner of the debate.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC's World News Tonight
October 17, 2018
6:42 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Next tonight, the countdown to the midterm elections less than three weeks away now and the Texas race in the headlines tonight. Democrat Beto O’Rourke fighting to unseat Senator Ted Cruz. The two facing off in a heated debate overnight. O’Rourke using a nickname for Cruz first used by President Trump. Here's Mary Bruce.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: It's a feisty flashpoint in one of the most closely watched Senate races of the year.
FEMALE DEBATE MODERATOR: We welcome the two candidates running for the United States Senate in Texas.
BRUCE: Democrat Congressman Beto O’Rourke taking on Republican Senator Ted Cruz, with the words of President Trump.
DONALD TRUMP: In the case of lyin' Ted Cruz, lyin Ted. Lies oh, he lies. You know Ted. He brings the bible, holds it high, puts it down, lies.
BETO O’ROURKE: Ted Cruz is for Ted Cruz. He's dishonest. It's why the President called him "Lyin' Ted," and it's why the nickname stuck, because it's true.
BRUCE: Cruz is leading in the polls, but O’Rourke is hauling in the cash. A staggering $38 million in just three months. He's cultivated a nice guy image in these behind the scenes iPhone campaign videos. O’Rourke skateboarding and air drumming through the drive-through. And now, as he sharpens his attacks, Cruz is changing his tone, too. The conservative firebrand now calling for Americans to come together.
TED CRUZ: There is a loss of civility. There is an anger. There is a rage on the far-left that is really frightening. You know, the images [Male moderator tries to interrupt] hold on, let me answer. Don't interrupt me, Jason. The images of --
AUDIENCE: Whoa.
CRUZ: A left-wing mob beating on the doors of the Supreme Court. That's not good for our country. We can disagree while treating each other with respect, while treating each other with civility.
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: This senate race making major headlines across this country. Mary Bruce here in New York, tonight. Great to have you here in person. The President first coining the phrase “lyin’ Ted” during the presidential campaign, but now it the Democratic candidate for Senate using that same terminology.
BRUCE: Yeah, and President Trump says he was watching that debate last night and he says that O’Rourke isn't the same league as Ted Cruz. And now the President, who once so fiercely attacked Cruz, will be out campaigning for him on Monday.
MUIR: And no longer calling him lyin Ted. Mary, good to have you here in person.
