CBS hasn’t had time for the wildly controversial comments from a Democratic senatorial candidate in Arizona, a woman who is tied in the polls and could well win. So what did CBS This Morning cover instead? A House member from Iowa who is embarrassing his own Republican Party instead.
This Morning co-host Gayle King began by stating the obvious: “I can tell you what Republicans don't want to be talking about and that's Congressman Steven King.” So, naturally that’s exactly what CBS wanted to discuss. Reporter Ed O’Keefe related the cringe-inducing actions from King: “Most recently, he met with members of a far-right Austrian political party and met with them during a Holocaust education trip and said something to the effect of if 'these guys were Americans, they'd be Republicans.'”
King lectured, “Let’s go back to what your mom said. Words matter.” Indeed they do. Republican Party leaders rebuked the congressman for his actions. But CBS has no consistency on whether words matter for Democrats. The network has NEVER mentioned Arizona Democrat Krysten Sinema’s outrageous comments about the Taliban.
The woman who is tied with Republican Martha McSally for the Senate race in Arizona said this while on a radio show in 2003:
RADIO HOST ERNEST HANCOCK: If I want to go fight in the Taliban army, I go over there and I’m fighting for the Taliban. I’m saying that’s a personal decision — individuals. Knock yourself out.
KRYSTEN SINEMA: Fine. I don’t care if you want to do that, go ahead.
McSally has called this remark “treason.” But you wouldn’t know that on CBS. Despite the CBS Evening News doing a full report on the race on October 9, 2018, it never came up. Other bizarre statements, such as Sinema referring to her state as the “meth lab of democracy,” also have been avoided.
So, do “words matter?” Or is that just for Republicans? For more on how the networks have covered the 2018 midterms, see this study by Rich Noyes.
A transcript of the segment is below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
10/31/18
8:05BIANNA GOLODRYGA: I can tell you what Republicans don't want to be talking about and that's Congressman Steven King.
ED O’KEEFE: Right.
GOLODRYGA: What is the controversy that is he in right now?
O’KEEFE: Look, this Iowa congressman has a history of saying incendiary things about immigrants, associating himself or sounding sympathetic to white nationalists. Most recently, he met with members of a far right Austrian political party and met with him during a Holocaust education trip and said if “these guys were Americans they'd be Republicans.” Well, that sparked a bit a concern from the top Republicans. The guy who is charge of getting Republicans elected across the country yesterday said those are exactly the kind of comments we don't need. King clarified his comments in a statement saying, look, “We're all human beings and this has just been whipped up by the fake news.” Bottom line, King probably holds on in a district, again, that favors Republicans. But is he facing probably the reelection of his life. He hasn't spent much money. His Democrat opponent has spent far more than has and in these closing days is facing scrutiny and questions about whether he's fit to be in office.
GAYLE KING: Yep. Let’s go back to what your mom said. Words matter. Thank you very much, Ed.
