With the deadline for a budget to fully fund the federal government fast approaching (Friday), a major sticking point in the negotiations has been President Trump’s insistence of $5 billion for a border wall. But that may have changed Tuesday after the White House signaled it was open to compromise. Despite that glimmer, ABC and NBC both used their evening broadcasts to stoke fears of a looming government shutdown and downplayed the chance for a deal.
The only broadcast network to tout the compromise was CBS Evening News via anchor Jeff Glor. “There were signs of a breakthrough today to avoid a partial government shutdown this week,” he announced. “The White House did signal a compromise on President Trump's demands for $5 billion in border wall funding.”
“Tonight, the clock is ticking in the drama growing from the White House to the Capitol, with the country staring down the possibility of a government shutdown,” declared NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.
He suggested “families are caught in the middle. Families that could be left without paychecks before Christmas.” But that’s greatly misleading because it’s a statement designed to falsely insinuate they won’t get paid at all, when in reality we’ve seen federal workers get paid those missed wages after the shutdown ended.
According to NBC White House correspondent Kristen Welker, President Trump wasn’t seeking a compromise, he was actually “retreating from his initial demand for $5 billion for a border wall, a request Democrats rejected.” “Earlier today, Republicans offered a compromise proposal, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would amount to a slush fund for the President's immigration policies,” she added.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, sensationalist anchor David Muir and correspondent Terry Moran pretended they were exposing something new by constantly reminding viewers that Mexico was not paying for the wall.
After noting how “it was Donald Trump's most famous campaign promise”, Moran chided that “that's not happening, so, the President demanded $5 billion from Congress by Friday or he'll trigger a government shutdown.”
“That would mean 420,000 essential federal employees would have to work without getting paid, and 380,000 more federal employees furloughed without pay,” he continued, also misleading viewers. And as for Trump’s compromise signal: “Today, the President seemed to waiver.”
Moran then dismissed other Republican and White House proposals:
Today, Republicans proposed $1.6 billion in new spending for border security, but not for a wall, and another $1 billion the President could spend as he chose, but Democrats called that a slush fund and rejected it. Right now, the White House says it may be able to find unspent money in various agencies and use that for a wall, but that might not even be legal. Then, there's Trump's claim that his renegotiated NAFTA deal, the USMCA will do the trick and fulfill his promise.
“Compromise” versus “retreating.” That’s what liberal media spin looks like.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
December 18, 2018
6:38:45 p.m. Eastern [2 minutes 46 seconds]DAVID MUIR: Next here this evening, that question, will there be a government shutdown. The deadline, Friday at midnight, of course, right before the Christmas holiday. And today, the shifting numbers all day. What we've now learned. And this question -- what happened to Mexico paying for the wall? ABC's Terry Moran asking the White House today, and what they're saying now.
[Cuts to video]
TERRY MORAN: It was Donald Trump's most famous campaign promise. The border wall, and how to pay for it.
(…)
MORAN: That's not happening, so, the President demanded $5 billion from Congress by Friday or he'll trigger a government shutdown. That would mean 420,000 essential federal employees would have to work without getting paid, and 380,000 more federal employees furloughed without pay. Today, the President seemed to waiver.
(…)
MORAN: But on capitol hill, Republicans are already signaling this fight is over.
KASIE HUNT (NBC News): Are you convinced that we will not shutdown over Christmas?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL: Yeah, I am.
MORAN: Today, Republicans proposed $1.6 billion in new spending for border security, but not for a wall, and another $1 billion the President could spend as he chose, but Democrats called that a slush fund and rejected it. Right now, the White House says it may be able to find unspent money in various agencies and use that for a wall, but that might not even be legal. Then, there's Trump's claim that his renegotiated NAFTA deal, the USMCA will do the trick and fulfill his promise.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: Terry Moran with us live tonight from the White House. And Terry, Congress making it clear tonight they are still looking to President Trump to somehow end this standoff and prevent a government shutdown right before Christmas.
MORAN: That's right. The ball's in his court. Though, leaders are saying their members want to go home. If that means passing a stop-gap spending measure for a few weeks, so be it. One thing, this President does not have the votes for that wall.
CBS Evening News
December 18, 2018
6:38:14 p.m. Eastern [25 seconds]JEFF GLOR: There were signs of a breakthrough today to avoid a partial government shutdown this week. The White House did signal a compromise on President Trump's demands for $5 billion in border wall funding. Now, Democrats and Republicans in Congress are trying to agree on a government spending plan. If they don't reach a deal by the end of Friday, more than 800,000 federal employees could be forced to work without pay or face temporary layoffs just days before Christmas.
NBC Nightly News
December 18, 2018
7:06:05 p.m. Eastern [1 minute 48 seconds]LESTER HOLT: Tonight, the clock is ticking in the drama growing from the White House to the Capitol, with the country staring down the possibility of a government shutdown. It's a fight over funding for the border wall, and families are caught in the middle. Families that could be left without paychecks before Christmas. Let's get late details on this now from NBC's Kristen Welker.
[Cuts to video]
KRISTEN WELKER: Tonight, as the shutdown showdown deepens, President Trump not giving any public assurances.
(…)
WELKER: Even as the top Senate Republican tried to calm fears, telling Kasie hunt --
KASIE HUNT: Are you convinced we will not shut down over Christmas?
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL: Yeah, I am.
WELKER: While there's no deal yet, the President seems to be retreating from his initial demand for $5 billion for a border wall, a request Democrats rejected. Today, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders signaling the President's softening stance.
SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS: We have other ways that we can get to that $5 billion that we will work with Congress.
WELKER: Earlier today, Republicans offered a compromise proposal, but Democrats rejected it, saying it would amount to a slush fund for the President's immigration policies.
(…)
WELKER: As concerns intensified tonight for federal employees, with some 400,000 who would have to work without getting paid, right before the holidays.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It would affect my whole family. I'm the only one that works in my family.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Make a deal. Make a deal now. Don't wait.
[Cuts to video]
WELKER: And there seems to be a growing push tonight on Capitol Hill for a short-term deal that would fund the government for at least the next few weeks. But the White House won't say whether the President would support that.
