With the dark cloud over his administration finally lifting, President Trump shifted focus to fixing America’s health care system Tuesday. But since it involved getting rid of the disastrous ObamaCare law, the liberal media were preparing themselves for battle. Perhaps it was because they lost big on their collusion conspiracy bet but ABC’s and NBC’s attacks against Trump seemed extra vicious during their evening broadcasts.
Anchor Lester Holt delivered one of the hottest takes while leading into the story on NBC Nightly News. “Tonight there is an escalating fight underway over the future of ObamaCare. A new move from the Trump administration aims to strike down the entire law, an outcome that could leave millions suddenly uninsured,” he claimed, as if the President didn’t want them to have health care.
NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander described Trump’s goal as “a promise without a prescription” and painted Trump’s Department of Justice as “escalating its attack on ObamaCare, telling a federal appeals court that the entire affordable care act is unconstitutional and should be scrapped.” He glossed over the fact that a recent court ruling found ObamaCare unconstitutional.
Alexander worried about what it meant for people, warning, “if the court agrees” with the Trump administration, “more than 28 million Americans could lose their health insurance, gained through Medicaid expansion and the ObamaCare exchanges.”
He also hyped Democrats as supposedly holding the high ground in this debate:
ALEXANDER: The new showdown looming over an issue Democrats say helped propel them to take back the House.
NANCY PELOSI: The GOP will never stop trying to destroy the affordable health care of America's families.
Meanwhile on ABC’s World News Tonight, congressional correspondent Mary Bruce cautioned that the focus shift “threatened” “the President’s victory lap.” She followed that up by elevating this quote from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY): “The conversation has now shifted, already in a day, to health care and the Republicans know they're in trouble.”
“And if the courts agree, insurance for millions of Americans could be in jeopardy,” she panicked, as if that was the President’s only goal. “13 million people got coverage under Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. More than 2 million young adults joined their parents' plans. And the 52 million people with pre-existing conditions were protected. A provision the President promised not to touch.”
Bruce never mentioned that lower court ruling Alexander brushed over.
Of course, both failed to mention that under ObamaCare premiums skyrocketed around the country leaving many unable to afford it. Arizona experienced premium hikes in excess of 100 percent. The liberal media was obsessed with coverage and didn’t appear concerned with actual access.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
March 26, 2019
6:38:24 p.m. Eastern(…)
MARY BRUCE: But the President's victory lap tonight threatened, as his own administration picks a new fight over Obamacare.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER: The conversation has now shifted, already in a day, to health care and the Republicans know they're in trouble.
[On screen chyron: War over ObamaCare: Trump Administration Aims to Overturn ACA]
BRUCE: In a dramatic reversal, the administration now telling a federal appeals court they want the entire law struck down. And if the courts agree, insurance for millions of Americans could be in jeopardy. 13 million people got coverage under Obamacare's Medicaid expansion. More than 2 million young adults joined their parents' plans. And the 52 million people with pre-existing conditions were protected. A provision the President promised not to touch.
DONALD TRUMP: And I will always fight for and always protect patients with pre-existing conditions.
BRUCE: What is your message to the Americans who may be concerned about their health care?
TRUMP: The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care, you watch.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
March 26, 2019
7:10:19 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Tonight there is an escalating fight underway over the future of ObamaCare. A new move from the Trump administration aims to strike down the entire law, an outcome that could leave millions suddenly uninsured. Here is Peter Alexander.
[Cuts back to live]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight from President Trump, a promise without a prescription.
DONALD TRUMP: The Republican Party will soon be known as the party of health care. You watch.
ALEXANDER: That vow following a surprising move by his Justice Department overnight, escalating its attack on ObamaCare, telling a federal appeals court that the entire affordable care act is unconstitutional and should be scrapped. Agreeing with a lower court ruling.
Until now, the federal government was arguing only parts of the law, including its protections for people with preexisting conditions, should be struck down. If the court agrees, more than 28 million Americans could lose their health insurance, gained through Medicaid expansion and the ObamaCare exchanges. The new showdown looming over an issue Democrats say helped propel them to take back the House.
NANCY PELOSI: The GOP will never stop trying to destroy the affordable health care of America's families.
[Cuts back to live]
ALEXANDER: ObamaCare faces an uncertain future with no way to predict how the courts will rule, but experts say it will likely be at least a year before the legal fight is resolved. Lester?
HOLT: Peter Alexander at the White House, thank you.
