The Tuesday evening before the highly anticipated congressional testimony of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the liberal broadcast networks tried to reassure their viewers that the Democrats were going in prepared. Hyping how Democrats were “huddling” in “one last prep session,” the networks noted the Wednesday hearing “might be their last chance to convince the American public on impeachment.”
After beginning her CBS Evening News report by highlighting “House Democrats head[ing] into one last prep session,” congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes spoke with Democrat Jim Himes (CT) and bragged about the “mock hearings” he was a part of.
Cordes even talked with him about the Democratic game plan for the dual hearings:
HIMES: He owes the American people some answers on some really important questions, like why he chose not to interview the President.
CORDES: Connecticut Democrat Jim Himes has been practicing at mock hearings.
HIMES: He's a one-word guy. I mean we're going to get "yes’s” and “no's" and very, very short answers. And so, how do you draw a guy like that out?
“The Department of Justice hopes they don't,” Cordes added, reporting on the DOJ requirement that Mueller sticks to the “boundaries” of the public version of the report.
NBC Nightly News's coverage was arguably the most ridiculous. While White House correspondent Kristen Welker knocked President Trump’s criticism “dismissing the hearing as an excuse by Democrats to push for impeachment,” she admitted at the top of her report that Democrats were “huddling” before their “make or break moment for their case against the President.”
If the hearing wasn’t just another attempt for Democrats to push their impeachment dream, as Welker suggested, then what was “make or break” about it?
Further discrediting Welker’s assertion, NBC Capitol Hill correspondent Kasie Hunt openly reported that “Democrats know this might be their last chance to convince the American public on impeachment. So, they tell us they plan to keep their questions sharp and targeted.”
Meanwhile on ABC’s World News Tonight, chief White House correspondent Jon Karl touted that “the Special Counsel's in-person testimony is what Democrats have been waiting for.”
Karl ended the taped portion of his report by reviewing some of the questions Democrats were likely to ask:
Democrats hope Mueller will reveal whether he would have charged the President with a crime if it weren't for the Justice Department rule against prosecuting a sitting president. Attorney General Bill Barr ultimately took it upon himself to clear the President. Democrats will likely ask Mueller if he wanted Barr to do that, or whether he intended for Congress to make that call.
In wrapping up the segment, Karl noted that “Democrats see this as a big and important moment” so “Democrats were practicing for the hearing earlier today.”
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
July 23, 2019
6:37:34 p.m. Eastern(…)
JON KARL: But the Special Counsel's in-person testimony is what Democrats have been waiting for. They assume most Americans have not read his report.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D): For many Americans, just learning what's in the report will be a revelation.
KARL: Today, even the FBI Director acknowledged he hasn't read the whole thing.
(…)
6:38:25 p.m. Eastern
KARL: Democrats hope Mueller will reveal whether he would have charged the President with a crime if it weren't for the Justice Department rule against prosecuting a sitting president. Attorney General Bill Barr ultimately took it upon himself to clear the President. Democrats will likely ask Mueller if he wanted Barr to do that, or whether he intended for Congress to make that call.
[Cuts back to live]
DAVID MUIR: So, let's go across town now to Jonathan Karl at the White House, and Jon, obviously what folks at home want to know tonight, are they really going to learn anything new tomorrow from Robert Mueller what’s this going to look like?
KARL: Mueller is going to be testifying, David, before two different committees. Democrats see this as a big and important moment, and it will be fascinating to see him answer questions for the first time from Congress about his report. Democrats were practicing for the hearing earlier today. But David, Mueller has made it very clear that he does not intend to say anything beyond what he wrote in that report.
CBS Evening News
July 23, 2019
6:32:31 p.m. Eastern(…)
REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D): It's an important day for the American people.
NANCY CORDES: Tonight, House Democrats headed into one last prep session. Tomorrow may be their only chance to grill the former Special Counsel about his 450-page report, which “did not identify evidence of a conspiracy” between the Trump campaign and Russia, but did lay out 10 acts of potential obstruction of justice by President Trump.
REP. JIM HIMES (D): He owes the American people some answers on some really important questions, like why he chose not to interview the President.
CORDES: Connecticut Democrat Jim Himes has been practicing at mock hearings.
HIMES: He's a one-word guy. I mean we're going to get "yes’s” and “no's" and very, very short answers. And so, how do you draw a guy like that out?
CORDES: The Department of Justice hopes they don't, reminding Mueller in a letter last night to stick to the boundaries of his public report, something he had already promised to do.
ROBERT MUELLER: And the report is my testimony.
CORDES: Are Republicans going to look to question Robert Mueller's credibility?
REP. DOUG COLLINS (R): Robert Mueller has to answer for his own report.
CORDES: Georgia's Doug Collins is the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. His side has been prepping, too.
COLLINS: We said focus, be very specific about the report.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
July 23, 2019
7:04:39 p.m. Eastern(…)
KRISTEN WELKER: Tonight, House Democrats huddling in a last-minute practice session, preparing to question Robert Mueller in a make or break moment for their case against the President.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D): I think it's very important that these facts come to light. Our committee is most concerned about the compromise of national security.
WELKER: NBC's Kasie Hunt is on Capitol Hill.
KASIE HUNT: When Robert Mueller sits down here tomorrow, it's going to be the 89th time he's testified before Congress over a long career in public life. Democrats know this might be their last chance to convince the American public on impeachment. So, they tell us they plan to keep their questions sharp and targeted.
(…)
7:05:47 p.m. Eastern
WELKER: President Trump today dismissing the hearing as an excuse by Democrats to push for impeachment.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We have the best economy in history, the best employment numbers in history. [Transition] Gee! Let's impeach the president. I mean, you figure it. These people have gone totally crazy.
(…)
