In stark contrast to her interview with Democratic impeachment managers last week, where she teed them up and gave them free rein to make their case and throw out new accusation without evidence, CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell got combative with a group of House Republicans (North Carolina's Mark Meadows, New York's Elise Stefanik, Georgia's Doug Collins, and Arizona's Debbie Lesko). And in return, they schooled her on the lack of evidence for impeachment and the new, dubious book by former National Security Advisor John Bolton.
As the first question in the video below shows, one of the questions O’Donnell asked the group stood out, not so much for what was asked but how it was seemingly edited. Judging from the fact that O’Donnell’s voice became desynced from the video, the audio quality changed, and her lips didn’t match the words, it’s safe to suggest most of the question was added in post-production.
Whatever the reason for the edit, the televised question was: “He says it was well-known within the White House that the aid was tied to the announcement of investigations, political investigations.”
Stefanik stepped up and called out the Democrats’ star witness. “Gordon Sondland, as you saw in the President's team's testimony, they said he presumed and assumed. There was no direct conversation,” she said, noting that if Bolton was so important, why didn’t Adam Schiff (D-CA) subpoena him?
That was when O’Donnell began to talk over the Congresswoman. “Ambassador Bolton also makes the charge that the President was at odds with his entire national security team,” she declared, “And according to Bolton kept up bringing up conspiracy theories about Ukraine.”
That sparked a back and forth with Meadows where O’Donnell repeatedly elevated her voice to speak over him. Meadows pointed out that no one in the media had read Bolton’s manuscript and it didn’t match up with what people who did read it were saying (click “expand”):
MEADOWS: Well, you know, you keep talking about what Bolton brings up. To my knowledge no one’s actually read the manuscript. So, I want to clear.
O’DONNELL (Talking over Meadows): The White House team has. The White House counsel’s team has a copy.
MEADOWS: And they’ve actually communicated what was in that manuscript to you? Because--
O’DONNELL (Talking over Meadows): They have confirmed that they read…
MEADOWS: -- I've talked to them last night at midnight and again early this morning, and specifically when we look at that and what is in the manuscripts and what is not, it is not relevant when it comes to this.
“You don't question the timing of this so-called release,” Rep. Lesko asked O’Donnell. No apparent answer was given. “This is very questionable to me. This is just like the Kavanaugh thing. It's like the Democrats drip out all this stuff to try to cause some controversy and influencing. This thing has been political from the start.”
O’Donnell asked the obvious question about someone trying to influence the direction of the trial, to which Lesko educated her. “Well, whoever leaked it out certainly is trying to influence the trial and influence the public,” she said before the soundbite was abruptly cut off.
Taking things in a sinister direction, O’Donnell asked them if they thought “Republican senators face political repercussions if they break with the President?” Obviously, they would face blowback from their constituents back at home, which Meadows hit on.
“The question needs to be flipped. Where’s a courageous Democrat who will actually look at the facts and vote in favor of not impeaching this President,” Collins added.
The CBS anchor continued to push the idea of consequences for senators who voted for more witnesses. Stefanik responded by citing one of the liberal media’s favorite polls showing more than 50 percent of Americans wanted more witnesses. “That doesn't just mean John Bolton. That means the whistleblower and that means Hunter Biden. And it really opens up challenges for the Democrats,” she said.
The segment ended there with O’Donnell thoroughly schooled.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CBS Evening News
January 27, 2020
6:39:20 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: In the wake of the Bolton bombshell, Republican leaders are urging their rank and file to pause, take a breath. But in an exclusive CBS News interview, the President's staunchest defenders in the House warned there could be a political price to pay for senators who vote against the President.
[Cuts to video]
The President's former national security adviser, John Bolton writes in a book that the aid to Ukraine was tied to the investigation into the Bidens. Does that contradict the President's defense?
REP. MARK MEADOWS (R-NC): I don't see it as a contradiction, but right now we're commenting on what we believed was leaked to The New York Times, and we've seen this play before.
O’DONNELL (question appears to be dubbed in halfway through): He says it was well-known within the White House that the aid was tied to the announcement of investigations, political investigations.
REP. ELISE STEFANIK (R-NY): I've read every word of the deposition. The Democrats' star witness, which is Gordon Sondland, as you saw in the President's team's testimony, they said he presumed and assumed. There was no direct conversation, and Adam Schiff chose not to subpoena and continue that process with John Bolton, and they rushed this case.
O’DONNELL (Talking over Stefanik): Ambassador Bolton also makes the charge that the President was at odds with his entire national security team, the secretary of defense, the national security adviser were all urging the President in late August to release the aid and that the President refused, and according to Bolton kept up bringing up conspiracy theories about Ukraine.
MEADOWS: Well, you know, you keep talking about what Bolton brings up. To my knowledge no one’s actually read the manuscript. So, I want to clear.
O’DONNELL (Talking over Meadows): The White House team has. The White House counsel’s team has a copy.
MEADOWS: And they’ve actually communicated what was in that manuscript to you? Because--
O’DONNELL (Talking over Meadows): They have confirmed that they read…
MEADOWS: -- I've talked to them last night at midnight and again early this morning, and specifically when we look at that and what is in the manuscripts and what is not, it is not relevant when it comes to this.
O’DONNELL: Wouldn't what he has to say be of interest to members of Congress?
REP. DOUG COLLINS (R-GA): Whether Mr. Bolton is writing a book or not, frankly, that's what everybody does in this town. But we go back to is this is about the facts. We know nothing happened from the Ukrainian's point of view. And then they got the aid.
MEADOWS: And I think, at the end of the day, this will be an important issue to address outside the confines of an impeachment trial.
REP. DEBBIE LESKO (R-AZ): You don't question the timing of this so-called release? We haven't even seen the book. This is very questionable to me. This is just like the Kavanaugh thing. It's like the Democrats drip out all this stuff to try to cause some controversy and influencing. This thing has been political from the start.
O’DONNELL: Do you think that this could influence the trial? There might be some Republican senators who then say, we should hear from Bolton?
LESKO: Well, whoever leaked it out certainly is trying to influence the trial and influence the public. [Cuts off short]
O’DONNELL: Do you think Republican senators face political repercussions if they break with the President?
MEADOWS: Yeah, I do. I mean, listen, I don't want to speak for my Senate colleagues, but there are always political repercussions for every vote you take. There is no vote that is higher profile than this.
COLLINS: The question needs to be flipped. Where’s a courageous Democrat who will actually look at the facts and vote in favor of not impeaching this President.
O’DONNELL: I’ve personally spoken with Republican senators who are on the fence and may vote to call witnesses, which would prolong this trial.
[Crosstalk]
O’DONNELL: I'm wondering about those senators who may vote to call witnesses and join the Democrats. Would they face political consequences?
STEFANIK: I think this witness question is a very important one. Often times we're asked, over 50 percent of the American people want us to call witnesses. That doesn't just mean John Bolton. That means the whistleblower and that means Hunter Biden. And it really opens up challenges for the Democrats.
