On Monday, all three network morning shows seized on the radical push to defund and even dismantle police departments across the country. The extremism of the effort was downplayed, if mentioned at all. Instead, the Minneapolis mayor objecting to his city council voting to dismantle the entire local police force was treated as the real controversy.
NBC’s Today show at least acknowledged that the concept of defunding the police was “controversial,” as co-host Savannah Guthrie proclaimed at the top of the show: “Defund the Police? The controversial idea gaining momentum across the country, the city council in Minneapolis voting to dismantle its entire department.”
In the report that followed minutes later, correspondent Gabe Gutierrez declared: “The future of the Minneapolis Police Department now uncertain. One day after the mayor was booed for not committing to abolishing the police, a veto-proof majority of the city council pledged to disband the department.” The reporter touted: “Whether it’s dismantling departments or reinvesting in other types of programs, growing demands to defund the police are now being heard across the country.”
One brief clip was played of former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton challenging the notion: “Defunding is a nice catch phrase. But in reality, you’re defunding police organizations that, for the most part, are already significantly underfunded.”
Following the taped report, Guthrie wondered: “Gabe, back to this notion about disbanding the police, and that’s the vote of the Minneapolis City Council, what would that actually look like? What would the next steps be?” Gutierrez acknowledged the amount of uncertainty:
Well, Savannah, that is a major question right now and the city council members say they want input from the public. And it could take up to a year to figure out exactly how much – how this will work. The mayor here says that he wants to reform the department, not abolish it. But one of the ideas being tossed around is perhaps hire more counselors to deal with mental health calls, instead of relying solely on police.
“And demonstrators take to the streets in Minneapolis, fiercely calling to defund the police. Confronting the mayor after he refused to support,” co-host Robin Roberts announced at the top of ABC’s Good Morning America. Minutes later, fellow co-host George Stephanopoulos interviewed Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey and repeatedly hit him from the left on the issue, urging him to back the idea.
Prior to that exchange, correspondent Marcus Moore also promoted the proposal: “In many places, protesters calling to defund the police, some asking that a portion of police budgets be given to the communities to fund hospitals, housing, and schools. Sunday, the Minneapolis City Council announcing their plans to end the police department, saying that, ‘Decades of police reform efforts have proved that the department cannot be reformed.’”
A soundbite was feature of left-wing Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender ranting: “Our commitment is to end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department, to end policing as we know it, and to re-create systems of public safety that actually keep us safe!”
Another clip played of one protester berating the mayor and demanding the end of the police: “We don’t want no more police. Is that clear? We don’t want people with guns toting around in our communities, shooting us down. It is a yes or a no! Will you defund the Minneapolis Police Department?!” The footage went on to show Frey being shouted down after he reasonably replied: “I do not support the full abolition of the police department.”
Leading off CBS This Morning, co-host Gayle King told viewers: “‘Defunding the Police.’ Minneapolis Council members say they’ll dismantle the city’s police department. The city’s mayor refuses and gets booed out of a protest.” Moments later, she hailed the “historic pledge in Minneapolis, where a majority of city council members promised to dismantle the city’s police department and replace it with a new system of public safety.”
Correspondent Jeff Pegues then highlighted the radical nationwide movement: “There are calls to rethink policing in cities around the country following a similar move by the mayor of Los Angeles, New York City Bill de Blasio vowed to cut funding to the police department and divert it to social services and youth initiatives....But the pledge going the furthest so far is in Minneapolis.”
Though he did note that the proposal in Minneapolis was not well thought out: “Before the city council can defund the department, they need to have a plan for a new system in place, something they admittedly don’t have yet.”
Like his NBC and ABC colleagues, Pegues hyped the mayor being under fire: “When asked if he would consider defunding the department, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ruled it out. On Saturday, protesters booed him. Frey says he considers police reforms to be a better option.”
Later in the 8:00 a.m. ET hour, co-host Tony Dokoupil conducted a softball interview with Democratic Congresswoman and potential vice presidential candidate Val Demings, nudging her to support the anti-police push.
Here is a transcript of the June 8 report on NBC’s Today:
7:00 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Defund the Police? The controversial idea gaining momentum across the country, the city council in Minneapolis voting to dismantle its entire department. Nationwide, demonstrations growing stronger over the weekend.
(...)
7:03 AM ET
GABE GUTIERREZ: The future of the Minneapolis Police Department now uncertain. One day after the mayor was booed for not committing to abolishing the police, a veto-proof majority of the city council pledged to disband the department.
JEREMIAH ELLISON [MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL MEMBER]: We’re not taking about hitting the eject on the police tomorrow. We’re talking about engaging a plan to create a public safety system that works for everyone.
CROWD CHANTING [PROTESTERS]: Hey, hey, ho, ho, these racist cops have got to go!
GUTIERREZ: Whether it’s dismantling departments or reinvesting in other types of programs, growing demands to defund the police are now being heard across the country. In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio is moving some funds from police to youth and social services.
BILL DE BLASIO [D-NY]: We are committed to shifting resources to ensure that the focus is on our young people.
GUTIERREZ: In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti is pledging to cut as much as $150 million from the police budget.
Critics of defunding say less money won’t solve the problem.
BILL BRATTON [FMR. NYPD COMMISSIONER]: Defunding is a nice catch phrase. But in reality, you’re defunding police organizations that, for the most part, are already significantly underfunded.
(...)
7:06 AM ET
GUTHRIE: Gabe, back to this notion about disbanding the police, and that’s the vote of the Minneapolis City Council, what would that actually look like? What would the next steps be?
GUTIERREZ: Well, Savannah, that is a major question right now and the city council members say they want input from the public. And it could take up to a year to figure out exactly how much – how this will work. The mayor here says that he wants to reform the department, not abolish it. But one of the ideas being tossed around is perhaps hire more counselors to deal with mental health calls, instead of relying solely on police.
(...)
Here is a transcript of ABC’s GMA:
7:00 AM ET
ROBIN ROBERTS: And demonstrators take to the streets in Minneapolis, fiercely calling to defund the police. Confronting the mayor after he refused to support. Overnight, the stunning headline, the city council votes to begin the process of what they call ending their entire police department.
(...)
7:06 AM ET
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Defund MPD!
MARCUS MOORE: In many places, protesters calling to defund the police, some asking that a portion of police budgets be given to the communities to fund hospitals, housing, and schools. Sunday, the Minneapolis City Council announcing their plans to end the police department, saying that, “Decades of police reform efforts have proved that the department cannot be reformed.”
LISA BENDER [MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT]: Our commitment is to end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis Police Department, to end policing as we know it, and to re-create systems of public safety that actually keep us safe!
MOORE: But on Saturday, the city’s mayor was asked about defunding the police department during a visit to support protesters at the site where George Floyd died.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN C [PROTESTER]: We don’t want no more police. Is that clear? We don’t want people with guns toting around in our communities, shooting us down. It is a yes or a no! Will you defund the Minneapolis Police Department?!
MAYOR JACOB FREY: I do not support the full abolition of the police department.
MOORE: His response leading to boos from the crowd.
CROWD CHANTING [PROTESTERS]: Go home, Jacob, go home!
MOORE: Leaders in New York and Los Angeles are among those calling to shift funding away from police departments.
(...)
Here is a transcript of the report on CBS This Morning:
7:00 AM ET
GAYLE KING: “Defunding the Police.” Minneapolis Council members say they’ll dismantle the city’s police department. The city’s mayor refuses and gets booed out of a protest.
(...)
7:04 AM ET
KING: We begin today, though, with an historic pledge in Minneapolis, where a majority of city council members promised to dismantle the city’s police department and replace it with a new system of public safety. Now, this follows a weekend of massive but peaceful rallies demanding real change on the issue of racism and policing. Anthony?
ANTHONY MASON: The Minneapolis plan still faces hurdles. including opposition from the city’s mayor, Jacob Frey, whose appearance at a rally Saturday did not go well.
CROWD CHANTING [PROTESTERS]: Go home, Jacob! Go home! Go home, Jacob! Go home!
JEFF PEGUES: Those are chants of “Jacob, go home!” The mayor favors major police reform in the city but does not support dismantling the department. Jeff Pegues has the story from Minneapolis.
LISA BENDER [MINNEAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT]: We are here because in Minneapolis and in cities across the United States, it is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe.
PEGUES: That’s Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender. She is leading the charge to defund or eliminate and replace the city’s police department after George Floyd was killed.
BENDER: Our commitment is to end our city’s toxic relationship with the Minneapolis police department.
PEGUES: There are calls to rethink policing in cities around the country following a similar move by the mayor of Los Angeles, New York City Bill de Blasio vowed to cut funding to the police department and divert it to social services and youth initiatives.
BILL DE BLASIO: We will only do it in a way that we are certain continues to ensure that this city will be safe.
PEGUES: But the pledge going the furthest so far is in Minneapolis. Before the city council can defund the department, they need to have a plan for a new system in place, something they admittedly don’t have yet. The mayor could then veto that vote and the city council can override that decision with a two-thirds majority. When asked if he would consider defunding the department, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey ruled it out. On Saturday, protesters booed him. Frey says he considers police reforms to be a better option.
JACOB FREY: If you’re asking whether I’m for massive structural reform to revise a structurally racist system the answer is yes.
PEGUES: So if the city council does pass that law, the state could intervene to try to stop it. But it’s unclear if it’ll even get to that point.
(...)
