After President Trump visited the riot-torn city of Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, the liberal media were outraged because state and local leaders (who they failed to label as Democrats) had asked him not to come. And before Trump’s arrival, the networks treated him like a hurricane, saying the residents were “bracing” for landfall. That was in stark contrast to how they praised the Thursday visit from their presidential nominee, Joe Biden, despite the fact the Democratic governor asked him not to come also.
The opposition to Trump’s visit was almost consistently the first thing the evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC brought up in their Tuesday reports.
“Despite local officials telling him to postpone his trip, President Trump in Kenosha, Wisconsin, today, touring a building destroyed in protests after the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Met by supporters and protesters, he pushed his law and order message,” whined correspondent Alex Perez on ABC’s World News Tonight.
On the CBS Evening News, White House correspondent Paula Reid barely finished exchanging pleasantries with anchor Norah O’Donnell before whining about the visit. “Good evening, Norah. President Trump visited here today, over objections from local leaders, in an effort to draw attention to destruction from recent protests,” she announced, completely missing the point that protests don’t destroy stuff; riots do.
Things were even more ridiculous on NBC Nightly News as White House correspondent Geoff Bennett said Trump ignored “pleas from local officials that he stay away” so he could push his “hardline law and order campaign message.”
That’s right! According to NBC, it is a “hardline” position to be against the wanton destruction of people’s homes and livelihoods.
But come Thursday, their attitudes toward presidential nominees visiting Kenosha did a 180-degree flip when Biden finally left his basement.
To their credit, CBS was the only broadcast network to note that there were objections to Biden’s visit from Wisconsin officials. “Well, just as he did with President Trump earlier this week, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says that he asked Joe Biden not to come to Kenosha today, saying that now is the time for this community to focus on healing, not be distracted by politics,” reported correspondent Mola Lenghi.
Yet, that fact didn’t stop him from touting how much better the former Vice President’s trip supposedly was:
Good evening, Norah. Joe Biden found a much different atmosphere here in Kenosha than the president found just two days ago. As you mentioned, their visits were a contrast in mood and in message. It was a quieter trip for the former Vice President, without the same anxiety or excitement that met the President here two days ago.
While they denounced Trump's law and order campaign message, O'Donnell cheered Biden's divisive agenda. "Biden accusing the President of legitimizing hatred and racism. Biden's visit comes in stark contrast to the President's trip to Kenosha just two days ago, where Mr. Trump highlighted his campaign theme of law and order," she touted.
“Joe Biden in the battleground state of Wisconsin, meeting privately with the family of Jacob Blake,” celebrated ABC fill-in anchor Tom Llamas. “Then at a community meeting, pledging support and denouncing violence, but saying President Trump is only making it worse.”
As for NBC’s part, White House correspondent Peter Alexander echoed campaign spin and painted Biden as the great uniter. “Joe and Jill Biden arriving in Kenosha to do what they say President Trump could not do, help that scarred city heal,” he proclaimed.
This blatant double standard was obviously done in front of the backdrop of the 2020 election, and they’re desperately trying to aid their candidate as much as possible.
This help to the Biden campaign was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Verizon on ABC, Prevagen on CBS, and Ancestry on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about what they’re funding. CBS Evening News has also asked that people “text Norah” at this number: (202) 217-1107.
The transcripts are below, click “expand” to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
September 3, 2020
6:38:47 p.m. EasternTOM LLAMAS: Now to the race for 2020. Joe Biden in the battleground state of Wisconsin, meeting privately with the family of Jacob Blake. Speaking on the phone with Jacob in his hospital bed. Then at a community meeting, pledging support and denouncing violence, but saying President Trump is only making it worse. Now, the President is threatening to withhold federal funding from Democratic-run cities. Here's ABC's Mary Bruce.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: Joe Biden today touching down in Kenosha and meeting with the family of Jacob Blake. Something President Trump did not do when he visited earlier this week. Biden speaking with Blake himself from his hospital bed, where he is now paralyzed after being shot seven times in the back by a white officer.
(…)
CBS Evening News
September 3, 2020
6:32:10 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Good evening and thank you for joining us. It is 61 days before Election Day, and tonight, Joe Biden is going on the offensive against President Trump. Today, Biden traveled to Kenosha, the Wisconsin city reeling from unrest after the shooting of Jacob Blake. Biden accusing the President of legitimizing hatred and racism. Biden's visit comes in stark contrast to the President's trip to Kenosha just two days ago, where Mr. Trump highlighted his campaign theme of law and order and passing on a chance to meet with Blake's family.
Well, today, Biden met face to face with the family for 90 minutes and spoke on the phone with Blake himself from his hospital room. Later, Biden said Blake, who is partially paralyzed after being shot seven times by police, told him he would not let the shooting defeat him, even if he never walks again.
(…)
MOLA LENGHI: Good evening, Norah. Joe Biden found a much different atmosphere here in Kenosha than the president found just two days ago. As you mentioned, their visits were a contrast in mood and in message. It was a quieter trip for the former Vice President, without the same anxiety or excitement that met the president here two days ago.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
LENGHI: Well, just as he did with President Trump earlier this week, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers says that he asked Joe Biden not to come to Kenosha today, saying that now is the time for this community to focus on healing, not be distracted by politics, Norah.
NBC Nightly News
September 3, 2020
7:04:33 p.m. EasternHALLIE JACKSON: The issue of police violence front and center in the 2020 race today as Joe Biden traveled to Kenosha and met with the family of Jacob Blake. Biden also talked on the phone with Blake whose still in the hospital but out of the ICU. Here's Peter Alexander.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Joe and Jill Biden arriving in Kenosha to do what they say President Trump could not do, help that scarred city heal.
JOE BIDEN: I think we've reached an inflection point in our history. [Transition] People are beginning to figure out who we are as a country. This is not who we are.
ALEXANDER: Making his first trip to the crucial swing state of Wisconsin in two years just two days after President Trump, Biden met privately for an hour and a half with the family of Jacob Blake. The black man shot in the back seven times by police. Blake himself now out of the ICU joining by phone.
(…)
