President Trump rebuked Congress for packing their COVID relief and government funding package with an outrageous amount of pork funding, in a video posted to Twitter last night, before demanding they deliver him a bill which gave much more substantial relief to American families. Predictably on Wednesday, all three network morning newscasts took this rebuke of Congress to blame President Trump for holding up stimulus relief checks, arguing that something was better than nothing. ABC, CBS and NBC even used the opportunity to lie for Democrats, saying they wanted to give more money to Americans, all along.
Journalists at ABC’s Good Morning America were outraged by Trump’s last minute move. ABC’s Rachel Scott might as well have called the President Ebenezer Scrooge, declaring, “That stimulus package would provide aid for millions out of work and fearing eviction but now all of that is up in the air with a threat from the President. This morning, President Trump signaling he won't sign that COVID relief package set to provide aid for millions of Americans.”
ABC also seemed to blame Trump for potentially getting a single mother evicted. "Now that crucial aid on hold for millions like recent graduate Shantay [indiscernable] who says she does not know how she'll be able to support her family and pay her student loans next month," Scott shared. The woman told ABC, “It would be really nice to get a little support so that I don't become homeless so that I can pay my bills.”
Both ABC and NBC completely omitted the President’s reason for rejecting this package: The insane amount of pork stuffed into it, which includes hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to other countries, $40 million to the closed Kennedy Center, $1 billion to the closed Smithsonian, among other things, instead of back to Americans who are struggling. They did note that he wanted the relief payments to be increased from $600 to $2,000 a person--- a position that ABC held just two days ago. On Monday’s World News Tonight, ABC had blasted the relief checks as “too little, too late.”
Over at NBC’s Today, they were equally outraged. White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell fumed, calling it “Christmas week chaos” in her 7:00 a.m. Eastern hour report:
With this surprise threat the President puts desperately needed financial relief in jeopardy with the first of that aid expected to reach Americans in just days, now in doubt, after a Trump-size move undermines his own staff, fellow Republicans, and months of tense negotiations to bring about a COVID relief package.
In the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour, they also characterized Trump as the Snow Miser. Co-host Craig Melvin whined, “With millions of Americans ready to spend their next round of COVID stimulus checks, President Trump has thrown a last-minute wrench into the deal struck by Congress.” O’Donnell added: “President Trump delivering an unwelcome Christmas week surprise. A threat that could delay or deny millions of Americans the covid relief they so desperately need.”
CBS followed the same tone but put more emphasis on defending Democrats as the side that's really looking out for the American people, despite Pelosi refusing to make a deal before the election.
While characterizing Trump as the villain, all three networks lied for Democrats trying to take credit for wanting to give Americans more money:
CHIP REID (CBS): Last night the President suddenly demanded that amount for the stimulus payment per person be increased from $600 to $2,000. That's been the Democrats' position all along. So they seized on the opportunity by scheduling a vote for tomorrow raising that amount to $2,000.
(....)
REID: It was Republicans, not Democrats opposed to higher stimulus payments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted last night, ‘At last, the President has agreed to $2000. The Democrats are ready to bring this to the floor this week by unanimous consent."
(....)
KELLY O’DONNELL (NBC): That's an amount Democrats have wanted all along, undermining Republicans. So House Speaker Pelosi called his bluff and tweeted "Let's do it!" But the next steps are unclear.
(....)
RACHEL SCOTT (ABC): Democrats say they will take Trump up on his $2,000 check demand, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeting overnight that they are ready to bring this to the floor this week. Let's do it. but Republicans have refused to budge on the price tag of the roughly $900 billion stimulus package
ABC's GMA was sponsored by Lincoln and Allstate. Contact these advertisers at the Conservatives Fight Back page here.
See the transcripts below:
ABC’s Good Morning America
12/23/2020
7:03 a.m. EasternDAN HARRIS: Which brings us to our lead story. That stunning move overnight from President Trump blasting the $900 million COVID relief bill that Congress passed just days ago. He called it a disgrace and asked for larger stimulus checks and other changes. Help for millions of Americans impacted by the pandemic now suddenly in limbo and ABC's Rachel Scott is tracking the very latest. Rachel, good morning to you.
RACHEL SCOTT: Dan, good morning. And this is relief that the American people have now been waiting months for. That stimulus package would provide aid for millions out of work and fearing eviction but now all of that is up in the air with a threat from the President. This morning, President Trump signaling he won't sign that COVID relief package set to provide aid for millions of Americans.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package.
RACHEL SCOTT: The President labeling the bipartisan bill “a disgrace” demanding Congress increase the amount of those stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000. But the President's new threat coming after lawmakers have already left Washington for the holidays and after the Trump administration had promised those checks would be in the mail as soon as next week.
STEVE MNUCHIN: Let me emphasize, that people are going to see this money the beginning of next week.
SCOTT: Now that crucial aid on hold for millions like recent graduate Shantay [indiscernable] who says she does not know how she'll be able to support her family and pay her student loans next month.
SHANTAY [INDISCERNIBLE]: It would be really nice to get a little support so that I don't become homeless so that I can pay my bills.
SCOTT: Just before the holidays, images like this, long lines at food banks from coast to coast. Democrats say they will take Trump up on his $2,000 check demand, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeting overnight that they are ready to bring this to the floor this week. Let's do it. but Republicans have refused to budge on the price tag of the roughly $900 billion stimulus package and one of the President's closest allies, Senator Lindsey Graham, calling the bill imperfect but saying the sooner the bill becomes law the better. President-Elect Joe Biden calling it just a down payment.
RACHEL SCOTT: How can you assure Americans that relief will come and come soon?
JOE BIDEN: I predict to you we will get cooperation. The public is not going to stand for us not doing it.
SCOTT: And it's not just relief for Americans, funding for the government is also tied to that bill so the nation could be headed toward a government shutdown in less than a week if the President refuses to sign it, Dan.
HARRIS: That's the question. Is this a real veto threat or just voicing his displeasure?
(....)
8:00am hour:
RACHEL SCOTT: Now, Democrats for months were pushing for the size of those checks to be around $2,000. But Republicans would not budge on the overall price tag of this bill….The bottom line here is that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say that this bill is imperfect. Neither side got everything they wanted but they say that it is absolutely necessary to get relief to the American people, Dan.
DAN HARRIS: Stakes are really high here.
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CBS This Morning
12/23/2020
7:03 a.m. EasternVLADIMIR DUTHIERS: The passed COVID relief package facing new uncertainty this morning because of President Trump. He said last night that Congress should triple the size of direct payments for families or he might not sign the bill. His list of demands surprised both parties. The President was largely absent during months of negotiations. The President also announced a series of controversial pardons, sparking accusations he is abusing his power. Chip Reid is at the White House covering all these developments, Chip, good morning.
CHIP REID: Well, good morning. Last night the President suddenly demanded that amount for the stimulus payment per person be increased from $600 to $2,000. That's been the Democrats' position all along. So they seized on the opportunity by scheduling a vote for tomorrow raising that amount to $2,000.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: It really is a disgrace.
REID: In a surprise move, President Trump last night demanded that Congress revise the $900
billion COVID relief legislation that was passed just days ago.
TRUMP: I'm asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple.
REID: It was Republicans, not Democrats opposed to higher stimulus payments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted last night, ‘At last, the President has agreed to $2000. The Democrats are ready to bring this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. “
REID: The President also railed against what he said were unrelated provisions in the legislation.
TRUMP: $505 million to Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama.
REID: Most of those were in a separate government funding bill passed jointly with the COVID relief bill. The President's announcement was met with concerns from both sides of the aisle. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham tweeted "The COVID-19 package while imperfect will save jobs and lives." And while Democrat Mark Warner asked “does the President realize that the unemployment benefits expire the day after Christmas?”
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NBC’s Today
12/23/2020
7:03 a.m. EasternCRAIG MELVIN: President Trump's last-minute message blasting the COVID relief bill that Congress scrambled to push through before Christmas, while also starting a pre-holiday pardoning spree of some controversial figures. NBC’s Kelly O'Donnell is at the White House with more on all of it. Kelly, good morning to you.
KELLY O’DONNELL: Good morning, Craig. With this surprise threat the President puts desperately needed financial relief in jeopardy with the first of that aid expected to reach Americans in just days, now in doubt, after a Trump-size move undermines his own staff, fellow Republicans, and months of tense negotiations to bring about a COVID relief package.
O’DONNELL: Christmas week chaos.
TRUMP: Well, it's not enough.
O’DONNELL: This unexpected veto threat could derail needed COVID relief.
TRUMP: The bill they are now planning to send back to my desk is much different than anticipated. It really is a disgrace.
O’DONNELL: In a White House-made video, the President who did not engage in negotiations himself and has not been seen publicly in ten days suddenly demands Congress sweeten the $900 billion COVID package or else.
TRUMP: Send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a COVID relief package, and maybe that administration will be me. And we will get it done.
O’DONNELL: The $900 billion relief bill passed by Congress includes more money for unemployment benefits, small businesses and direct checks to many Americans. $600 for people making less than $75,000 a year, plus another $600 for every child. But the President now says that's not enough.
TRUMP: I am asking Congress to amend this bill and increase the ridiculously low $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple.
O’DONNELL: The video coming just after his own White House staff was praising the plan.
BRIAN MORGENSTERN, WH Deputy Communications Director: The President has indicated his intent to sign the bill for a few reasons, because this is going to take care of American families with stimulus checks and it's going to take care of American small businesses.
O’DONNELL: Top Democrats say they support bigger checks. House speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeting in response, “Democrats are ready to bring this to the floor this week by unanimous consent. Let's do it!”
(....)
O’DONNELL: The President's pardon power allows him to act completely on his own. But when it comes to the legislation, he must sign it or nothing happens. And so the big question this morning is will he cave on this new threat, or will Congress come back to work and try to change this to meet the President's demands. Craig?
MELVIN: Tell me more on that unexpected veto threat for a moment. We just saw the deputy communications spokesperson there on TV. How much of a surprise was this even within the White House?
O’DONNELL: Well, there were certainly top aides who are not in town and were not a part of this. Remember, the President delivered a speech that was 14 minutes. So it was written by staff, the cameras were operated by staff, a teleprompter was there operated by staff and this was done hours before it was posted online. There's been a lot of tension over how much the President would weigh in and he's undercutting his own treasury secretary, who's been negotiating this COVID package in detail and briefing the President over these many months.
