Using language on Tuesday that the liberal media would suggest was threatening lives if it had come from former President Trump, President Biden accused Republicans and their election integrity efforts of being the greatest threat to American democracy since the Civil War. But instead of condemning his comments, ABC’s World News Tonight, the CBS Evening News, and NBC Nightly News backed his dangerous rhetoric and echoed Democratic lies.
Sensationalist anchor David Muir and congressional correspondent Rachel Scott, over on ABC, were arguably the most rabid when it came to pushing Biden’s vilification of Republicans.
“President Biden late today in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, blasting what he calls attacks on voting rights,” Muir announced at the top of the program. “Republican-led efforts in more than 16 states across the country. The President and that warning, calling it the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War.”
And he parroted this lie from Biden: “[The President] saying these new laws aim to limit whether or not your vote counts at all.”
Scott was more than happy to be a mouthpiece to stoke dangerous anger and hatred of Republicans. Without evidence, she falsely suggested the GOP were not just targeting racial minorities but were now targeting women too (Click "expand"):
SCOTT: Today, President Biden traveling to the birthplace of American democracy to fight back against the Republican effort to restrict voting rights, calling it "The most dangerous threat to voting in our history."
(…)
SCOTT: The President saying new laws in more than 16 states are part of a painful pattern aimed at denying minorities and women the right to vote.
ABC (and the other networks for that matter) flaunted their hypocrisy when it came to disrupting the legislative processes. After again celebrating Texas Democrats who fled the state to block the passage of an election integrity law, Scott was visibly disgusted by the fact moderate Democrats in the Senate were preventing the filibuster from being killed off.
Over on CBS, anchor Norah O’Donnell lauded those Texas Democrats for “hunkering down 1,500 miles away here in Washington.” She then praised how “President Biden is speaking out forcefully against Republicans who’ve already changed election laws in more than a dozen other states.”
CBS chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes was in awe of Biden’s “unusual fervor” in speaking that day and touted how he “accused Republican leaders of embracing autocracy.”
Again without evidence, Cordes accused Texas Republicans of trying to legalize voter intimidation at the polls and refused to share the full GOP argument for the provisions:
CORDES: Holding up a vote on a GOP bill that would scale back vote by mail and give more rights to partisan poll watches who could intimidate voters. The bill would also criminalize drive-through voting and other measures aimed at easing voting.
GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Doesn't make voting more difficult.
For NBC’s part, anchor Lester “fairness is overrated” Holt began the show by also stoking Biden’s dangerous vilification of Republicans. “The questions of when, where, and how Americans get to vote are tonight taking on greater urgency,” he declared. “In some of his strongest language yet, President Biden today blasting Republican efforts to restrict voting access as un-American and a test of our democracy.”
NBC chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander wasted no time in hawking Biden’s “stark warning American democracy is on the line, condemning Republican-backed efforts to restrict voting access.”
Alexander was appalled the Texas bill included things like the nationally popular use of ID to cast a ballot. And while he whined that the bill would “end early options like drive-through voting, and voting during overnight hours,” he (and the rest of the networks) refuse to tell the truth that the bill was increasing early voting by DAYS. In fact, there would be more early voting days than Biden’s home state of Delaware.
This proliferation of rhetoric that endangers the lives of Republicans was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Amazon on ABC, Ford Motor Company on CBS, and Farmers Insurance on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund. CBS Evening has also asked people to “text Norah” at this number: (202) 217-1107.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
July 13, 2021
6:32: 59 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: But we begin tonight with the storm brewing over voting rights across this country.
President Biden late today in Philadelphia, the birthplace of American democracy, blasting what he calls attacks on voting rights. Republican-led efforts in more than 16 states across the country. The President and that warning, calling it the most significant test of our democracy since the Civil War. Saying these new laws aim to limit whether or not your vote counts at all. And calling out continuing efforts to discredit the 2020 election, saying the big lie is just that -- a big lie.
Tonight, the governor of Texas saying he plans to arrest the Democratic lawmakers who left his state for Washington in an effort to block a vote in Texas that they say will restrict access. Those lawmakers asking Congress to act, to protect voting rights in their state, and across this country.
So, where is this all headed? And bottom line tonight, do Democrats, does the President have the votes he needs in the Senate to do anything about this? ABC's Rachel Scott leading us off from the hill tonight.
[Cuts to video]
RACHEL SCOTT: Today, President Biden traveling to the birthplace of American democracy to fight back against the Republican effort to restrict voting rights, calling it "The most dangerous threat to voting in our history."
(…)
SCOTT: The President saying new laws in more than 16 states are part of a painful pattern aimed at denying minorities and women the right to vote.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: The 21st century Jim Crow assault is real. It's unrelenting and we're going to challenge it vigorously.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
MUIR: So, let's get right to Rachel Scott, live up on the hill tonight. And Rachel, we heard his speech today, President Biden pushing for federal voting rights laws. Bottom line, though, at this point, the Senate, Democrats, don't have enough votes from Republicans, really to get anywhere on this.
SCOTT: Yes, David, and that is the challenge for Democrats. They need the support of at least ten Republicans in order to get that legislation passed. Right now, they do not have any. They can change the Senate rules, eliminate the filibuster, that would allow them to pass that legislation on their own. But right now, key moderates in the party are not onboard. David?
MUIR: Rachel Scott leading us off tonight. Rachel, thank you.
CBS Evening News
July 13, 2021
6:38:01 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Well tonight, new voting restrictions in Texas are on hold with Democratic lawmakers blocking passage by hunkering down 1,500 miles away here in Washington. And President Biden is speaking out forcefully against Republicans who’ve already changed election laws in more than a dozen other states. CBS's Nancy Cordes reports from the White House.
[Cuts to video]
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We must act and we will act for our cause is just.
NANCY CORDES: Speaking with unusual fervor in Philadelphia, President Biden accused Republican leaders of embracing autocracy.
BIDEN: They want to be able to tell you your vote doesn't count for any reason they make up.
CORDES: Since President Biden defeated Donald Trump last November, legislatures in 17 states have passed 28 laws that make it harder to vote.
BIDEN: We'll be asking my Republican friends in Congress in states and cities and counties to stand up, for God's sake, and help prevent this concerted effort to undermine our election and the sacred right to vote. [Transition] Have you no shame!
CORDES: Even as he spoke, dozens of Texas House Democrats were fanning out across Capitol Hill, one day after they fled the state by private jet.
TONI ROSE (D-TX rep.): We're hoping that Congress would understand the urgency.
CORDES: Without them, a special session of the Texas legislature ground to a halt today.
UNIDENTIFIED TEXAS LEGISLATOR: The motion fails for lack of quorum.
CORDES: Holding up a vote on a GOP bill that would scale back vote by mail and give more rights to partisan poll watches who could intimidate voters. The bill would also criminalize drive-through voting and other measures aimed at easing voting.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Doesn't make voting more difficult.
CORDES: Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened to arrest the fleeing Democrats when they return and he said stalling won't work.
ABBOTT: I will be calling special session after special session after special session all the way up until election day of next year, if I have to.
[Cuts back to live]
O’DONNELL: And Nancy joins us from the White House. The President called today the fight against voting rights the test of our time. What about those Democrats who say he's not doing enough?
CORDES: That's right, Norah, and they say that because as emphatic as the President was today calling for sweeping voting rights legislation, these activists and progressives argue that Congress is simply not going to have the votes to pass that legislation unless the Senate changes its filibuster rules, and that is something that the President has been reluctant to embrace at least so far.
O’DONNELL: Nancy Cordes, at the White House, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
July 13, 2021
7:01:47 p.m.LESTER HOLT: Good evening. The questions of when, where, and how Americans get to vote are tonight taking on greater urgency. In some of his strongest language yet, President Biden today blasting Republican efforts to restrict voting access as un-American and a test of our democracy. And directly addressing the false claims of rigged voting in the 2020 election.
The President facing pressure within his party to do more to stop a wave of Republican-led state voting laws that Democrats say are aimed at suppressing voting by minorities.
Meantime, a move by Democratic lawmakers in Texas to block passage of new voting laws there has Republicans calling for their arrest. Chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander has details.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: President Biden in Philadelphia delivering a stark warning American democracy is on the line, condemning Republican-backed efforts to restrict voting access.
(…)
ALEXANDER: It comes just hours after Texas Republicans called for the arrest of at least 51 Democratic state legislators, who fled the state for Washington on chartered private jets to deny Republicans the quorum they need to pass new voting bills.
(…)
ALEXANDER: The lawmakers casting their effort as part of a generational fight.
TEXAS DEMOCRATS: We will overcome
ALEXANDER: Among the provisions, the Texas bills would add new voter ID requirements for mail-in ballots, and end early options like drive-through voting, and voting during overnight hours. Republicans slamming Texas Democrats, arguing the bills do not suppress the vote but secure it.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): They're doing this in a fit because they don't want mail-in ballots to be verified. They don't want the signatures to be verified. They don't want basic integrity steps to be strengthened in the state of Texas.
ALEXANDER: The state's Republican governor calling the Democrats' move a stunt.
GOV. GREG ABBOTT (R-TX): Isn't that the most un-Texan thing you have ever heard? Texas running from a fight? They're quitters.
ALEXANDER: Late tonight, Vice President Harris praising the Texas legislators for putting a spotlight on the issue.
VP KAMALA HARRIS: And so I'm here to thank you.
ALEXANDER: Still, Democrats do not have the votes to stop the Republican-backed bills in Texas, nor to pass their voting rights bills in the Senate.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
HOLT: But, Peter, Senate Democrats would likely have to make a very controversial rule change in order to pass those bills, correct?
ALEXANDER: Yes, Lester, that's right. That's the dilemma for Democrats. To pass the voting rights bills they need ten Republican votes but they have none. The alternative here would be to eliminate the filibuster rule, which they could do if every Senate Democrat is on board, but right now at least two Democrats oppose it. Lester.
HOLT: All right. Peter Alexander, at the White House. Thank you.
