On Wednesday, the network morning shows were already eager to get out the pom-poms and cheerleader for Democrats wasting trillions of taxpayer dollars on a radical socialist agenda. Hosts on NBC, ABC, and CBS touted Senate approval to begin debate on the massive $3.5 trillion boondoggle as “another big step to push through President Biden’s agenda.”
“Moments after passing the infrastructure bill with 69 votes, Democrats introduced their $3.5 trillion budget bill, focused on massive investments in social programs and climate policy,” correspondent Garrett Haake declared on NBC’s Today show. After noting “unified Republican opposition” to the far-left wish list, the reporter was shown lobbing this softball to socialist Senator Bernie Sanders: “Republicans are attacking the breadth of this. You see that as a virtue?” Sanders gleefully replied: “Of course it is. Maybe, just maybe, government should work for working families and the middle class, not just the wealthy and big campaign contributors.”
At the top of ABC’s Good Morning America, fill-in co-host Amy Robach anxiously announced: “Breaking overnight, the Senate passing President Biden’s massive $3.5 trillion budget blueprint, with spending on climate change, public education, and the social safety net. Will it pass?” Minutes later, co-host George Stephanopoulos echoed: “Early this morning, the Senate passed President Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget to expand the social safety net, setting the stage for a big legislative battle this fall.”
Correspondent Rachel Scott excitedly proclaimed: “This opens up the door for Democrats to advance the next part of President Biden’s agenda, a $3.5 trillion package that Democrats plan to pass on their own.” She promoted how the legislation would include “spending on several Democratic priorities, everything from universal pre-k to free community college, funding to combat climate change” and “would be paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations.”
Scott at least briefly mention GOP objections “blasting this as a spending spree”and that “Moderate Democrats have already indicated that that $3.5 trillion price tag is too much.”
Over on CBS This Morning, co-host and self-appointed spokesman for socialism Tony Dokoupil gushed:
Breaking overnight, hours after passing a major infrastructure bill with bipartisan support, the Senate took another big step to push through President Biden’s agenda. It narrowly approved a $3.5 trillion blueprint for family, health, and environmental programs. Much of that would be paid for with higher taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations.
Correspondent Kris Van Cleave emphasized: “If they manage to do that, they will deliver on many of President Biden’s promises.”
Later in the report, CBS did provide a soundbite of Republican Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty voicing opposing to the massive government spending: “I think what it reveals is the strategy deployed by the Majority Leader. He wanted to put the patina of bipartisanship on this initial package, he wanted to create a series of actions, real momentum toward this $3.5 trillion spending spree that’s going to be a debt bomb for America.”
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Here is a transcript of the August 11 coverage on NBC’s Today show:
7:17 AM ET
(...)
GARRETT HAAKE: Moments after passing the infrastructure bill with 69 votes, Democrats introduced their $3.5 trillion budget bill, focused on massive investments in social programs and climate policy. The start of a partisan process that could take months and faces unified Republican opposition.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM [R-SC]: They’re just throwing every liberal idea and hope it sticks to the wall.
HAAKE: Republicans are attacking the breadth of this. You see that as a virtue?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS [I-VT]: Of course it is. Maybe, just maybe, government should work for working families and the middle class, not just the wealthy and big campaign contributors.
HAAKE: Now, that infrastructure bill still has to pass the House before it can get to President Biden’s desk. Speaker Pelosi says she won’t hold on a vote on it until the Senate also passes that other bigger bill. That’s a process that could take months.
(...)
Here is a transcript of the coverage on ABC’s GMA:
7:01 AM ET TEASE
AMY ROBACH: Breaking overnight, the Senate passing President Biden’s massive $3.5 trillion budget blueprint, with spending on climate change, public education, and the social safety net. Will it pass? We’re live from the Hill this morning.
7:11 AM ET SEGMENT
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Now to that breaking news from Washington. Early this morning, the Senate passed President Biden’s $3.5 trillion budget to expand the social safety net, setting the stage for a big legislative battle this fall. Our congressional correspondent Rachel Scott has the latest. Good morning, Rachel.
RACHEL SCOTT: George, good morning. After a 14-hour fiery debate on the Senate floor overnight, lawmakers have now passed this budget resolution along party lines. This opens up the door for Democrats to advance the next part of President Biden’s agenda, a $3.5 trillion package that Democrats plan to pass on their own.
This includes a massive amount in spending on several Democratic priorities, everything from universal pre-k to free community college, funding to combat climate change. It would be paid for by increasing taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Republicans who just hours earlier worked with Democrats on a bipartisan infrastructure package in the Senate are blasting this as a spending spree.
But the reality here is that Democrats hold a razor-thin majority in the Senate. They have now laid the groundwork to be able to pass this on their own. Their challenge will be keeping their own party united. Moderate Democrats have already indicated that that $3.5 trillion price tag is too much, George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: There’s going to be a razor-thin margin either way. Okay, Rachel, thanks very much.
Here is a transcript of the coverage on CBS This Morning:
7:14 AM ET
TONY DOKOUPIL: Breaking overnight, hours after passing a major infrastructure bill with bipartisan support, the Senate took another big step to push through President Biden’s agenda. It narrowly approved a $3.5 trillion blueprint for family, health, and environmental programs. Much of that would be paid for with higher taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations. Kris Van Cleave is on Capitol Hill for us. Kris, good morning to you. What's next?
KRIS VAN CLEAVE: Tony, good morning. Now they have to take this framework and turn it into an actual bill. And what’s inside that bill is going to be crucial to passing not only the budget act but also this infrastructure bill they agreed on yesterday. If they manage to do that, they will deliver on many of President Biden’s promises. But the road ahead could be rough and long.
SEN. TAMMY BALDWIN [D-WI]: The yays are 50, the nays are 49. And the concurrent resolution as amended is agreed to.
VAN CLEAVE: This morning the Senate approved a $3.5 trillion budget resolution setting the framework for a massive budget bill loaded with progressive social programs, including child and senior care, and money to combat climate change. The 50 to 49 party-line vote came after an overnight vote-o-rama on a lengthy series of non-binding amendments.
(...)
VAN CLEAVE: Tennessee’s Bill Hagerty voted no.
They call the infrastructure bipartisan, but –
SEN. BILL HAGERTY [R-TN]: I think what it reveals is the strategy deployed by the Majority Leader. He wanted to put the patina of bipartisanship on this initial package, he wanted to create a series of actions, real momentum toward this $3.5 trillion spending spree that’s going to be a debt bomb for America.
VAN CLEAVE: The infrastructure measure heads to the House, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t allow a vote until the Senate passes that $3.5 trillion budget bill.
REP. NANCY PELOSI [D-CA]: The total vision is about not only building physical infrastructure but building human infrastructure.
VAN CLEAVE: And now Speaker Pelosi plans to call the House back from recess early. They are expected to be back here August 23rd, that’s about a month early, where they will take up the House version of that budget resolution and possibly voting rights. Vlad?
VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: Alright, Kris Van Cleave, coming to us from the Hill, we appreciate it, thank you.
