In the past week, MSNBC host Brian Williams continued being a fanboy of the disgraced anti-Republican Lincoln Project as he gave free airtime to two of the group's latest ads attacking conservatives.
The disgraced and demoted former NBC Nightly News anchor had notably refused to inform his viewers earlier this year of the scandal involving the group even though he frequently had guests from the group and ran its ads.
On Friday's show, the MSNBC host concluded his 11th Hour show by running a one-minute ad which attacked Texas Governor Greg Abbott for building a border wall while Texans are dying from COVID. Williams accused the GOP governor of "ghoulish denialism" as he set up:
In the days to come, the Texas border is going to get a lot of attention and deservedly so during this surge of immigrants. Right-wing media will call it an invasion -- they already are -- and they will tell Americans they are in grave danger as a result. And while the situation in places like Del Rio is a mess and a snowballing humanitarian and health crisis, the coverage will be dire.
He added:
And some worry it's going to be used as a giant flashy distraction in a state like Texas where Governor Abbott -- like DeSantis in Florida -- would rather talk about anything other than the rising death toll stemming from mismanagement and ghoulish denialism during a pandemic. Both men -- both governors face tough reelection campaigns. Both men just want to be loved by Donald Trump and the people who love him. And the folks at the Lincoln Project are out with a powerful new spot designed to keep the focus on what they see as Governor Abbott's fatal flaw.
And on Wednesday's show, after having disaffected Republican and Lincoln Project advisor Stuart Stevens on to trash the GOP in light of Larry Elder's loss in California, Williams concluded with the group's ad attacking Fox News over its handling of the COVID vaccination issue.
As Williams introduced it, he recalled that the Fox Corporation requires most of its employees to get vaccinated or tested for COVID, and then added:
Now, we should stress that's Fox employees -- the inner workings of the company that the viewers can't see -- but it's the kind of responsible HR measures that companies like Fox are undertaking. Of course, the Murdoch empire doesn't make any money off a good strict diligent HR measure -- they make their money from the viewership, and that's a totally different matter. On television when they're speaking to their customers, Fox is fine with being seen as the network casting doubt on the vaccine as a powerful new spot by the Lincoln Project points out.
The ad included clips of various Fox News personalities expressing reservations about pressuring people to get vaccinated, which included some examples taken out of context.
One clip show Fox host Jeanine Pirro previewing a segment of her show that would discuss the possibility that the COVID-19 virus was deliberately manufactured to be deadly, but she flubbed the line and referred to the vaccine instead. In fact, on her show, she made a similar flub as she discussed the issue of whether booster shots would be required.
And such flubs also happen on MSNBC. Contributor and frequent guest Yamiche Alcindor of PBS once accidentally stated that a mother and daughter "died from the vaccine" which she actually meant they died from COVID virus.
And the ad used a few other misleading clips, including Ainsley Earhardt and Tucker Carlson arguing that those who are vaccinated should be allowed to go without masks as an incentive to get vaccinated, and Carlson also noting the tiny number of U.S troops who have died as an argument against requiring all service members to be vaccinated.
Friday's episode of The 11th Hour was sponsored in part by Volvo. Their contact information is linked.
MSNBC's The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
September 15, 2021
11:57 p.m. Eastern
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: The vaccine requirements work, and more companies are instituting them. Even at Fox News, they're requiring it. And I'm not being facetious when I say that. But it's interesting that they've stepped forward and done that as well.
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Last thing before we go tonight, the Fox Corporation receiving praise, as you saw there, from the President for its diligent efforts to contain the virus behind the scenes among its employees. Fox has a strict policy of demanding all their workers be vaccinated or face daily testing -- 90 percent of the Fox work force reports that they are now fully vaccinated. Now, we should stress that's Fox employees -- the inner workings of the company that the viewers can't see -- but it's the kind of responsible HR measures that
companies like Fox are undertaking.
Of course, the Murdock empire doesn't make any money off a good strict diligent HR measure -- they make their money from the viewership, and that's a totally different matter. On television when they're speaking to their customers, Fox is fine with being seen as the network casting doubt on the vaccine as a powerful new spot by the Lincoln Project points out.
BRIAN KILMEADE, FOX & FRIENDS CO-HOST (from July 8): The focus of this administration on vaccination is mind boggling.
DOCTOR PETER MCCULLOUGH, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY CARDIOLOGIST (from July 7, The Ingraham Angle): Unless we really have a compelling case, no one under age 30 should be seeing any one of these vaccines.
TUCKER CARLSON, FOX NEWS HOST (from the July 12, Tucker Carlson Tonight): -- maybe none of this is really about COVID -- maybe it's about social control.
LARA TRUMP, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR (from the July 13, Hannity show): -- control from day one. (editing jump) This has never been about following the science. It's never been about following the facts and the truth.
JEANINE PIRRO, FOX NEWS HOST (from the May 28, Fox & Friends): What about this vaccine? Was it created intentionally to infect humans?
LAURA INGRAHAM, FOX NEWS HOST (from the July 7, The Ingraham Angle): They still think that parents should trust them and inject their kids with an experimental drug to prevent a disease almost none of those kids will ever get sick from.
JENNIFER BRIDGES, FORMER NURSE WHO WAS FIRED (from the June 23, Hannity show): If they took that vaccine and they feel safe about it, then they shouldn't worry about if we have it or not.
AINSLEY EARHARDT, FOX & FRIENDS CO-HOST (from the April 28, Fox & Friends): If you want me to get the vaccine, give me an incentive to get the vaccine.
CARLSON (from the April 14, Tucker Carlson Tonight): -- and if it doesn't prevent you from catching the coronavirus, why are we taking it in the first place?
INGRAHAM (from the July 12, The Ingraham Angle): -- nothing more anti-democratic, anti-freedom than pushing an experimental drug on Americans against their will.
CARLSON (from the July 12, Tucker Carlson Tonight): The government is purging the military, spying on its own citizens because of a virus that isn't killing very many people anymore.
DOCTOR ANTHONY FAUCI (in congressional testimony): You do not know what you are talking about quite frankly, and I want to say that officially. You do not know what you are talking about.
WILLIAMS: The Lincoln Project to take us off the air tonight, and with that, that is our broadcast for this Wednesday evening. It comes with our thanks for being here with us. On behalf of all our colleagues at the networks of NBC News, good night.
(...)
September 17, 2021
11:57 a.m. Eastern
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Last thing before we go tonight. In the days to come, the Texas border is going to get a lot of attention and deservedly so during this surge of immigrants. Right-wing media will call it an invasion -- they already are -- and they will tell Americans they are in grave danger as a result. And while the situation in places like Del Rio is a mess and a snowballing humanitarian and health crisis, the coverage will be dire.
And some worry it's going to be used as a giant flashy distraction in a state like Texas where governor Abbott -- like DeSantis in Florida -- would rather talk about anything other than the rising death toll stemming from mismanagement and ghoulish denialism during a pandemic. Both men -- both governors face tough reelection campaigns. Both men just want to be loved by Donald Trump and the people who love him. And the folks at the Lincoln Project are out with a powerful new spot designed to keep the focus on what they see as governor Abbott's fatal flaw.
(ad begins)
WORDS ON SCREEN WITHOUT AUDIO: Texas is now one of the leading states in COVID deaths. More than 3,830,000 Texans have been diagnosed with COVID. More than 60,475 Texans are dead. Over 60,000 Texans buried. A cemetery that would stretch from Austin to San Antonio. Over 3.6 million feet of casket lumber -- enough lumber to build a wall 85 miles long.
If Governor Abbott wants to build a new wall, tell him to stop building this one. Abbott's wall -- paid for with 60,475 American lives.
WILLIAMS: Not a word spoken during their minute-long commercial -- a tough spot from the Lincoln Project about the tough spot the Texas governor finds himself in right now. That is our broadcast for this Friday night.
