On Friday, just minutes after President Biden attacked reporters for covering the ongoing supply chain crisis, MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle applauded the increasingly unpopular politician for taking a “swipe at the media.” She claimed his criticism of press outlets for showing images of “empty shelves” in stores was justified and also whined about fellow journalists covering the spike in gas prices.
“On Monday, I convened a group of CEOs from some of the largest retailers and grocery stores....And they reported that their investments are up, shelves are well-stocked, and they’re ready to meet consumer demand for the holidays,” Biden assured during White House remarks late in the 10:00 a.m. ET hour. He then complained that media coverage wasn’t matching his rosy spin:
Now I said that yesterday, and then I saw a couple of your stations put on – you found some empty shelves. They’re old empty shelves, but it doesn’t matter. But go back and take a look at some of those shelves again, okay?
Moments after Biden finished speaking and taking a few reporter questions, early in the 11:00 a.m. ET hour, anchor Craig Melvin turned to fellow host and NBC News business correspondent Ruhle, who promptly agreed with the sniping at her own profession: “I credit the President in terms of messaging. He really took a swipe at the media and he had a right to, talking about supply chain issues.”
She tried to offer excuses: “We still have supply chain delays. Remember, the U.S. government cannot control all of the supply chain, it’s global. But things are improving.” After echoing the PR coming from retail CEOs that “shelves are full and we’re ready for the holidays,” she repeated Biden’s talking points: “And the President said he told this to the American people and then he turned on the news and what is he seeing, empty shelves. That’s really not the picture....this whole argument that Santa isn’t going to be here for Christmas isn’t true.”
In addition to siding with the President against her media colleagues, Ruhle reiterated her own attack on reporters, lamenting coverage of high gas prices: “And to the gas prices point, he also has a point. Reporters were lined up at gas station after gas station waving their hands about gas prices and you’re hard pressed to find any reporters talking about gas prices dropping, but they are.”
Despite Ruhle’s assertions, the supposed “drop” in gas prices being touted by hacks like her and the Democratic Party has so far only amounted to a decrease of about two cents a gallon.
A leftist like Ruhle is so desperate to run defense for Biden that she will happily throw fellow journalists under the bus.
This effort to double down on Biden’s whining was brought to viewers by IHOP and Tide. You can fight back by letting these advertisers know what you think of them sponsoring such content.
Here is a transcript of the December 3 coverage:
Jose Diaz-Balart Reports
12/03/21
10:56 AM(...)
JOE BIDEN: On Monday, I convened a group of CEOs from some of the largest retailers and grocery stores, as well as leading companies that work with small businesses across the country. And they reported that their investments are up, shelves are well-stocked, and they’re ready to meet consumer demand for the holidays. [Coughs] Now I said that yesterday, and then I saw a couple of your stations put on – you found some empty shelves. They’re old empty shelves, but it doesn’t matter. But go back and take a look at some of those shelves again, okay? But the point is that the vast majority of the shelves are filled, and the CEOs of not only the suppliers but the CEOs of UPS and FedEx, which are on track to deliver more packages than ever, are saying the same thing. So we’re heading into the holiday season in strong shape.
(...)
Craig Melvin Reports
12/03/21
11:10 AM(...)
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Okay, so here’s the thing, the President is certainly underplaying this jobs report. But what’s really important to remember, for the last few months, Michael [Memoli] noted it, the jobs report numbers keep getting revised up over the last few months because the way we’re getting this information is obviously getting more difficult during COVID.
But look at the household survey, you mentioned it at the top. We’re seeing unemployment tick down and we’ve got the highest number of Americans back on the job since pre-pandemic. To say that the jobs picture isn’t good in America right now is absolutely false.
But I credit the President in terms of messaging. He really took a swipe at the media and he had a right to, talking about supply chain issues. We still have supply chain delays. Remember, the U.S. government cannot control all of the supply chain, it’s global. But things are improving. In the last week alone, we heard from the Target CEO saying their inventory is up 18 %. Walmart inventory is up 11.5%. I spoke to the Matel CEO, he said shelves are full and we’re ready for the holidays.
And the President said he told this to the American people and then he turned on the news and what is he seeing, empty shelves. That’s really not the picture. Things are more expensive, it’s difficult. But this whole argument that Santa isn’t going to be here for Christmas isn’t true.
And to the gas prices point, he also has a point. Reporters were lined up at gas station after gas station waving their hands about gas prices and you’re hard pressed to find any reporters talking about gas prices dropping, but they are.
(...)
