For the second night in a row, Thursday, the nightly news newscasts of ABC and NBC piled on Biden for his dumpster fire of a press conference from Wednesday afternoon, as well as his overall tenure in office. One of the networks even claimed Biden and the White House were in "damage control mode."
NBC Nightly News led off their broadcast with a poll released from their network which showed Biden has the second-worst approval rating of any first-year president in the history of the poll. Anchor Lester Holt announced the topline numbers by stating Biden is "ending his first year in office with a 43 percent approval rating. The only new President with a worse first-year number, Biden predecessor Donald Trump."
Holt also made sure to report on the ongoing international fallout from Biden's gaffe in which he suggested it would be ok if there was a "minor incursion" into Ukraine by Russia exclaiming "the White House is consumed with repairing immediate damage from remarks the President made at yesterday's marathon news conference about a possible minor Russian incursion into Ukraine."
Holt then brought in NBC chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander to breakdown the results of the devastating poll for Biden:
One year after taking office, according to our new NBC News poll, America's report card for President Biden is grim. His overall approval rating just 43 percent. More than half of Americans disapprove. 53 percent are unhappy with his handling of the pandemic. And on the economy, 6 in 10 disapprove of his performance.
Next up Alexander revealed that "on Wednesday the President triggered alarm bells in Europe suggesting the U.S. and NATO response would be determined by the size of a Russian invasion" and Alexander also added Biden's comments "earned a rare rebuke from Ukraine's President, tweeting 'there are no minor incursions, just as there are no minor casualties."
Meanwhile, over on ABC's World News Tonight, Anchor David Muir during his coverage of Biden's blunders announced "President Biden and the White House [are] in damage control mode after that marathon news conference."
Wow, Biden has become so embarrassing that even the liberal media can't hide it from their viewers anymore.
To read the relevant transcripts of each segment click "expand":
NBC Nightly News
1/20/2022
7:01:45 PMLESTER HOLT: Good evening. A snapshot of a restless nation and a President appearing to struggle to satisfy on several key fronts. From the economy to covid to his ability to unite the country to some of the takeaways from a brand-new NBC news national poll on the one-year anniversary of President Joe Biden's inauguration. The President ending his first year in office with a 43% approval rating. The only new President with a worse first-year number, Biden predecessor Donald Trump. But tonight, the White House is consumed with repairing immediate damage from remarks the President made at yesterday's marathon news conference about a possible minor Russian incursion into Ukraine. In a moment I ask White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain about it. But first, here's Peter Alexander.
PETER ALEXANDER: One year after taking office, according to our new NBC News poll, America's report card for President Biden is grim. His overall approval rating just 43%. More than half of Americans disapprove. 53% are unhappy with his handling of the pandemic. And on the economy, 6 in 10 disapprove of his performance. It follows the President touting his achievements on Wednesday.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Can you think of any other President that's done as much in one year?
ALEXANDER: But after that news conference, the White House on defense. Today President Biden tried to clarify his comments on what punishment Russia would face if it invaded Ukraine.
BIDEN: If any, any assembled Russian units move across Ukrainian border, that is an invasion. If Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price.
ALEXANDER: But on Wednesday the President triggered alarm bells in Europe suggesting the U.S. and NATO response would be determined by the size of a Russian invasion.
BIDEN: It depends on what it does. It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion.
ALEXANDER: That earned a rare rebuke from Ukraine's President, tweeting “there are no minor incursions, just as there are no minor casualties.” President Biden also seemed to question the integrity of America's midterm elections this fall if Democrat’s voting rights legislation fails.
BIDEN: I'm not saying it’s going to be legit. The increase in the prospect of being illegitimate is in direct proportion of us not being able to get these -- these reforms passed.
ALEXANDER: But the White House today insists the President did not intend to cast doubt on the election.
[Cuts to video from Jan 20, 2022 White House Press Conference]
ALEXANDER: If there are no changes in terms of voting rights legislation going forward, the President does still feel confident that the elections this fall will be legitimate?
JEN PSAKI: Yes.
ABC's World News Tonight
1/20/2022
6:34:28 PMDAVID MUIR: Meantime tonight, President Biden and the White House in damage control mode after that marathon news conference and what he said on Russia, suggesting any response to Vladimir Putin depends on what he does along the border of Ukraine, suggesting one possibility is a, quote, minor incursion in Ukraine. The President of Ukraine stunned and quickly reacting, saying there is no such thing as a minor incursion. Here's our Senior White House Correspondent Mary Bruce tonight.
MARY BRUCE: At the White House today, President Biden tried to put out a firestorm of criticism after these comments about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine sparked international concern.
JOE BIDEN: Russia will be held accountable if it invades and it depends on what it does. It's one thing if it's a minor incursion, and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do, et cetera.
BRUCE: Early today, reading from a prepared statement, the President tried to clarify what he meant.
BIDEN: If any, any assembled Russian units move across Ukrainian border, that is an invasion. But -- and it will be met with severe and coordinated economic response that I've discussed in detail with our allies, as well as laid out very clearly for President Putin. There is no doubt, let there be no doubt at all, that if Putin makes this choice, Russia will pay a heavy price.
BRUCE: The White House fully aware the President's comments triggered alarm among European allies and inside Ukraine, too. Ukrainian President Zelinsky tweeting, "There are no minor incursions and small nations. Just as there are no minor casualties and little grief from the loss of loved ones." Meeting with U.S. allies in Germany ahead of a critical sit down with the Russians, Secretary of State Blinken tried to reassure America's partners.
ANTONY BLINKEN: If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border and commit new acts of aggression against Ukraine, that will be met with a swift, severe, united response from the United States and our allies and partners.
MUIR: Secretary Blinken today. Mary Bruce with us live from the White House tonight. And Mary, the White House also clarifying another one of the President's comments yesterday, he was asked whether the midterm elections, obviously this year, would be legitimate, given Washington's failure to pass a voting rights law. His response, two words he chose, it depends. There were a lot of questions over that. He seemed to question whether the elections will be legitimate before they even happen.
BRUCE: David, the President’s saying these restrictive new voting laws in some Republican-led states are going to make it more difficult for some Americans to vote, and he said that could increase the prospect that the vote will be illegitimate. The President saying he still is hoping that they can put in place reforms, but the White House today clarifying, saying the President is confident the midterms will be legitimate. David?
MUIR: Mary Bruce at the White House again tonight. Thank you, Mary.
