With the rise in crime continuing to sweep through the country, President Joe Biden paid a visit to New York City Thursday to meet with Democratic Mayor Eric Adams. During their coverage that evening, both ABC World News Tonight and CBS Evening News covered the rampant crime in New York with a focus on guns, instead of the Democrat Party's Defund the Police rhetoric and policies. Only NBC Nightly News made any attempt to focus on the real-life consequences of being weak on crime.
On ABC's World News Tonight, chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega gave no credence to the idea that the Democrat Party's enabling of criminal activity over supporting police officers was the problem in New York City. "Today, the President announcing a crackdown on ghost guns. Those weapons without serial numbers, difficult to trace in a crime," she said.
Adding: "Authorities training prosecutors to go after criminals who use them. The administration also targeting the so-called iron pipeline. Guns illegally trafficked along the east coast found in crime scenes from Baltimore to New York, where shootings are now up 32 percent from last year."
Vega even decided to play the common media game of "Republicans pouncing" claiming: "President Biden is fending off Republican accusations that Democrats are soft on crime." Vega also seemed to be concerned that rising crime will hurt Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections:
The President and Democrats are keenly aware of the politics surrounding this rise in crime in so many American cities. David, you know this, voters are frustrated and those midterms are not that far away.
Over on CBS, it was the same thing, with chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Pegues reporting that "cities are struggling to get a handle on crime. In 2021 there was a nearly 12 percent increase in gun violence murders compared to the year before. Law enforcement officials acknowledge that, in some cases, they are outgunned. By suspects armed with manufactured weapons or so-called ghost guns converted into illegal machine guns."
Again no mention of the weak-on-crime policies that have been enacted in so many of these cities suffering from rampant crime.
It was a much different story on NBC, their national correspondent Gabe Gutierrez during an interview with New York City Mayor Eric Adams asked the Mayor "does defunding the police work?" To which Adams replied "no it does not. And it’s the wrong bumper sticker."
Gutierrez then pressed Adams on the announcement from leftist Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, "who sparked controversy saying he will not prosecute certain crimes to promote alternatives to jail." When asked if he believes the District Attorney is going too far, Adams replied "he has to make the determination we are going to arrest those that break the law, and it’s up to the D.A.s who do their part of this bargain to properly prosecute those who break the law."
Last week, ABC ignored Dominique Luzuriaga, the widow of slain 22-year-old NYPD Detective Jason Rivera, who blasted Bragg as the reason her husband was murdered. "I know you are tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new DA. I hope he's watching you speak through me right now," she said at the funeral.
This latest example of ABC World News Tonight and CBS Evening News ignoring the Democrat Party's soft on crime policies was made possible thanks to the endorsements of Carvana on ABC, and United Healthcare on CBS. Their information is linked so you can let them know about the biased news they fund.
To read the transcripts of each segment click expand:
ABC World News Tonight
2/3/2022
6:44:33 PMDAVID MUIR: We have been reporting here on the rise in crime across this country and tonight, President Biden visiting here in New York City, recognizing the fallen NYPD officers, saying, quote, enough is enough. Here's our chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega here in New York tonight.
CECILIA VEGA: President Biden today at a violence prevention program in New York as the city faces a staggering uptick in major crime. The visit just a day after thousands filled the streets to say good-bye to one of two NYPD officers shot dead in the line of duty.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Their loss for the city is also a loss for the nation. You know, futures cut short by a man with a stolen Glock with 40 rounds.
VEGA: Today, the President announcing a crackdown on ghost guns. Those weapons without serial numbers, difficult to trace in a crime. Authorities training prosecutors to go after criminals who use them. The administration also targeting the so-called iron pipeline. Guns illegally trafficked along the east coast found in crime scenes from Baltimore to New York, where shootings are now up 32% from last year. Homicides are on the rise around the country, and now President Biden is fending off Republican accusations that Democrats are soft on crime.
BIDEN: The answer is not to defund the police, it's to give you the tools, the training, the funding to be partners, to be protectors.
VEGA: Today in New York, the President joined by the new Mayor, a former police captain.
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: Mr. President, Eric Adams is reporting for duty and ready to serve.
VEGA: His message to the White House -- we need help. And there have been a number of high-profile crimes here in New York City recently, including a woman who was pushed to her death at a subway station right here in Times Square. The President and Democrats are keenly aware of the politics surrounding this rise in crime in so many American cities. David, you know this, voters are frustrated and those midterms are not that far away.
CBS Evening News
2/3/2022
6:41:02 PMNORAH O’DONNELL: Crime and violence is on the rise in almost every major city in the country. Today, President Biden paid a visit to the nation's largest city New York which is going through a crime wave of its own. CBS's Jeff Pegues reports.
JEFF PEGUES: Today President Biden promised police officers on the front lines of the violence that they would get help.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: The answer is not to defund the police, it's to give you the tools, the training, the funding to be partners, to be protectors.
PEGUES: Mr. Biden visited the city within days of two funerals for NYPD officers, who were shot and killed by a man armed with a gun, equipped with a high capacity magazine capable of holding 40 rounds. Just a month into the new year, six NYPD officers have been shot. New York's Mayor who sat next to the President called for action to stop the violence.
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: We're here in solidarity to deal with the issue of violence that has become pervasive in not only New York City but in the cities across America.
PEGUES: Cities are struggling to get a handle on crime. In 2021 there was a nearly 12 percent increase in gun violence murders compared to the year before. Law enforcement officials acknowledge that, in some cases, they are outgunned. By suspects armed with manufactured weapons or so-called ghost guns converted into illegal machine guns.
THOMAS CHITTUM (AFT ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR): We haven't seen so many machine guns used in crimes since prohibition.
PEGUES: Is that right?
CHITTUM: That is right. Your average law enforcement officer is not armed with a machine gun. Increasingly, criminals are.
O’DONNELL: And Jeff Pegues joins us now from New York. So Jeff, what is the administration proposing to do to get these ghost guns off the streets?
PEGUES: Norah, today the Justice Department announced a new initiative that would toughen penalties for suspects caught committing crimes with ghost guns. City residents here in New York just hoping for some sort of relief. Shootings are up in this city more than 32 percent so far this year. Norah?
NBC Nightly News
1/3/2022
7:08:35LESTER HOLT: Now to America’s surge in violent crime. And President Biden under pressure to do more to stop it. Today he came here to New York City to highlight plans to reduce gun violence. Here’s Gabe Gutierrez.
GABE GUTIERREZ: Under pressure to do more about surging crime, President Biden today in New York City meeting new Mayor Eric Adams and others.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We want to crack down on the flow of firearms used to commit violence, that includes taking on and shutting down rogue gun dealers.
GUTIERREZ: Crime is already up 39 percent here this year, shootings up 32 percent. Rape, 27 percent, even non-violent like crime car thefts up 92 percent.
GUTIERREZ: So for you, this rise in crime is real?
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: This rise in crime is not only professional but it’s personal and it’s real.
GUTIERREZ: Mayor Adams, a former police captain telling us he’s rolling out new steps to combat gun violence, including using facial recognition technology to identify suspects and deploying more cops on the streets.
GUTIERREZ: Does defunding the police work?
NEW YORK CITY MAYOR ERIC ADAMS: No it does not. And it’s the wrong bumper sticker.
GUTIERREZ: It's something he and the President agree on.
BIDEN: The answer is not to defund the police.
GUTIERREZ: And days ago, Adams met with a new Progressive Manhattan District Attorney who sparked controversy saying he will not prosecute certain crimes to promote alternatives to jail. A move slammed by police, including the widow of a fallen officer at her husband's funeral.
DOMINIQUE LUZURIAGA (WIDOW OF JASON RIVERA): I know you are tired of these laws, especially the ones from the new D.A. I hope he’s watching you speak through me right now.
GUTIERREZ: Is the Manhattan D.A. going too far?
ADAMS: I believe he has to make the determination we are going to arrest those that break the law, and it’s up to the D.A.s who do their part of this bargain to properly prosecute those who break the law.
GUTIERREZ: It sounds like to me that you think he’s gone too far.
ADAMS: That's not, my opinion doesn't matter here.
GUTIERREZ: You’re the Mayor.
[Crosstalk]
ADAMS: I'm going to use all the tools that are available to me to keep the city safe.
GUTIERREZ: Just days ago, New York rocked again by this shooting at a Brooklyn mall. Before that, another in a Bronx emergency room.
CHRISTINE NIEVEZ: No, I'm not okay.
TRANSLATOR: I don't believe it. I don't want to accept it.
GUTIERREZ: Christine Nievez’s nineteen-year-old daughter Crystal was working the night shift last month at Burger King in Harlem when a gunman robbed her. She handed over $100 from the register. He shot and killed her anyway.
TRANSLATOR: I'm not okay, I can't sleep, I don't really eat and I don't feel safe.
GUTIERREZ: What's your message for President Biden?
TRANSLATOR: That there's a problem with guns. I don't know where they come from.
GUTIERREZ: And according to a new Gallup poll, only a quarter of Americans say they’re satisfied with current policies to reduce crime. Lester?
