On Wednesday afternoon, NBC News reported that a second batch of classified documents was found at another location other than the Washington office that Joe Biden used after his time as vice president. During their nightly broadcast, CBS Evening News was quick to call out Biden and his lawyers’ refusal to answer “simple questions” on the latest apparent breach of national security by Biden, meanwhile rival ABC’s World News Tonight sought to excuse Biden and play whataboutism.
“[A]nother batch of Biden documents with classified markings were found,” anchor Norah O’Donnell announced at the top of the segment.
In an out-of-character display of blunt criticism from O’Donnell toward a Democrat, she reported that “the White House and the President's lawyers wouldn't answer simple questions about those documents, including what’s in them, and when will we learn more?”
CBS correspondent Adriana Diaz picked up where O’Donnell left off by reporting how, after a Justice Department review, “the number of sensitive documents found is larger than initially believed,” and that “documents marked classified from Joe Biden's tenure as Vice President were found at at least one additional location.”
Diaz then backed up what O’Donnell was reporting earlier about the Biden administration’s stonewalling: “the White House declined to answer repeated questions about when the President learned about the first batch of classified documents and why the discovery wasn't disclosed sooner, citing the Justice Department review.”
What makes the situation worse is that Biden reportedly knew about the missing documents back on November 2, less than a week prior to the crucial midterm elections.
“CBS News has learned the President was informed of the classified documents on November 2 of last year, the same day they were found,” Diaz reported. “The White House didn't disclose the information until this Monday, more than two months later, after requests from CBS News.”
In contrast, on World News Tonight, ABC’s justice correspondent Pierre Thomas attempted to protect Biden’s wreckless handling of classified documents by turning to a familiar leftist playbook of pointing to former President Donald Trump to excuse bad behavior by Democrats.
“The White House emphasizes that as soon as Biden's attorneys discovered the documents, they quickly contacted the National Archives, which in turn reached out to the Justice Department, which has launched a preliminary investigation,” Thomas said while acting like Biden’s PR agent.
Whining: “Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, who took more than 300 classified documents with him to Mar-a-Lago, refused to turn over all the material for months, which ultimately led the FBI to search his home."
ABC’s attempt to absolve Biden of any blame for his own actions was made possible by IBM. Their information is linked.
To read the transcripts click “expand”:
ABC’s World News Tonight
1/11/2023
6:37:06 p.m. EasternPIERRE THOMAS: The White House emphasizes that as soon as Biden's attorneys discovered the documents, they quickly contacted the National Archives, which in turn reached out to the Justice Department, which has launched a preliminary investigation. Former President Donald Trump, on the other hand, who took more than 300 classified documents with him to Mar-a-Lago, refused to turn over all the material for months, which ultimately led the FBI to search his home.
CBS Evening News
1/11/2023
6:32:19 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: We want to begin with some surprising information that we received just this afternoon, another batch of Biden documents with classified markings were found. Today the White House and the President's lawyers wouldn't answer simple questions about those documents, including what’s in them, and when will we learn more? CBS's Adriana Diaz was the first to report about the original highly classified documents and she’s back with us here again tonight. Good evening, Adriana.
ADRIANA DIAZ: Good evening Norah, tonight we are learning that as part of the Justice Department's review, officials looked at the possibility of classified documents at other locations. And sources tell us the number of sensitive documents found is larger than initially believed.
CBS News has learned that documents marked classified from Joe Biden's tenure as Vice President were found at at least one additional location. This revelation follows the initial discovery of roughly ten classified documents in November of last year at the Penn Biden Center, in this building across from the capitol. A source tells CBS News those documents contained highly classified material and briefings.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: His team handled it the right way.
DIAZ: Today the White House declined to answer repeated questions about when the President learned about the first batch of classified documents and why the discovery wasn't disclosed sooner, citing the Justice Department review.
JEAN-PIERRE: When it is appropriate for us to say more, we will.
DIAZ: But CBS News has learned the President was informed of the classified documents on November 2 of last year, the same day they were found. The White House didn't disclose the information until this Monday, more than two months later, after requests from CBS News.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We're cooperating fully, cooperating fully with the review and which I hope will be finished soon. And we will be more detail at that time.
DIAZ: The White House says proper protocols were followed. The materials were recovered by the National Archives the next day, and the Justice Department was notified. This comes five months after investigators seized over a hundred classified documents at former President Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago.
