For the second time this week, the left turned violent Thursday when a mob of over 1,000 gun control activists stormed the Tennessee State Capitol in what some described as a violent insurrection. Much like their cable news colleagues from earlier in the day, the three evening news broadcasts either ignored or downplayed the violent riots at the Tennessee State Capitol. While the news of the indictment of former President Donald Trump soaked up much of the oxygen in the news cycle late Thursday, the three networks had plenty of time to cover the Tennessee mobs.
ABC’s World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News completely ignored the riots at the Tennessee Capitol in favor of stories on a snowboarder in Washington state being rescued after getting buried in the snow (ABC), and a sitdown interview with a disgruntled former Fox News producer to smear her former employer (NBC).
While CBS Evening News did cover the story, it was only briefly and when the footage of the leftist rioters clashing with capitol police was aired, CBS downplayed the violence.
“Outside Tennessee state capitol building, the second stage of grief. Anger. Thousands of protesters demanding new laws to limit the state's easy access to guns,” correspondent Mark Strassmann said while trying to excuse the riots.
Strassmann then showed comments by two leftist protesters who were in attendance:
COLLEEN WEISS (PROTESTER): It’s the worst feeling to know that I send my children somewhere every day, where they are a target.
STRASSMANN: Outrage bubbled over after the deadliest school shooting in state history. Three children and three staff members dead.
CARNETTA DANSBY (PROTESTER): We have to put something in action. More laws in place.
Illustrating the outrageous double standard in the way they cover violence on each side of the political divide, Strassmann ended his report by seeking to downplay the violence from Thursday: “Inside the packed rotunda, outnumbered troopers worked to control the crowd of teachers, students, and gun-control advocates. They demanded state lawmakers hear them out.”
This outrageous bias by omission from ABC & NBC was made possible by Chase on ABC and Liberty Mutual on NBC. CBS downplaying the leftist riots was made possible by Crest. Their information is linked.
To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
CBS Evening News
3/30/2023
6:38:36 p.m. EasternMARK STRAUSSMAN: Outside Tennessee state capitol building, the second stage of grief. Anger. Thousands of protesters demanding new laws to limit the state's easy access to guns.
COLLEEN WEISS (PROTESTER): It’s the worst feeling to know that I send my children somewhere every day, where they are a target.
STRASSMANN: Outrage bubbled over after the deadliest school shooting in state history. Three children and three staff members dead.
CARNETTA DANSBY (PROTESTER): We have to put something in action. More laws in place.
STRASSMANN: Inside the packed rotunda, outnumbered troopers worked to control the crowd of teachers, students, and gun-control advocates. They demanded state lawmakers hear them out.
REVEREND BRANDON BAXTER (PROTESTER): You hear the voice of God's children saying "Help us, save us, our lives matter."
STRASSMANN: In Washington, D.C., Wednesday, a Democratic Congressman confronted a Republican member about GOP opposition to more gun restrictions.
REP THOMAS MASSIE (R-KY): You know, there’s never been a school shooting in a school that allows teachers to carry.
REP. JAMAAL BOWMAN (D-NV): Carry guns? You think—more guns lead to more death!
STRASSMANN: The grieving behind me moves into a new phase tomorrow with the first funeral for one of the three school children killed in the attack, and remember, all those children were just nine years old. Norah?
