Anytime there’s the possibility of a government shutdown, one can count on the liberal media to throw hissy fits blaming Republicans as wanting to leave the elderly financially broke, kids starved of preschool, and/or Big Bird killed to name a few of the usual scare tactics. ABC’s Good Morning America wrote another chapter Wednesday in that never-ending act of liberal media bias as they decried “hardline” and “hard-right” Republicans for demanding spending cuts.
This time? ABC screeched Republicans would inflict misery on those recovering from natural disasters, keep members of the military from being paid, and thwart children from participation in Head Start programs.
Since when does ABC make a consistent habit of using “hardline” or “hard-left” in its vocabulary when talking about Democrats?
Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos had an opening tease fretting the GOP won’t acquiesce to President Biden’s spending proposals: “House Republicans at odds with the President less than two weeks until a possible government shutdown.”
“Speaker McCarthy under the gun as hard line Republicans block a defense spending bill. A blow to the speaker as he struggles to find the votes in his own party to avert a shutdown,” he added.
With “Hardliners” in the chyron, Stephanopoulos led the show with the “setback for Speaker McCarthy” as “[h]ard line Republicans blocked a defense spending bill from advancing as McCarthy struggles to get enough votes from his own party.”
Senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott echoed that sentiment, fretting McCarthy was “facing increasing pressure to unite his party and avert a government shutdown” and thus being stuck “in a perilous position” with threats of ouster from a “rebellion within his own ranks.”
Scott continued: “It’s the biggest test for the Speaker since the debt ceiling showdown, with members of his own caucus demanding deeper cuts and stricter border policies. Both nonstarters for the Democrats in the Senate.”
Fretting the lack of Ukraine funding in the GOP proposal, Scott was shown hectoring McCarthy if he’d promise there would be “another round of funding for Ukraine.”
With the Biden White House listed as her source, Scott threw up a graphic of things the regime wants her to highlight as being affected if a shutdown occurs.
If the government does shut down, more than four million government workers could lose pay, including some military troops and members of law enforcement. Money would run out for disaster relief and 10,000 children would lose access to Head Start. With time running out, some Republicans now begging the hard-right members of their party to reverse course.
After a news brief on it in the second half-hour, Stephanopoulos wrapped his interview with Biden Secretary of State Blinken in the 8:00 a.m. Eastern hour with a softball wondering “what would it mean for the State Department, U.S. diplomatic efforts” if the government shuts down.
Blinken, of course, gave Stephanopoulos an answer he was looking for, lamenting in part that “it makes everything” his department does “harder”, including “keep[ing] [the American people] secure” and “make peace in conflicts and deal with the issues that are having an impact on the lives of Americans.”
Wednesday’s tiresome, predictably anti-conservative spin was brought to you by advertisers such as Dell and Progressive. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant ABC transcript from September 20, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
September 20, 2023
7:00 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Under the Gun; Shutdown Showdown]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: House Republican — House Republicans at odds with the President less than two weeks until a possible government shutdown. Speaker McCarthy under the gun as hard line Republicans block a defense spending bill. A blow to the speaker as he struggles to find the votes in his own party to avert a shutdown.
(....)
7:03 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Shutdown Showdown; Speaker McCarthy Under Pressure as GOP Hardliners Block Defense Spending Bill]
STEPHANOPOULOS: We’re going to begin, though, with that potential government shutdown. The clock is ticking down. Another setback for Speaker McCarthy. Hard line Republicans blocked a defense spending bill from advancing as McCarthy struggles to get enough votes from his own party. Senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott is on Capitol Hill with the latest. Good morning, Rachel.
RACHEL SCOTT: George, good morning. And this was a major defeat for House Republicans overnight. They couldn’t even get enough votes to pass their own defense spending bill, raising more questions about whether Speaker McCarthy can get the votes to avoid a government shutdown. This morning, with the clock ticking, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy facing increasing pressure to unite his party and avert a government shutdown.
HOUSE SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA): I don’t think it’s right that government shuts down and that’s why I’m doing everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t happen.
SCOTT: But the rebellion within his own ranks leaves McCarthy in a perilous situation. Some even calling him a weak speaker, threatening to oust him.
CONGRESSMAN MATT GAETZ (R-FL): [on Real America Voice’s Bannon’s War Room]: Kevin McCarthy would never put anything above his own power and his own ambition. [SCREEN WIPE] He’s not just an ineffective leader, but a morally bankrupt one.
SCOTT: It’s the biggest test for the Speaker since the debt ceiling showdown, with members of his own caucus demanding deeper cuts and stricter border policies. Both nonstarters for the Democrats in the Senate.
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): Slapdash because it’s not a serious proposal for avoiding a shutdown.
SCOTT: The Republican proposal doesn’t include any of the $24 billion the White House is requesting for Ukraine. McCarthy preparing to meet with Zelenskyy tomorrow, making no promises. [TO MCCARTHY] Will you commit to another round of funding for Ukraine?
MCCARTHY: Is Zelenskyy elected to Congress? Is he our president? I don’t think I have to commit anything.
SCOTT: If the government does shut down, more than four million government workers could lose pay, including some military troops and members of law enforcement. Money would run out for disaster relief and 10,000 children would lose access to Head Start. With time running out, some Republicans now begging the hard-right members of their party to reverse course.
CONGRESSMAN ANTHONY D’ESPOSITO (R-NY): We came here and we took an oath when the 118th Congress began to do the people’s work. And to govern. And right now we have certain individuals holding that work hostage.
SCOTT: So, Congress has just 11 days to avoid a government shutdown. Pretty much every Republican and Democrat here on Capitol Hill wants to avoid this, but they cannot figure out a solution on how to do it, George.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Okay, Rachel, thanks.
(....)
7:30 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Right Now; Shutdown Showdown]
STEPHANOPOULOS: House Speaker McCarthy facing increasing political pressure after five members of his own party voted against defense spending bill. That throws into question whether the Speaker can round up enough votes to prevent a government shutdown.
(....)
8:04 a.m. Eastern
STEPHANOPOULOS: Final question. It appears the United States may be on the verge of another government shutdown. Seems to be some stalling on the government funding bills in the House. What would that mean for the State Department, U.S. diplomatic efforts?
SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN: Look, it makes everything harder. We, of course, would do everything we can to make sure we're doing the work of the country, the work that we're trying to do on behalf of Americans to help keep them secure, to help continue to make peace in conflicts and deal with the issues that are having an impact on the lives of Americans. But it would make everything much more difficult. From my perspective, look, it's important that the government be able to continue to function and that we continue to be able to go around the world helping top solve problems that are having an impact on Americans. Here in New York just this week, we've been dealing with everything from food insecurity to climate change to energy. We brought 100 countries together to deal with the scourge of fentanyl that is killing more Americans between 18-49 than anything else. These are the kinds of things we can do when we're out in the world bringing countries together, using our diplomacy to try to find answers to problems that people are facing. If the government shuts down, it’s going to be harder to do that.
