National Public Radio sounded like State-Run Radio on the Valentine’s Day Morning Edition. Reporter Asma Khalid touted that Vice President Kamala Harris was headed to Germany to reassure European allies after Donald Trump said he’d encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to allies who won’t spend enough on defense to be a NATO member in good standing.
The talking heads in the story? President Biden denouncing Trump, Munich Security Council president Wolfgang Ischinger taking exception to Trump, and former Democrat congressman and Obama Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. NPR isn't known for running soundbites where Biden mumbles and bumbles. They feature the Trump denunciations: "For God's sake, it's dumb. It's shameful. It's dangerous. It's un-American."
No Republicans were featured in the story. They were only treated as a menace and unreliable ally.
LEILA FADEL, ANCHOR: So how does the vice president reassure them?
KHALID: Well, you know, she can defend the administration's track record. But to step back, the White House is in a tough place right now. They want more aid money for Ukraine. But Republican leaders in the House are blocking that, and it is not clear when and even if Congress will agree to more funding. This White House promised that the Trump era was over - you know, that America was back. So I will say there is a lot at stake, both for the Biden administration's reputation and the United States' credibility as a world leader. Here's former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
LEON PANETTA: The primary responsibility of the vice president is to make clear that, despite these challenges, America's word is still strong and that it can be depended upon.
KHALID: But the reality is, it is going to be difficult for Harris to stand up and say, have faith in the U.S. when even a Democratic president, we are seeing, cannot guarantee additional money for Ukraine because of partisan fights in Congress. The former German ambassador, Ischinger, flatly told me that Europeans are increasingly thinking about a Plan B - how to defend themselves if there is indeed a future in which they cannot depend on the U.S.
On Thursday, NPR.org posted a print version of Asma Khalid's press release. Once again, there were no Republicans quoted, but plenty of Democrats, including Panetta, Biden National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, recently departed Biden aide Amanda Sloat, and former Obama diplomat Stephen Flanagan.
Khalid, who NPR announced is traveling to Germany to cover this trip, awarded Kamala with a puffball holiday interview in 2022.
