In desperate need of air cover, ABC’s Good Morning America and NBC’s Today (to a lesser extent) rush to the side of Democrats as they remain strongly opposed to a Republican-crafted continuing resolution to keep the government open.
Before Senate Democrats caved to a cloture vote, they looked to pin a possible government shutdown Friday night on the GOP for refusing to write a bill that meets Democratic demands to tell Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to go pound sand.
“We’re going to turn now to the looming government shutdown. Congress facing a deadline tomorrow to pass a spending bill to keep the government running, but Republicans don’t have the votes to overcome Democrats’ objections to Elon Musk’s efforts to evade congressional spending,” GMA co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos proclaimed.
Senior political correspondent Rachel Scott whined “[t]he House is already out on recess and this has now turned into a standoff between Democrats and Republican...unable to strike a deal.”
After a clip of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) complaining “Republicans chose a partisan path” to fund the government “without any input” from Dems, Scott had a case of the sads:
Senate Democrats making it clear they won’t be supporting a bill passed by House Republicans to avert a shutdown. Some arguing it allows President Trump and Elon Musk to continue to gut agencies and slash the federal government without approval from lawmakers, evading congressional spending guidelines, which gives Congress the power to control government spending.
Scott threw out another partisan Democrat soundbite from Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) amid more bitterness (click “expand”):
SENATOR VAN HOLLEN: There’s nothing in this legislation coming from the House that provides any constraints with respect to allowing Elon Musk to continue his illegal rampage throughout the federal government.
SCOTT: Republicans need the support of at least seven Democrats to pass the bill, but showing no signs of agreeing to their demand for a one-month extension.
SENATOR PETE RICKETTS (R-NE): Not right now. Well, it’s all up to the Democrats whether or not they want to close down the government or not.
SCOTT: The standoff putting millions of federal workers at risk of losing a paycheck as Americans are already bracing for higher prices after weeks of tariff whiplash.
Over on NBC, co-host Craig Melvin wondered in a tease: “On the brink. A government shutdown on the table. Senate Democrats set to reject the Republicans’ stopgap bill. With the deadline looming, can lawmakers get on the same page?”
Later, senior White House correspondent Garrett Haake told viewers “Democrats say they don’t want to give a blank check to Donald Trump and Elon Musk to keep slashing the federal government and they don’t want to pass a spending bill they fear the President will simply ignore, but the Republican-controlled House has already passed the GOP spending plan and left town leading to this shutdown standoff today in the Senate.”
He went onto report Trump was “facing a major battle” as “Senate Democrats..will not back a government funding bill written by Republicans and passed in the House on Tuesday...pushing instead both parties to pass a short extension and keep working.”
Haake at least somewhat hinted at the theatrics: “The new defiance from Democrats marking one of their most high-profile showdowns yet with Trump — coming amid deep distress within the party over th e massive cuts his administration and top ally Elon Musk have made in their efforts to reshape the government.”
CBS Mornings wasn’t anywhere near as concerned. Senior White House and campaign correspondent Ed O’Keefe tacked it onto a story about tariffs:
With Congress facing a Friday midnight deadline to fund the government or risk a government shutdown. The Senate is expected to vote on a stopgap six month spending plan on Friday, but Democrats are warning Republicans don’t have the 60 votes necessary to break a potential filibuster and get it passed.
To see the relevant transcripts from March 13, click here (for ABC) and here (for NBC).
