PANTS ON FIRE: ABC Defends El-Sayed, Claims Islamist Ties Are ‘Without Evidence’

Disney-owned ABC’s Good Morning America has long been the most liberal of the broadcast network morning shows, so it was only natural that they would lie on the train tracks to defend Michigan Democrat senatorial candidate Abdul el-Sayed by claiming Republican candidate Mike Rogers claimed “without evidence” that el-Sayed has ties “to Islamic extremists” in the Muslim Brotherhood.

Surprisingly, neither Mary Bruce nor Rachel Scott was sent to level this pants-on-fire lie in both the first and second hours. D.C.-based correspondent Jay O’Brien took this assignment and did his part for The Cause.

Filing from Maine, O’Brien told viewers that Wednesday night saw “a fiery debate in Michigan in a race that could determine control of the Senate,” where “Rogers, without providing evidence, attempt[ed] to link el-Sayed to Islamic extremists.”

O’Brien framed it as out of nowhere and beyond the pale:

ROGERS: Are you for America or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?

O’BRIEN: El-Sayed, who would be the nation’s first Muslim senator, calling Rogers line of questioning shameful.

EL-SAYED: To bring into a question my commitment to the Constitution is really beneath you. I am proud of America. I’m proud to be American. I’m proud of our Constitution that guarantees all of us the right to pray as we choose to pray.

While the first hour’s toolish take was made in a voice-over, O’Brien delivered the lie in the second hour during a live take and truncated report: “Rogers, without evidence, attempting to link el-Sayed to Islamic extremism. El-Sayed called those questions ‘shameful.’”

Notice how O’Brien never actually said the words “Muslim Brotherhood,” likely so as to keep low-information voters from seeking out further information that would yield results in, say, our friends at the Washington Free Beacon (see here, here, here, or here), Hot Air, or even The New York Times that would have shown there’s more than a little smoke.

The rest of both reports were predictably slanted on the left’s terms.

Back to the first hour, O’Brien cheered on Kansas Democrat Adam Hamilton (click “expand”):

O’BRIEN: In Kansas, a traditionally deep-red state, has turned into a battleground where Democrat Adam Hamilton looks to unseat Republican Senator Roger Marshall. Hamilton, a pastor, pressing Marshall over his votes to keep the Iran war going.

HAMILTON: My hope is that, in January, we’re going to bring a bill to really force the — the President to bring this war to a conclusion very quickly. Kansans need that. Americans need that. They’re crying out for it.

O’BRIEN: But Marshall standing by his votes.

MARSHALL: I want this war to be over just as soon as possible, but we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.

Before going over to the controversial Ohio gubernatorial ad, O’Brien boasted that Trump has had to visit “deep GOP strongholds as races tighten nationwide, including South Carolina overnight, stumping for Darline Graham” at a rally with a slew of protesters removed, including one in which they were punched, leading to “the President applaud[ing]” the MAGA supporter. 

O’Brien later concluded that he’s “heard from voters here in Maine and across the country who supported President Trump, who now say they’re having second thoughts because of the rising cost of living.”

Continuing this theme of letting Good Morning America co-hosts openly admit they’re liberal hacks, co-host Michael Strahan responded in agreement with the anti-Trump sentiment: “Yeah. And a lot of people feel that way.”

The Michigan debate and Muslim Brotherhood were also floated on CBS Mornings and NBC’s Today.

On CBS, the teases and initial portion of their midterms story focused on the Palmetto State rally and/or the punches thrown at protesters.

Co-host and former NFL player Nate Burleson said Trump had to go to South Carolina even though “Republicans usually dominate,” but Graham remains “in a tight race to win a full term[.]”

Senior White House correspondent mentioned the rally before zooming out to state as a way to pivot to Ohio that, “[f]rom campaign rallies...to the political ads, many contests are contentious.”

She closed with the Michigan debate, merely stating, “Rogers accused el-Sayed of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood” (click “expand”):

JIANG: In another high-profile race, for U.S. Senate in Michigan, candidates Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul el-Sayed faced off in a heated debate Wednesday night. The two clashed on immigration, high prices, and the war in Iran.

EL-SAYED: You stand hip-to-hip with Donald Trump on his worst policies, the policies rising your gas, making it impossible to afford your groceries, and you’re going to hear a form of MAGA bingo because, the thing about MAGA is, when they are talking, they want to distract you.

ROGERS: He wants to make this about Donald Trump. The bingo game ought to be how many times can he put Trump in an answer.

JIANG: And, once again, Rogers accused el-Sayed of having ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

EL-SAYED: He keeps raising this question about this association about an organization I have never been a part of because my mom is a nurse in Missouri? It doesn’t make sense.

NBC’s Today had even less of a focus on Michigan. But when it came to the Muslim Brotherhood exchange, senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez played a truncated version without commentary:

GUTIERREZ: In Michigan, another contentious debate between Senate hopefuls, Democrat Abdul el-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers.

ROGERS [TO EL-SAYED]: Are you for America or are you for these terrorist groups overseas?

EL-SAYED: To bring into question my commitment to the Constitution is really beneath you. I am proud of America. I am proud to be an American.

Like CBS, the focus began with the South Carolina rally, which Gutierrez made sure to note “hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate in almost three decades.”

Gutierrez also dropped in on Kansas, and correctly framed Trump’s red state travels as “boosting the base” towards turnout (click “expand”):

GUTIERREZ: In Kansas, another typically deep-red state, incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall is running neck and neck with challenger Adam Hamilton. The two clashing in a debate overnight over the President’s war with Iran, which is unpopular with voters.

HAMILTON: Failed to support ending the war.

MARSHALL: I want this war to be over just as soon as possible recalling, but we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.

(....)

GUTIERREZ: Busy few days. Heads to Iowa today, then Georgia and Michigan. Battleground Senate races that are down to the wire and, next week, he’s also scheduled to go to deep-red Mississippi and Texas in the hopes of boosting the base. Now, two senior administration officials tell NBC News that the President is expected to roll out more economic announcements, what he refers to as goodies, at midterm rallies, some of which are contingent on Republicans keeping control of Congress.

To see the relevant transcripts from October 22, click here (for ABC), here (for CBS), and here (for NBC).