On Tuesday afternoon, Jonathan Karl, ABC News Chief White House Correspondent, confronted White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest over President Obama’s appointment of Colleen Bell, a major Obama donor and producer of the soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful, to be the ambassador to Hungary.
Despite the controversy surrounding the appointment, ABC has yet to cover Karl’s questioning on television, but CBS This Morning found the news worth reporting and gave the story more than a minute of coverage during its Wednesday morning broadcast.
During her report, CBS co-host Gayle King highlighted how “there is controversy in Washington this morning over the confirmation of two new ambassadors. Colleen Bell, a major donor to the Obama administration will represent the president in Hungary. Bell is a producer of the CBS soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful.”
King went on to play video of the exchange between Karl and Earnest, without mentioning the ABC reporter by name for obvious reasons:
JOSH EARNEST: She certainly is somebody again that has had her own distinguished private sector career.
JONATHAN KARL: As a soap opera producer, correct?
EARNEST: Well, and as somebody who has obviously succeeded in the business world and she is somebody the president has confidence will be able to maintain our relationship with the government and the people of Hungary.
King concluded her report by mentioning another controversial Obama ambassador “Noah Mamet is now the ambassador to Argentina. He is also an Obama donor. Mamet drew opposition during his confirmation because he doesn't speak Spanish.”
ABC’s unwillingness to cover Jonathan Karl’s combative questioning of the White House appears to be a recurring event on the network. On January 22, Karl pressed Earnest on whether or not the American taxpayers would be footing the bill for Michelle Obama's 50th birthday and ABC predictably ignored the exchange.
On May 21 of this year Karl pressed Josh Earnest on the ongoing VA scandal but ABC couldn’t find time to mention the story. On August 6, Karl grilled President Obama and asked him if he was an “imperial president” but it took ABC nearly 24 hours to cover the combative encounter.
While ABC has yet to cover the confrontation on its airwaves, they did post the video on their website and even included it in their daily "Note" political email : "NOTED: WHITE HOUSE DEFENDS NEW AMBASSADOR. In an exchange with ABC's JONATHAN KARL, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended the pick for her "distinguished private sector career."
See relevant transcript below.
CBS This Morning
December 3, 2014
GAYLE KING: There is controversy in Washington this morning over the confirmation of two new ambassadors. Colleen Bell, a major donor to the Obama administration will represent the president in Hungary. Bell is a producer of the CBS soap opera The Bold And The Beautiful. The president’s press secretary defends her appointment.
JOSH EARNEST: She certainly is somebody again that has had her own distinguished private sector career.
JONATHAN KARL: As a soap opera producer, correct?
EARNEST: Well, and as somebody who obviously has succeeded in the business world and she is somebody the president has confidence will be able to maintain our relationship with the government and the people of Hungary.KING: Ambassadorships are often a reward for big campaign donors but Republican Senator John McCain says Bell’s appointment is a puzzle.
JOHN MCCAIN: Now I'm sure television viewing is important in Hungary, but the fact is that this nominee is totally unqualified for this position in this country.
KING: Meanwhile, Noah Mamet is now the ambassador to Argentina. He is also an Obama donor. Mamet drew opposition during his confirmation because he doesn't speak Spanish.
