On Monday, CBS This Morning did its best to play up the supposed GOP infighting over how best to fund the Department of Homeland Security while still opposing President Obama’s executive action on immigration.
During a full report, CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes began the network’s coverage of the DHS funding fight by declaring “Republicans took control of both houses of Congress a couple of months ago, promising to reduce gridlock, but they are finding that that is difficult to do especially when one of the biggest divides is within their own party.”
CBS This Morning co-host Charlie Rose introduced Cordes by claiming that “dozens of GOP members are using the Homeland Security budget to fight immigration reform.”
After Cordes insisted that fighting among Republicans has exposed “one of the biggest divides” in the party, the CBS reporter argued that despite House leadership “reading from the same script” the GOP conference was in turmoil:
The goals did not seem to be the same Friday night when several dozen conservatives bucked the Speaker’s plan to fund DHS for three weeks. Conservatives oppose full funding unless the president changes course on immigration.
Cordes never once mentioned the Democrats when describing the political back-and-forth over President Obama’s immigration action and instead insisted that this latest battle adds to a growing list of problems within the Republican Party:
It's the latest in a series of intra-party clashes. On Friday GOP leaders had to cancel a vote on a bill updating education standards after conservatives revolted. In January a tough GOP anti-abortion bill had to be pulled at the last minute after Republican women and more moderate members objected.
The CBS reporter concluded her one-sided coverage of the DHS funding debate by wondering if the GOP can avoid yet another "fiasco":
Speaker Boehner has likened his GOP conference to a family before with all of a family’s ups and downs. It will be interesting to see how those family meetings go this week when Speaker Boehner and the rest of the Republicans try once again to avoid Friday's fiasco and keep the lights on at DHS.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS This Morning
March 2, 2015
CHARLIE ROSE: Republicans on Capitol Hill are trying again this week to avoid a partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security. Congress approved a one-week extension on Friday after the compromise plan fell through. Nancy Cordes is on Capitol Hill where dozens of GOP members are using the Homeland Security budget to fight immigration reform. Nancy, good morning.
NANCY CORDES: Good morning. And you know, Republicans took control of both houses of Congress a couple of months ago, promising to reduce gridlock, but they are finding that that is difficult to do especially when one of the biggest divides is within their own party.
JOHN BOEHNER: We get in an argument over tactics from time to time. The goals are all the same.
CORDES: House GOP leaders were all reading from the same script Sunday trying to downplay an internal party rift.
KEVIN MCCARTHY: We have a difference of opinion in strategy and tactics.
STEVE SCALISE: For instance, on how maybe we want to go about tactics, but our goal is the same.
CORDES: The goals did not seem to be the same Friday night when several dozen conservatives bucked the Speaker’s plan to fund DHS for three weeks. Conservatives oppose full funding unless the president changes course on immigration.
LOUIE GOHMERT: Mr. President, you have usurped far too much power. We can't let you destroy the constitution any further.
CORDES: But Republican leaders say that's a legislative dead end.
HAL ROGERS: To allow a shutdown of these critical functions would be an abdication of one of our primary duties as members of the House.
CORDES: It's the latest in a series of intra-party clashes. On Friday GOP leaders had to cancel a vote on a bill updating education standards after conservatives revolted. In January a tough GOP anti-abortion bill had to be pulled at the last minute after Republican women and more moderate members objected. On Face the Nation John Dickerson asked Speaker Boehner if it's hard to lead in this environment.
BOEHNER: The house is a rambunctious place. We have 435 members. A lot of members have a lot of different ideas about what we should and shouldn’t be doing.
JOHN DICKERSON: Can you lead those members?
BOEHNER: I think so. I think so.
CORDES: Speaker Boehner has likened his GOP conference to a family before with all of a family’s ups and downs. It will be interesting to see how those family meetings go this week when Speaker Boehner and the rest of the Republicans try once again to avoid Friday's fiasco and keep the lights on at DHS. Norah.
NORAH O’DONNELL: Yes. We'll be watching closely. Nancy thank you so much.
