ABC’s Good Morning America did its best Tuesday to earn brownie points from its friends in the Biden White House as they touted their hapless attempt to trash oil companies and threaten them with new taxes if they don’t (artificially) lower prices and surrender their profit margins.
As we’ve repeatedly covered (see here, here, here, here, and here), multiple attempts from Fox’s Peter Doocy, Jacqui Heinrich, and Edward Lawrence to point out either they can’t simply lower prices (to whatever Biden views as reasonable), that there hasn’t been price gouging, or explain why the administration’s stance toward fossil fuel companies have harmed domestic production. But that didn’t matter to ABC.
“Biden versus Big Oil. The President accusing companies of war profiteering, his new threat, and the response from Big Oil,” boasted co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos.
Fellow co-host Michael Strahan also did his part and gushed that “President Biden is trying to take on Big Oil, threatening to impose new taxes on the industry's record profits,” since there’s “just seven days until those midterm elections” and half of voters saying in a new ABC News poll that the economy and inflation are their top issue.
Chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega made it three-for-three in the shilling, insisting Biden and his team have “been laser-focused on these gas prices heading into these midterms and they are pointing out facts like the giant oil companies...Exxon, Chevron, and Shell...reported profits...totaling more than $40 billion.”
Being the only network to cover Monday’s remarks on the matter, Vega touted how Biden “us[ed] his strongest words yet” by “accusing these oil companies of ‘war profiteering,’” and “threatening to go after what he calls these record profits if gas prices don't fall.”
Instead of offering a fact check on how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has yet to say if there’s been price gouging, Vega’s so-called “reality check” was that Biden’s proposal would require an act of Congress and they’re out until after the midterms.
Nonetheless, Vega closed by insisting that the regime “knows that people are filling out their ballots as we speak and that gas prices are top of mind, so that's why you're seeing this push right now.”
“That makes a lot of sense,” replied co-host Amy Robach.
Tuesday’s Biden PR push was brought to you by advertisers such as Carmax and Vicks. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcript form November 1, click “expand.”
ABC’s Good Morning America
November 1, 2022
7:02 a.m. Eastern [TEASE][ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Biden vs. Big Oil; President’s New Threat]
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Biden versus Big Oil. The President accusing companies of war profiteering, his new threat and the response from Big Oil.
(....)
7:13 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; President Biden Takes on Big Oil; Accuses Companies of “War Profiteering”, Threatens Windfall Tax]
MICHAEL STRAHAN: And as we count down just seven days until those midterm elections, 50 percent of voters say inflation and the economy are their top concerns. And now, President Biden is trying to take on Big Oil, threatening to impose new taxes on the industry's record profits. Our chief white house correspondent Cecilia Vega has more. Good morning, Cecilia.
CECILIA VEGA: Hey, Michael. Good morning from a foggy White House here. President Biden knows that gas prices can make or break this election, so the White House has been laser focused on these gas prices heading into these midterms and they are pointing out facts like the giant oil companies like Exxon, Chevron, and Shell — they reported profits last week totaling more than $40 billion. This at a time — we were talking about it when we were seeing record gas prices in so much of the country. So now, the President is using his strongest words yet. He is accusing these oil companies of “war profiteering”. He’s threatening to go after what he calls these record profits if gas prices don't fall. He says he’s going to try to work with Congress to come up with legislative options, but look, I want to give you a reality check. Congress is out until after the election. If Republicans take control, going after Big Oil is likely going to be impossible because Republicans have said that the administration should do away with some of these regulations to increase production, but, Amy, the White House, the President knows that people are filling out their ballots as we speak and that gas prices are top of mind, so that's why you're seeing this push right now.
AMY ROBACH: That makes a lot of sense. Alright, Cecilia, thank you.
