Despite Project Veritas releasing bombshell videos on Tuesday of Democratic operatives bragging about paying protesters to disrupt Donald Trump rallies and admitting to voter fraud, the broadcast networks have censored any mention of the scandal. After Tuesday’s evening newscasts skipped the story, on Wednesday, the NBC, ABC, and CBS morning shows maintained the blackout and instead cheered President Obama denouncing Trump’s claims of a “rigged election.”
On NBC’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer proclaimed: “President Obama is hammering Trump over his claims of a rigged election, saying the Republican nominee is ‘whining before the game is even over.’” In the report that followed, correspondent Hallie Jackson fretted: “Trump, on the trail, insists the system’s rigged, even without evidence of widespread voter fraud.”
Soundbites were featured of Obama blasting the Republican nominee during a Rose Garden press conference on Tuesday: “I'd advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes....There is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even rig America's elections.”
In another report touting Obama’s attacks in the 7:30 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Kristen Welker gushed: “President Obama is essentially telling Donald Trump to grow up....Unleashing a scathing rebuke of Trump’s claim that the electoral process is rigged against the GOP.” A clip ran of Obama doing some whining of his own: “It's unprecedented. It happens to be based on no facts. Whenever things are going badly for you and you lose, you start blaming somebody else, then you don't have what takes to be in this job.”
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At the top of the 8 a.m. ET hour, correspondent Andrea Mitchell emphasized: “In Colorado Tuesday, Trump also repeating his claims, based on no evidence, that the election will be rigged....Trump drawing a stern rebuke Tuesday from President Obama.”
Leading off ABC’s Good Morning America, co-host Robin Roberts announced: “The President takes on Trump and his claims of a rigged election.” In the report that followed minutes later, correspondent teed up soundbites of Obama: “The President taking issue with Trump's talk of a rigged election.”
On CBS This Morning, correspondent Major Garrett predicted political damage for Trump raising the topic: “His repeated and unfounded charges of current vote manipulation could hurt Trump in two ways – depressed turnout among his supporters and soured undecided voters turned off by yet another conspiracy theory.”
Moments later, fill-in co-host Margaret Brennan promoted Obama’s remarks: “President Obama accuses Donald Trump of whining about alleged voter fraud. At a White House news conference with Italy's prime minister, the President said he’s tired of hearing it.”
While the media was focused on applauding Obama’s latest Trump bashing, they failed to notice that two top Democratic operatives – Americans United for Change national field director Scott Foval and Democracy Partners Bob Creamer – both lost their jobs after being caught on tape discussing how they helped incite violence at Trump rallies, circumvented election laws, and even perpetrated voter fraud.
The videos would seem to provide at least some evidence to bolster allegations of a “rigged” election system and counter Obama’s denials of the problem. However, the networks conveniently swept the story under the rug.
Here are excerpts of the October 19 morning shows cheerleading for Obama:
Today
7:02 AM ET(...)
MATT LAUER: And President Obama is hammering Trump over his claims of a rigged election, saying the Republican nominee is “whining before the game is even over.”
(...)
BARACK OBAMA: I'd advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.
HALLIE JACKSON: Trump, on the trail, insists the system’s rigged, even without evidence of widespread voter fraud.
DONALD TRUMP: They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt, and you see that.
OBAMA: There is no serious person out there who would suggest somehow that you could even rig America's elections.
(...)
7:32 AM ET
KRISTEN WELKER: It's one of the most personal feuds in the political world and now President Obama is essentially telling Donald Trump to grow up.
OBAMA: I'd advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.
WELKER: Unleashing a scathing rebuke of Trump’s claim that the electoral process is rigged against the GOP.
OBAMA: It's unprecedented. It happens to be based on no facts. Whenever things are going badly for you and you lose, you start blaming somebody else, then you don't have what takes to be in this job.
(...)
8:04 AM ET
ANDREA MITCHELL: In Colorado Tuesday, Trump also repeating his claims, based on no evidence, that the election will be rigged.
TRUMP: They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt, and you see that.
MITCHELL: Trump drawing a stern rebuke Tuesday from President Obama.
OBAMA: I'd advise Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes.
(...)
GMA
7:00 AM ETROBIN ROBERTS: The President takes on Trump and his claims of a rigged election.
BARACK OBAMA: You start whining before the game’s even over, then you don't have what it takes to be in this job.
(...)
7:03 AM ET
OBAMA: I have never seen, in my lifetime or in modern political history, any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place.
TOM LLAMAS: The President taking issue with Trump's talk of a rigged election.
DONALD TRUMP: But they even want to try to rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt.
OBAMA: You start whining before the game’s even over, whenever things are going badly for you and you lose, you start blaming somebody else, then you don't have what it takes to be in this job.
(...)
CBS This Morning
7:04 AM ET(...)
MAJOR GARRETT: His repeated and unfounded charges of current vote manipulation could hurt Trump in two ways – depressed turnout among his supporters and soured undecided voters turned off by yet another conspiracy theory.
DONALD TRUMP: They even want to try and rig the election at the polling booths, where so many cities are corrupt and voter fraud is all too common. I think the media’s trying to discourage our people from getting out and voting. I do. It’s a very crooked group of people.
GARRETT: For those on the Trump train in Colorado, allegations of fraud ring true.
BRADY SARTAIN: You hope. You hope the outcome is legitimate.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I really doubt it would be legitimate vote count.
RAY DAVIS: People voting twice. Dead people voting. Yes.
(...)
7:06 AM ET
MARGARET BRENNAN: President Obama accuses Donald Trump of whining about alleged voter fraud. At a White House news conference with Italy's prime minister, the President said he’s tired of hearing it.
BARACK OBAMA: I’d invite Mr. Trump to stop whining and go try to make his case to get votes. I have never seen, in my lifetime or in modern political history, any presidential candidate trying to discredit the elections and the election process before votes have even taken place.
(...)
