Ahead of the start of the confirmation hearing for Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Monday, NBC’s Today show made sure that it would recite every single Democratic Party talking point in order to manipulate people into viewing the proceeding negatively. From warning about Barrett’s “devout Catholic faith” to claiming she would take away the health care of millions, the leftist network had no shame in its blatantly partisan coverage.
“In her opening statement, obtained by NBC News, Barrett won’t mention her conservatism or devout Catholic religious views,” congressional correspondent Kasie Hunt fretted, seeming to want Barrett to self-label. Hunt further sounded the alarm that Barrett would “cement a conservative majority on the Court” and “signed on to a 2006 newspaper ad calling the legacy of Roe vs. Wade ‘barbaric.’”
Promising that the federal judge would “face questions about abortion,” Hunt teed up a clip of Hawaii Democratic Senator Mazie Hirono declaring: “I will be focused on her stated views on a women’s right to choose.”
Wanting to make sure that the DNC’s other major narrative got air time, the reporter continued: “Democrats also warning she could be the deciding vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act, with arguments in a critical case set for just days after the election.”
Raising concerns over the coronavirus at the hearing, Hunt touted how “Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, is also on the Committee. Attending the hearings virtually from her Senate office tweeting that, ‘Republicans are endangering lives.’”
Wrapping up her taped report, Hunt decided to remind viewers how contentious the eventual confirmation vote will be because of Democrats: “And we know Barrett is expected to ultimately be confirmed on a party line vote. And if that happens, it’s going to be the most partisan vote for a Supreme Court justice in modern history.”
After fill-in co-host Willie Geist asked a question about Harris participating in the hearing, Hunt eagerly gushed over Democrats fundraising off the nomination:
So Republicans are really hoping that this energizes traditional Republican voters. Perhaps voters who have decided they don’t want to vote for President Trump but that they might be willing to vote to keep a Republican Senate for questions like this very one about the Supreme Court. But Democrats have seen just an absolute wave of donations, money coming in from people who are motivated by this very question, especially because it’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat.
Talking to justice correspondent Pete Williams minutes later, co-host Savannah Guthrie announced: “And there has also been of course a lot of poring over her past writings as a judge and as a scholar, and abortion, as always in these matters, taking center stage.” Williams emphasized that “her opposition to abortion is well-known,” but cautioned that “the task for Democrats is how to probe her views on abortion, given her deeply-held Catholic faith, without sounding like they’re attacking her religion.”
At the top of the 9:00 a.m. ET hour, just moments before the hearing began, Hunt returned to preview how Democrats would push their propaganda during the hearing:
...what we’re gonna hear Democrats focus on today. Just a week or so after the election, the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments on the Affordable Care Act. It’s a lawsuit that would basically strike down that law. And Amy Coney Barrett, if confirmed, would be in a position to potentially rule on that. So Democrats today, you’ll see in a few minutes, planning on displaying photos of constituents who could stand to lose their health care if that were to happen.
The coverage was entirely focused on how Democrats would get their messages across and their strategy for going after Barrett. NBC thinks its job is to echo whatever left-wing lawmakers tell them.
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Here is a transcript of the October 12 coverage:
7:07 AM ET
(...)
KASIE HUNT: The Supreme Court taking center stage this morning. Judge Amy Coney Barrett set to tell the Judiciary Committee that the courts are, quote, “not designed to solve he ever problem or right every wrong in our public life.” In her opening statement, obtained by NBC News, Barrett won’t mention her conservatism or devout Catholic religious views, writing, quote, “Americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our Constitution and laws as they are written.”
AMY CONEY BARRETT: Judges are not policymakers.
HUNT: Republicans confident they have the votes to confirm Barrett, who will replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg and cement a conservative majority on the Court. As a Notre Dame law professor, Barrett signed on to a 2006 newspaper ad calling the legacy of Roe vs. Wade “barbaric” and she’ll face questions about abortion.
SEN. MAZIE HIRONO [D-HI]: I will be focused on her stated views on a women’s right to choose.
HUNT: Democrats also warning she could be the deciding vote to strike down the Affordable Care Act, with arguments in a critical case set for just days after the election.
The pandemic will make this hearing unlike any before. Judiciary Committee chairman Lindsey graham denying a request from Committee Democrats to require COVID testing for all members before the hearing. Even though two Republicans on the Committee tested positive for COVID-19. Joe Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, is also on the Committee. Attending the hearings virtually from her Senate office tweeting that, “Republicans are endangering lives.”
SEN. TED CRUZ [R-TX]: I think they are looking for anything to delay things even a day or two or three.
HUNT: So instead of testing, senators, staffers, and press are being asked to fill out a self-screening questionnaire before they come here to this hearing room.
And we know Barrett is expected to ultimately be confirmed on a party line vote. And if that happens, it’s going to be the most partisan vote for a Supreme Court justice in modern history, Willie.
WILLIE GEIST: And Kasie, these hearings, of course, begin just 22 days before Election Day. How is this playing out on the campaign trail with so many players, including Senator Kamala Harris, directly involved?
HUNT: Of course. So Republicans are really hoping that this energizes traditional Republican voters. Perhaps voters who have decided they don’t want to vote for President Trump but that they might be willing to vote to keep a Republican Senate for questions like this very one about the Supreme Court. But Democrats have seen just an absolute wave of donations, money coming in from people who are motivated by this very question, especially because it’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat. So this is expected to be the battle in the final weeks leading up to Election Day, Willie.(...)
7:10 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And there has also been of course a lot of poring over her past writings as a judge and as a scholar, and abortion, as always in these matters, taking center stage.
PETE WILLIAMS: Right, I think we’ll hear a lot about this. Her opposition to abortion is well-known. Not just because she signed onto those newspaper ads in 2006 and 2013, when she was a law professor, condemning Roe v. Wade. I think the task for Democrats is how to probe her views on abortion, given her deeply-held Catholic faith, without sounding like they’re attacking her religion.
(...)
9:01 AM ET
(...)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: As we watch this unfold, these few moments before the hearing gets underway, I want to go to NBC’s Kasie Hunt, who covers Capitol Hill for us. And Kasie, of course this comes at a time when we’re very close to Election Day. In fact, some people are already voting in states that allow early voting. And that itself is the backdrop and the controversy that underscores this moment.
KASIE HUNT: So many ballots even already cast, Savannah, and that incredibly heated political crucible, really, that we are in is the backdrop for this hearing. And that is, of course, a big part of why Republicans want to move so quickly to try and put Amy Coney Barrett on the Court. This hearing just 16 days after she was nominated. And they want to take this to a final vote on the floor before Election Day.
And part of the reason for that is what we’re gonna hear Democrats focus on today. Just a week or so after the election, the Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments on the Affordable Care Act. It’s a lawsuit that would basically strike down that law. And Amy Coney Barrett, if confirmed, would be in a position to potentially rule on that. So Democrats today, you’ll see in a few minutes, planning on displaying photos of constituents who could stand to lose their health care if that were to happen.
(...)
