With California Democrat Nancy Pelosi taking up the speaker’s gavel on Thursday, liberal journalists were energized and excited to see how she would take down President Trump. During their evening news programming, the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) gushed about the day’s ceremony on the floor of the House and boasted about how “historic” it was.
“Calling the session to order with her grandchildren, inviting all of the children and grandchildren in the chamber right up to the podium,” touted sensationalist anchor David Muir on ABC’s World News Tonight. “Calling it a ‘new dawn’, Pelosi welcomed the most diverse group of representatives the Congress has ever seen.”
The report was delivered by ABC’s congressional and anti-GOP correspondent Mary Bruce, who boasted: “With her grandchildren by her side, a beaming Nancy Pelosi made a triumphant return to power....With the passing of the gavel, President Trump for the first time faces a divided Congress.” Bruce also flaunted Pelosi’s use of a Reagan quote to taunt congressional Republicans on immigration, and included a soundbite of her snidely asking why they weren’t clapping.
Towards the end of the video portion of her report, Bruce hyped how Pelosi was planning to stick it to Trump:
But the battle lines are already drawn. Congressional Democrats, now armed with subpoena power, are preparing to investigate all aspects of the President's administration and campaign. And Pelosi's not ruling out that Trump could be indicted while still in office.
On the CBS Evening News, congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes enthusiastically announced that “California's Nancy Pelosi regained the speaker's gavel today, announce a dramatically new direction for the House after eight years of Republican control.”
In addition to highlighting the liberal policies Pelosi would be pushing, Cordes also hyped how Democrats were ramping up their committees to investigate the President. “This afternoon, Democratic committee chairs newly vested with subpoena power began to lay out their plans to investigate President Trump and his administration.” Adding:
Democrats filed legislation today to go after the President's tax returns and vowed to reopen a Russia probe House Republicans closed last year. And as Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues his investigation, Pelosi today disputed the Justice Department's claim that a sitting U.S. president can't be indicted.
Meanwhile, on NBC Nightly News, chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson proclaimed “today belongs to her!” But soon lamented: “But Nancy Pelosi's second speakership may be shaped by him, a President confronting a new political universe....as a triumphant Pelosi and her party take over the House.”
“Democrats plan more investigations on the President's tax returns, potential conflicts of interest, and dealings with Russia with Pelosi not ruling out impeachment,” Jackson added.
Clearly, they’re with her.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
January 3, 2019
6:32:02 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening. It's great to have you with us here on a Thursday night. We have a lot to get to tonight. But we're going to begin with that historic power shift in Washington. Democrats taking over the House and making history, with the new makeup of Congress. Nancy Pelosi, the first woman to ever be speaker of the House, now returning for her second run in the role. Calling the session to order with her grandchildren, inviting all of the children and grandchildren in the chamber right up to the podium. Calling it a “new dawn”, Pelosi welcomed the most diverse group of representatives the Congress has ever seen.
And in a surprise move late today, President Trump appearing in the White House briefing room with his own message for Speaker Pelosi. And a reminder tonight, despite the pageantry we saw today, it is now day 13 of the government shutdown. 800,000 Americans are waiting to get paid. Many others won't even get back pay. Mary Bruce leads us off from the hill tonight.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: With her grandchildren by her side, a beaming Nancy Pelosi made a triumphant return to power.
(…)
BRUCE: With the passing of the gavel, President Trump for the first time faces a divided Congress.
(…)
BRUCE: Pelosi invoking Ronald Reagan to send a pointed message on immigration.
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: He said, if we ever close the door to new Americans, our leadership role in the world will soon be lost. Ronald Reagan. No applause for Ronald Reagan?
BRUCE: Then, she summoned her grandchildren to the podium.
(…)
PELOSI: I now call the house to order on behalf of all of America's children.
BRUCE: Pelosi takes power on day 13 of the government shutdown, but at the White House, in an impromptu visit to the briefing room, warm words from President Trump.
(…)
BRUCE: But the battle lines are already drawn. Congressional Democrats, now armed with subpoena power, are preparing to investigate all aspects of the President's administration and campaign. And Pelosi's not ruling out that Trump could be indicted while still in office.
PELOSI: I think that that is an open discussion. I think that's an open discussion in terms of the law.
(…)
CBS Evening News
January 3, 2019
6:32:45 p.m. Eastern(…)
NANCY CORDES: California's Nancy Pelosi regained the speaker's gavel today, announce a dramatically new direction for the House after eight years of Republican control.
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: Keep our sacred promise to the victims and survivors and families of gun violence. [Flash] End discrimination against the LGBTQ community. [Flash] We must also face the existential threat of our time, the climate crisis, a crisis manifested in natural disasters of epic proportion.
(…)
CORDES: This afternoon, Democratic committee chairs newly vested with subpoena power began to lay out their plans to investigate President Trump and his administration.
(…)
CORDES: Democrats filed legislation today to go after the President's tax returns and vowed to reopen a Russia probe House Republicans closed last year. And as Special Counsel Robert Mueller continues his investigation, Pelosi today disputed the Justice Department's claim that a sitting U.S. president can't be indicted.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
January 3, 2019
7:01:50 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Good evening, everyone. It's a new playing field in Washington politics tonight with new faces but a familiar arena. Democrats led by new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi officially now the majority in the House of Representatives. The 116th Congress, the most diverse ever with more than 100 women. Pelosi’s leadership meantime, her second time as speaker, immediately tested by the partial government shutdown and a President staring her down at a high stakes showdown over the border wall. Our Hallie Jackson has the latest.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
HALLIE JACKSON: Today belongs to her.
HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: I now call the House to order on behalf of all of America’s children
JACKSON: But Nancy Pelosi's second speakership may be shaped by him, a President confronting a new political universe …
(…)
JACKSON: … as a triumphant Pelosi and her party take over the House.
(…)
JACKSON: Sworn in during a shutdown standoff, Pelosi's promising progress on climate, health care, and immigration. But with Republicans still controlling the Senate, Congress still has to compromise. Democrats plan more investigations on the President's tax returns, potential conflicts of interest, and dealings with Russia with Pelosi not ruling out impeachment.
(…)
