As an observer of the liberal media’s narratives and habits, Fox News host Tucker Carlson noticed that they had suddenly formed a chorus to preach about President Trump’s supposed “cover-up” of the Mueller investigation. He found that their new slogan popped up after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi uttered it earlier Wednesday morning. The Hill's media reporter Joe Concha confirmed the theory to Carlson and even pointed to other instances where the media ran with a Pelosi talking points.
“I think you're seeing a pattern here, Tucker. I remember back in January, the term ‘manufactured crisis’ was used to talk about what was going on at the U.S. southern border,” Concha recalled. “And then you heard over and over, dozens upon dozens of times, not just from one network, but different networks, different anchors or pundits or guests using that same exact term to the word: ‘manufactured crisis’.”
The liberal media changed their tune a few months later when over 200,000 illegal immigrants crossed the border in a two-month time span.
Concha then pointed to when the liberal media seized onto Pelosi’s cries of “constitutional crisis” to help color their coverage. He also cited a NewsBusters study by research analyst Bill D’Agostino confirming it:
And then we have the other crisis, which was the “constitutional crisis”. And that was two weeks ago when Bill Barr, after testified in front of the Senate, decided not to do so with the House when they change the rules around, as far as staffers being able to question him, which had never happened in Congress before. And he said, ‘this is going to be a circus. No thanks, I’m not going to show up’.
So, that became a “constitutional crisis”. And Pelosi says that, as well. Sure enough, the Media Research Center – and I get they're conservative, but the numbers are usually accurate. They found that between May 8 and May 12, that on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, that that exact term, “constitutional crisis”, was uttered 386 times.
After Carlson finished laughing at the MRC's findings, Concha quipped about how “it goes out one mouth, it comes out another mouth” like in “an echo chamber.”
Carlson then wondered if the media’s incessant parroting of Pelosi talking points constituted campaign donations ahead of the election season. Concha wasn’t quite sold on the idea just yet, but noted that “It just seems to be that people are taking their cues from one party in this business, and not the other, particularly from Pelosi.”
As the segment wrapped up, Concha slammed the liberal hacks at the press conference where Pelosi dropped the “cover-up” line for not grilling her on what she meant (click “expand”):
And look, I wanted to hear some reporters yell at her the way Trump is yelled at. What cover-up are you specifically talking about? Who’s involved in this cover-up? Is Bob Mueller involved in this cover-up? Because he’s been reluctant to testify to this point. So, is he also part of the cover-up that now includes, I believe, Bill Barr, Don McGahn, Kato Kaelin, the White House chef? I mean who else is involved in this deep conspiracy of people who otherwise probably don't like the President that much, but are willing to put their careers on the line to cover up for him? It's quite comical, on some level, actually.
“It is kind of amazing. I hope we get to the bottom of it. I know there are Russian there somewhere,” Carlson joked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Tucker Carlson Tonight
May 22, 2019
8:38:06 p.m. Eastern(…)
TUCKER CARLSON: Joe Concha watches an awful lot of television. He writes about media for The Hill, and he joins us tonight. Joe, is it my imagination, or did once again the Speaker of the House deliver the talking point that everyone in cable news eagerly took up and repeated?
JOE CONCHA: I think you're seeing a pattern here, Tucker. I remember back in January, the term "manufactured crisis" was used to talk about what was going on at the U.S. southern border. And then you heard over and over, dozens upon dozens of times, not just from one network, but different networks, different anchors or pundits or guests using that same exact term to the word: “manufactured crisis”.
Now, sure enough, as we know and even The New York Times admits, it's no longer a manufactured crisis at the border, that the real thing. A story for another time.
And then we have the other crisis, which was the “constitutional crisis”. And that was two weeks ago when Bill Barr, after testified in front of the Senate, decided not to do so with the House when they change the rules around, as far as staffers being able to question him, which had never happened in Congress before. And he said, ‘this is going to be a circus. No thanks, I’m not going to show up’.
So, that became a “constitutional crisis”. And Pelosi says that, as well. Sure enough, the Media Research Center – and I get there conservative, but the numbers are usually accurate. They found that between May 8 and May 12, that on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, and MSNBC, that that exact term, “constitutional crisis”, was uttered 386 times.
[Carlson laughs]
I'm not very good at math, but I'm pretty sure that's more than 70 times, if you average it out, per network. So, yeah, it goes out one mouth, it comes out another mouth, and now here we are with “cover-up”, and that will be the next new “constitutional crisis” as far as terms we hear over and over again, as if it’s an echo chamber.
CARLSON: Is it – We’re entering campaign season. There’s a presidential campaign in progress already. At some point, these are campaign finance violations. These are television networks donating to presidential campaigns, to a party, and not declaring it.
CONCHA: That would be very interesting to see that case be made, perhaps. But, no. It just seems to be that people are taking their cues from one party in this business, and not the other, particularly from Pelosi.
And look, I wanted to hear some reporters yell at her the way Trump is yelled at. What cover-up are you specifically talking about? Who’s involved in this cover-up? Is Bob Mueller involved in this cover-up? Because he’s been reluctant to testify to this point. So, is he also part of the cover-up that now includes, I believe, Bill Barr, Don McGahn, Kato Kaelin, the White House chef? I mean who else is involved in this deep conspiracy of people who otherwise probably don't like the President that much, but are willing to put their careers on the line to cover up for him? It's quite comical, on some level, actually.
CARLSON: It is kind of amazing. I hope we get to the bottom of it. I know there are Russian there somewhere. Joe, thank you.
CONCHA: Good to see you.
