When John Bolton first became President Trump’s national security advisor back in March of last year, the liberal broadcast networks were sounding their alarms to warn viewers of his “hardline” and “controversial” positions. But on Tuesday, they clung to reports that Bolton described Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani as a “hand grenade” running something like a “drug deal” in Ukraine.
Of course, the impeachment process was at the top of the to-do list for ABC’s World News Tonight, where sensationalist anchor David Muir announced:
Tonight, Giuliani has acknowledged he made a half-million dollars from that Ukrainian-American businessman, Lev Parnas. He is one of those two men under arrest. They were helping Giuliani investigate Joe Biden and his son. And we have now learned that a key witness testifying that former National Security Advisor John Bolton called Rudy Giuliani a “hand grenade who’s,” quote, “going to blow everyone up.”
Bolton also reportedly wanted White House lawyers alerted to the efforts to pressure Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden, calling it a “drug deal.”
A short time later, ABC congressional correspondent Mary Bruce brought up Bolton’s alleged comments again: “According to The New York Times, [former Russia advisor Fiona] Hill told Congress former National Security Adviser John Bolton, was so concerned he called Giuliani a ‘hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up.’”
There was similar hyping on CBS Evening News from chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes:
In dramatic testimony yesterday, the President's former top Russia adviser, Fiona Hill, told lawmakers that the rogue Ukraine operation outraged the President's former national security adviser, John Bolton, who likened it to a “drug deal,” and urged her to inform the N.S.C.'s top lawyer adding, "Giuliani's a hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up."
And on NBC Nightly News from chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson:
It's another dramatic deposition following the explosive revelations by a former White House official yesterday. NBC News has now learned Fiona Hill testified former National Security Adviser John Bolton called Giuliani a “hand grenade who’s going to blow everyone up,” describing his work in Ukraine as a “drug deal,” according to a source in the room. The New York Times reporting Hill said Bolton was so worried, he told her to alert White House lawyers.
All this hype for Bolton’s alleged statements when these networks were quick to attack him almost a year and a half ago.
At the time, NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander claimed Trump was “building a radically more aggressive foreign policy team.” Muir himself was worried that “National Security Adviser, General H.R. McMaster, he’s out, announced in a tweet from the President. Replaced by the controversial John Bolton.” CBS This Morning, co-host John Dickerson warned viewers that “Bolton is known for advocating hardline positions on Iran and North Korea. His appointment is raising concern about an increased possibility of military conflict in different global crises.”
It’s amazing how quickly the liberal media warm up to someone they detested when they’re seemingly on the same page about President Trump.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 15, 2019
6:32:04 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: Good evening and it's great to have you with us here on a very busy Tuesday night. We have a lot to get to. And we begin tonight with the breaking news on the impeachment showdown. There is a meeting underway right now. House Democrats preparing their next steps. And the other headline involves President Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani.
Tonight, Giuliani has acknowledged he made a half-million dollars from that Ukrainian-American businessman, Lev Parnas. He is one of those two men under arrest. They were helping Giuliani investigate Joe Biden and his son. And we have now learned that a key witness testifying that former National Security Advisor John Bolton called Rudy Giuliani a “hand grenade who’s,” quote, “going to blow everyone up.”
Bolton also reportedly wanted White House lawyers alerted to the efforts to pressure Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden, calling it a “drug deal.” ABC's Mary Bruce leads us off tonight from the Hill.
[Cuts to video]
(…)
6:34:11 p.m. Eastern
MARY BRUCE: Just yesterday, the President's former Russia adviser, Fiona Hill, reportedly testified that Giuliani and his allies in the administration went around official channels, essentially running their own foreign policy to politically benefit the President.
According to The New York Times, Hill told Congress former National Security Adviser, John Bolton, was so concerned he called Giuliani a "hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up." Today, Giuliani fought back, saying, "I'm very disappointed that Bolton's bitterness drives him to attack a friend falsely," adding "It's really ironic that John Bolton is calling anyone else a hand grenade."
(…)
CBS Evening News
October 15, 2019
6:33:18 p.m. Eastern(…)
NANCY CORDES: In dramatic testimony yesterday, the President's former top Russia adviser, Fiona Hill, told lawmakers that the rogue Ukraine operation outraged the President's former national security adviser, John Bolton, who likened it to a “drug deal,” and urged her to inform the N.S.C.'s top lawyer adding, "Giuliani's a hand grenade who's going to blow everybody up."
(…)
NBC Nightly News
October 15, 2019
7:04:38 p.m. Eastern(…)
HALLIE JACKSON: But a career diplomat, George Kent, who oversees Ukraine policy, is complying today with his own congressional subpoena after trying to sound the alarm about Giuliani's push to dig up dirt on the Bidens in Ukraine. According to documents obtained by NBC News, alerting colleagues about what he called a “fake news-driven smear.”
It's another dramatic deposition following the explosive revelations by a former White House official yesterday. NBC News has now learned Fiona Hill testified former National Security Adviser John Bolton called Giuliani a “hand grenade who’s going to blow everyone up,” describing his work in Ukraine as a “drug deal,” according to a source in the room. The New York Times reporting Hill said Bolton was so worried, he told her to alert White House lawyers.
(…)
