To show their frustration with the shady way House Democrats were conducting their partisan impeachment crusade, Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) led 41 other Republican Senators in writing a resolution demanding transparency and fairness. But ABC and NBC ignored and minimized their efforts while claiming congressional Republicans were actually angry with President Trump.
“Let’s turn now to the impeachment investigation of President Trump. Republicans tried to step up their defense of the President and calling on the White House to do more,” declared anchor Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News.
In his report, NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander echoed his anchor, suggesting: “Tonight, key Republicans are pushing the White House to come up a more coherent defense strategy,” adding, “Lindsey Graham tonight, saying he has spoken to the White House chief-of-staff, who told him, ‘they’re working on a messaging team together.’”
Alexander wrapped up his report by touting Democrats moving forward with impeachment and minimizing Republican outrage:
Despite the criticism tonight, House Democrats are moving forward with more closed-door hearings beginning this weekend, while Senate Republicans today introduced a resolution demanding Democrats hold a full House vote on impeachment. Lester.
Meanwhile, on ABC’s World News Tonight, senior national correspondent Terry Moran suggested: “Trump's closest allies are increasingly frustrated with what they see as a chaotic White House defense, saying President Trump should take a page from Bill Clinton's impeachment playbook.”
He then twisted Graham’s Clinton impeachment comparison by painting the press conference as Graham venting about the President:
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): What he did is he had a team that was organized. [Transition] President Clinton defended himself, but he never stopped being president. [Transition] And as he governed during impeachment, I think that was the single best thing he did.
MORAN: Still, Senator Lindsey Graham, echoing key talking points, blasted the Democrat's closed-door impeachment proceedings.
So, what do you say to the argument that 47 of your Republican House colleagues, who serve on these committees, they have the right to be in there?
GRAHAM: I would say that if we pulled this stunt, you'd be eating us alive. [Transition] 47 Republican House members feel like it's not working for them.
Luckily, CBS Evening News felt like giving Graham and Senate Republicans a more decent shake. They even included a soundbite of Graham denouncing how the Democrats were running the investigation, with him saying: “There’s a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. And this is a dangerous way to do it.”
“Senate Republicans, led by Lindsey Graham, entered the impeachment fight today with a resolution accusing House Democrats of ‘denying President Trump basic fairness and due process,’” reported chief congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes. “
Cordes helped the viewers understand by explaining why Republicans felt it was important for Trump to be extended all the same benefits as Clinton had during his impeachment:
CORDES: But Graham argues the venue isn't the only problem. His resolution calls on the Democrat-led House to give the minority equal authority to issue subpoenas and give the President's counsel access to the evidence, as President Clinton got during his impeachment process.
GRAHAM: I think if we were doing this, you'd be beating the sh-( bleep ) out of us.
Misleading their audiences on what Republicans found wrong with the Democratic-led impeachment process and misleading on how Republicans wanted to make the process fairer, only served to aid Democratic efforts to remove Trump from office by making seem like the right was just whining.
Help fight against the liberal media's impeachment crusade
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
October 24, 2019
6:40:46 p.m. Eastern(…)
TERRY MORAN: The President today tweeting, "Thank you to the House Republicans for being tough, smart and understanding in detail the greatest witch hunt in American history."
But some of Trump's closest allies are increasingly frustrated with what they see as a chaotic White House defense, saying President Trump should take a page from Bill Clinton's impeachment playbook.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): What he did is he had a team that was organized. [Transition] President Clinton defended himself, but he never stopped being president. [Transition] And as he governed during impeachment, I think that was the single best thing he did.
MORAN: Still, Senator Lindsey Graham, echoing key talking points, blasted the Democrat's closed-door impeachment proceedings.
So, what do you say to the argument that 47 of your Republican House colleagues, who serve on these committees, they have the right to be in there?
GRAHAM: I would say that if we pulled this stunt, you'd be eating us alive. [Transition] 47 Republican House members feel like it's not working for them.
(…)
CBS Evening News
October 24, 2019
6:34:34 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Today, President Trump thanked House Republicans who staged a protest at a close-door impeachment session yesterday, and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham introduced a resolution condemning the inquiry. Nancy Cordes has more tonight from Capitol Hill.
[Cuts to video]
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): There’s a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. And this is a dangerous way to do it.
NANCY CORDES: Senate Republicans, led by Lindsey Graham, entered the impeachment fight today with a resolution accusing House Democrats of “denying President Trump basic fairness and due process.” Graham had come straight from a soul-bearing lunch with President Trump.
(…)
6:35:56 p.m. Eastern
CORDES: But Graham argues the venue isn't the only problem. His resolution calls on the Democrat-led House to give the minority equal authority to issue subpoenas and give the President's counsel access to the evidence, as President Clinton got during his impeachment process.
GRAHAM: I think if we were doing this, you'd be beating the sh-( bleep ) out of us.
(…)
NBC Nightly News
October 24, 2019
7:06:57 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Let’s turn now to the impeachment investigation of President Trump. Republicans tried to step up their defense of the President and calling on the White House to do more. Here is NBC's Peter Alexander.
[Cuts to video]
PETER ALEXANDER: Tonight, key Republicans are pushing the White House to come up a more coherent defense strategy.
(…)
ALEXANDER: Lindsey Graham tonight, saying he has spoken to the White House chief-of-staff, who told him, “they’re working on a messaging team together.”
(…)
ALEXANDER: Despite the criticism tonight, House Democrats are moving forward with more closed-door hearings beginning this weekend, while Senate Republicans today introduced a resolution demanding Democrats hold a full House vote on impeachment. Lester.
(…)
