Given that ABC’s World News Tonight bookended the newscast with over 11 minutes (11:04) on former Vice President Joe Biden’s selection of Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) to be his 2020 Democratic running mate, it was obvious they were in love with their ticket. Beyond that, senior congressional correspondent Mary Bruce and Chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl were disgusted with the Trump campaign’s accurate portrayal of Harris as a “radical” and “progressive.”
“And we begin here tonight with the news that broke late today. The historic decision from former Vice President Joe Biden, revealing today Senator Kamala Harris was his choice for a running mate,” began anchor David Muir in the nauseatingly doting newscast.
As if the announcement was some kind of monumental moment for the country, Muir gushed about a Twitter “heat map.” “It shows where the tweets were most concentrated when the news was announced and how quickly it spread across the country,” he boasted to viewers.
And instead of leaving it for Bruce to cover, Muir also rambled on about what Biden had to say about his pick (click “expand”):
If elected, she would be the first woman vice president, the first African-American vice president, she would be the highest-ranking Asian-American in U.S. history. In a statement announcing his decision, Biden called Harris “smart”, “tough” and “ready to lead,” saying “she'll be the best partner in the battle for the soul of this nation.”
(…)
Tonight here, who is Kamala Harris? Her childhood, her firsts, the history she's made already. And what about all of that talk about Senator Harris took aim at Biden on the debate stage during the primaries? And the former Vice President himself and his own notes on Kamala Harris in recent days, captured in a photo, in his own writing, writing "Do not hold grudges." It seemed to be a major hint that this was coming.
“Tonight, for the first time in our nation's history, a black woman is on the ticket. After weeks of speculation, Joe Biden this afternoon over video chat informing Senator Kamala Harris of his historic decision,” Bruce touted after Muir finally got to her report.
In a way that suggested any criticism of Harris was just a political tactic, Bruce cautioned viewers. “Even before Biden announced his decision, the Trump campaign warned they would try to paint Biden's pick as a radical. Just moments ago, the President himself attacking Harris,” she scoffed.
But in reality, Harris’s own words betrayed her radical, far-left ideology; including Medicare for All, eliminating private insurance, supporting the Green New Deal, and entertaining the idea of letting the Boston Marathon bomber vote.
In a follow-up segment spotlighting Harris’s life growing up, correspondent Lindsey Davis praised Harris for her career:
She graduated from Howard University and the University of California. And at 55, she's no stranger of making history. She was the first African-American woman to be elected district attorney in San Francisco and the first woman to serve as California's attorney general. She became a Senator in 2016. Known for her prosecutorial style in Senate hearings. Today, she's also the first black woman, the first Asian-American woman, on a presidential ticket.
A short time later, it was Karl’s turn to defend Harris by obfuscating the truth. “Well, the Trump campaign will make a big deal over the fact that Harris criticized Biden so harshly during the campaign,” he told Muir. “They'll try to portray her as a far-left progressive, but she is a tougher target than many of the others who Biden was considering.”
Of course, there was no mention of Harris’s pledge to a CNN town hall crowd that she would take executive action against gun rights in the first 100 days of her presidency. It was the same town hall where she tossed around the idea of lowering the voting age to 16.
This pro-Biden defense of Sen. Harris was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Aleve, Fisher Investments, and Liberty Mutual. Their contact information is below if you want to let them know about what they’re funding.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
August 11, 2020
6:32:24 p.m. EasternDAVID MUIR: And we begin here tonight with the news that broke late today. The historic decision from former Vice President Joe Biden, revealing today Senator Kamala Harris was his choice for a running mate. The campaign posting this image of Biden at his home in Delaware today, in a zoom chat with Harris, asking her to join him on the ticket.
If elected, she would be the first woman vice president, the first African-American vice president, she would be the highest-ranking Asian-American in U.S. history. In a statement announcing his decision, Biden called Harris “smart”, “tough” and “ready to lead,” saying “she'll be the best partner in the battle for the soul of this nation.”
News of Biden's choice spread across Twitter, in fact, what they call a heat map right here late today. It shows where the tweets were most concentrated when the news was announced and how quickly it spread across the country.
Tonight here, who is Kamala Harris? Her childhood, her firsts, the history she's made already. And what about all of that talk about Senator Harris took aim at Biden on the debate stage during the primaries? And the former Vice President himself and his own notes on Kamala Harris in recent days, captured in a photo, in his own writing, writing "Do not hold grudges." It seemed to be a major hint that this was coming.
And tonight, President Trump, just moments ago, weighing in on this pick. ABC's Mary Bruce leading us off.
[Cuts to video]
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, for the first time in our nation's history, a black woman is on the ticket. After weeks of speculation, Joe Biden this afternoon over video chat informing Senator Kamala Harris of his historic decision.
(…)
BRUCE: Biden and Harris have a personal family connection, first meeting through Biden's late son Beau, when he and Harris were both state attorneys general. Four years later, after Beau Biden died from brain cancer, Harris saying, "I still miss him."
(…)
BRUCE: Even before Biden announced his decision, the Trump campaign warned they would try to paint Biden's pick as a radical. Just moments ago, the President himself attacking Harris.
(…)
LINDSEY DAVIS: She graduated from Howard University and the University of California. And at 55, she's no stranger of making history. She was the first African-American woman to be elected district attorney in San Francisco and the first woman to serve as California's attorney general. She became a Senator in 2016. Known for her prosecutorial style in Senate hearings. Today, she's also the first black woman, the first Asian-American woman, on a presidential ticket.
(…)
MUIR: President Trump already weighing in, as you saw at the top tonight, saying he was a little surprised, given what he says, how nasty he believed she was to Joe Biden on that debate stage. So, I want to get right to our chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl. Because, Jon, you heard the President was also asked if Kamala Harris makes this a stronger ticket.
(…)
MUIR: The President just before we came on the air tonight. And Jon, what are you hearing from the Trump campaign tonight? We know this Fall, Kamala Harris will be on that debate stage up against Vice President Mike Pence.
JON KARL: Well, the Trump campaign will make a big deal over the fact that Harris criticized Biden so harshly during the campaign. They'll try to portray her as a far-left progressive, but she is a tougher target than many of the others who Biden was considering.
