The broadcast networks doubled down Wednesday in their defense of the woke general, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, going from beyond just circling the wagons to building out a fort backed by President Joe Biden. Each of the “big three” were out to paint him as a hero who single-handedly kept President Trump from destroying the world, a delusion they and Milley wished was true. They even tried to rationalize his promise to China to sell out America if we attacked.
Again, the CBS Evening News was the most enthusiastic Milley defender, especially considering ViacomCBS includes the publisher of the Bob Woordward and Robert Costa book that glorified Milley. Once they got to the story, anchor Norah O’Donnell and chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes rushed to get a soundbite of Biden on-screen to support the treasonous general:
O’DONNELL: Well, tonight, the President and the Pentagon are defending the nation's top military officer after bombshell revelations that he reached out to China, fearing a war in the final days of the Trump administration. CBS' Nancy Cordes reports from the White House.
[Cuts to video]
CORDES: President Biden expressed complete support today for the nation's highest-ranking military officer.
BIDEN: I have great confidence in General Milley.
Cordes scoffed at how Milley was “facing calls from some Republicans to resign” and suggested “it's important to consider the timing,” as she proceeded to play a clip of Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying Trump’s national security team thought he was crazy.
“Some of that concern, the authors write, came from CIA Director Gina Haspel, who they say feared that President Trump might try to strike Iran in his final few days in office,” Cordes added, with no evidence Trump was planning such a thing.
The talking points were sent out and on NBC Nightly News, White House correspondent Kelly O’Donnell was singing from the same sheet music:
O’DONNELL: America's top general taking political fire, but tonight President Biden with a clear defense of Army four-star Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I have great confidence in General Milley.
Now, where have we seen something like that before?
O’Donnell also scoffed at how “some Republican officials said Milley should be fired for going around an elected commander in chief” and parroted from Milley’s spokesperson who said “these conversations are regular and vital.”
It was those phone calls that ABC chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl wanted to build on during World News Tonight in defense of Milley.
“ABC News has learned that it wasn't just Milley who reached out to China … the first contact came from Trump's former defense secretary, Mark Esper, who conveyed a message to the Chinese defense minister one week earlier than Milley, saying the United States had no intention to attack,” he reported as if that meant Milley was in the right.
He also seemed to lament that “Milley is scheduled to go before Congress later this month in what is sure to be a fiery hearing,” where he will likely face calls from Republicans for him to resign after the botched Afghanistan withdrawal and now with this.
But nothing they or the administration put out on Wednesday drilled down on Milley’s promise to China to sell out the U.S. in the event we needed to attack.
Their defense of a treasonous general content with selling out America to China was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Prudential on ABC, Prevagen on CBS, and Verizon on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The relevant portions of the transcripts are below, click “expand” to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
September 15, 2021
6:45:21 p.m. Eastern(…)
JONATHAN KARL: But there is more to the story. ABC news has learned that it wasn't just Milley who reached out to China, in fact, a former senior Pentagon official tells ABC the first contact came from Trump's former defense secretary, Mark Esper, who conveyed a message to the Chinese defense minister one week earlier than Milley, saying the United States had no intention to attack.
It is Donald Trump who chose Milley to be the Joint Chiefs chairman but now he is saying Milley should be tried for treason.
FMR. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If it is actually true, which is hard to believe, that he would have called China and done these things and was willing to advise them of an attack or in advance of an attack, that's treason.
[Cuts back to live]
KARL: Milley is scheduled to go before Congress later this month in what is sure to be a fiery hearing with tough questions about Afghanistan and now about whether he undermined civilian control of the military and, David, whether or not he should resign.
CBS Evening News
September 15, 2021
6:40:14 p.m. EasternNORAH O’DONNELL: Well, tonight, the President and the Pentagon are defending the nation's top military officer after bombshell revelations that he reached out to China, fearing a war in the final days of the Trump administration. CBS' Nancy Cordes reports from the White House.
[Cuts to video]
NANCY CORDES: President Biden expressed complete support today for the nation's highest ranking military officer.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I have great confidence in General Milley.
CORDES: General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is facing calls from some Republicans to resign after two veteran reporters wrote that in the tumultuous closing days of the Trump presidency, Milley secretly reassured the Chinese "We are not going to attack."
In their new book, Bob Woodward and Robert Costa say Milley feared that former President Trump “had gone into a serious mental decline in the aftermath of the election” and might “go rogue,” launching a strike against China. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Milley did nothing wrong.
(…)
CORDES: The White House press secretary argued today it's important to consider the timing.
PRESS SEC. JEN PSAKI: The former President was fomenting an insurrection and there was broad concern from a range of members of his national security team about his behavior and fitness for office.
[Cuts back to live]
CORDES: Some of that concern, the authors write, came from CIA Director Gina Haspel, who they say feared that President Trump might try to strike Iran in his final few days in office.
NBC Nightly News
September 15, 2021
7:08:59 p.m. Eastern(…)
KELLY O’DONNELL: America's top general taking political fire, but tonight President Biden with a clear defense of army four-star Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I have great confidence in general Milley.
O’DONNELL: Milley under scrutiny after explosive claims in a new book by Bob Woodward and Robert Costa, including Milley convening top officers after the January insurrection to review nuclear launch protocols.
Milley reportedly telling them, “no matter what you were told, you do the procedure, you do the process, and I'm part of that procedure.” Milley also sought to reassure a top Chinese general that “the American government is stable,” then reportedly telling the U.S. adversary, "If we're going to attack, I'm going to call you ahead of time. It's not going to be a surprise."
Some Republican officials said Milley should be fired for going around an elected commander in chief.
(…)
[Cuts back to live]
O’DONNELL: Today, a spokesman for General Milley confirms that call to China's top general took place, adding these conversations are regular and vital to avoid unintended conflict and that general Milley continues to act in the tradition of civilian control of the military.
