Joe Biden is facing his first cabinet nominee defeat as White House Budget Office pick Neera Tanden is imploding over (now deleted) nasty tweets about conservatives, "vampire" Republicans, and pretty much anyone she dislikes. Yet ABC and NBC on Monday night and Tuesday morning ignored the story. CBS covered it, but offered no reason as to why the nomination was falling apart.
On Monday’s CBS Evening News, reporter Kris Van Cleave allowed one sentence, amounting to a scant nine seconds: “President Biden's choice to lead the White House Budget Office Neera Tanden appears to be in real trouble after four moderate senators said they were no votes.”
CBS This Morning on Tuesday did slightly better, but still offered just 45 seconds out of a two hour show. Reporter Nikole Killion briefly explained, “Neera Tanden's nomination could be in serious jeopardy for White House Budget Director after Democrat Joe Manchin and a handful of moderate Republicans came out against her.” Co-host Gayle King assumed the nomination is already doomed: “President Biden's pick for White House Budget Director is in jeopardy. And sources tell CBS News congressional Democrats are getting ready, getting other names ready.”
What, exactly, did Tanden do that resulted in moderate Democratic Senator Manchin and moderate Republicans like Mitt Romney and Susan Collins to oppose her? CBS didn’t say. But here’s what the British Sun revealed:
Tanden quietly began deleting at least 1,000 tweets, targeting Republicans and Bernie Sanders-supporting Democrats, in November 2020.
President Biden's nomination for budget chief had taken to social media to slam her political opponents in a series of posts, including one branding Senator Susan Collins, "the worst".
Tanden vowed to help treat Collins' re-election rival, Sara Gideon, like a "long lost relative" and to "work hard to help her beat Susan Collins".
She branded Senator Tom Cotton a fraud, and said "vampires have more heart" than Ted Cruz.
The 50-year-old also attempted to dub Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,"Voldemort" and "Moscow Mitch".
One deleted tweet said, "Apparently a lot of people think #MoscowMitch is a threat. Hats off @JoeNBC."
Yet, at least CBS covered the embarrassment for Biden. ABC and NBC on Monday night and Tuesday morning, despite a combined five hours of air time, didn’t mention the implosion. Back in December, CBS politely described Tanden as “facing stiff Republican opposition for her sharp criticism of the GOP.”
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Partial transcripts are below. Click "expand" to read more.
CBS Evening News
2/22/21
6:45 PM ET
KRIS VAN CLEAVE: President Biden's choice to lead the White House Budget Office Neera Tanden appears to be in real trouble after four moderate senators said they were no votes and tonight 11 Republican senators are urging the President to withdraw his pick to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. Norah?
CBS This Morning
2/23/21
7:30:34 to 7:31:19
GAYLE KING: President Biden's pick for White House Budget Director is in jeopardy. And sources tell CBS News congressional Democrats are getting ready, getting other names ready. Nikole Killion is on Capitol Hill with more on this story. Nikole, what are you hearing? Good morning.
NIKOLE KILLION: Hey. Good morning to you, Gayle, Neera Tanden's nomination could be in serious jeopardy for White House Budget Director after Democrat Joe Manchin and a handful of moderate Republicans came out against her. If she withdraws, there are a number of names that are being considered including former economic adviser Gene Sperling as well as long-time congressional staffer Shalanda Young. She was nominated last month to be Deputy OMB director and would be the first black woman to lead the office if she is selected and confirmed.
