ABC Hypes Biden’s ‘Tough New Sanctions’, Ignores GOP Criticism

With Russia on the brink of a full-blown war, and the Biden administration’s newly imposed sanctions causing Republicans in Congress to claim they’re too little too late, ABC World News Tonight quickly sought to hype the Biden administration’s sanctions and completely ignore any Republicans who beg to differ. 

World News Tonight anchor David Muir opened the Tuesday evening show announcing that “24 hours after Putin said he was recognizing two Russian-backed regions of Ukraine as independent” President Joe Biden called Putin’s actions “the beginning of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.” 

Muir then hyped Biden “announcing severe sanctions on Russian banks and wealthy Russians” Muir repeated the President’s claims that they’re “just the beginning, if Putin takes another step, that there could be more.” 

In his report for Muir, senior foreign correspondent Ian Pannell also boasted about the new sanctions claiming they are “significant new sanctions” that are placed against “Russian banks, business elites, and their families.” 

Later in the segment, Muir returned and ended by repeating that the Biden administration is  “targeting Russian banks and Russian oligarchs, wealthy Russians in these sanctions.” Ending his report proclaiming “President Biden today said that he could target Putin himself, he has said that in recent weeks, that there could be stricter sanctions, but so far, we know that has not happened.” 

Nowhere in this report did ABC give voice to Republican concerns that the Biden administration isn’t acting tough enough towards Russia. 

Both CBS and NBC are incredibly grateful Evening NewsNBC Nightly NewsBoth sides were given airtime. 

Over in CBS, senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang reported that “some Republicans called for tougher actions now” before playing a soundbite of South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham:  

Putin was wrongly misjudged by Biden’s administration just as badly as Hitler. Next week, I demand a regime of sanctions from hell.

Watch more on NBC Nightly News, chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander mentioned that “critics say the President’s moves don’t go far enough.” Alexander then read from a tweet by Senator Graham which said “President Biden is not seizing the moment, the sanctions outlined are woefully inadequate to deter Putin’s efforts to redraw the European map and dismember a neighboring democracy.” 

Alexander also aired a soundbite of former President Donald Trump from an interview with Rush Limbaugh’s successors Clay Travis & Buck Sexton: 

Yesterday, I was surprised to see a TV screen. It was genius! Putin declared large portions of Ukraine independent. Putin proclaims that it is independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. With us, this would not have been possible. It would not have happened if I was in charge.

The ABC segment that omits any Republican criticism of Joe Biden has been brought to you today by Liberty Mutual.They are linked. 

To read the relevant transcript of each segment click “expand”:  

ABC World News Tonight 
2/22/2022
6:32.23 PM (EST)

DAVID MUIR : We begin tonight with major developments in Russia and Vladimir Putin’s movements affecting Ukraine. Just 24 hours after Putin declared he would recognize two Russian-backed areas of Ukraine independent, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, addressed the American public tonight calling the incident the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden stated that Putin intends to basically seize large swathes of Ukraine. Now, President Biden is imposing severe sanctions against Russian banks and rich Russians. He warns that this is only the beginning. If Putin makes another move, there may be even more. America’s allies tonight united,  acting quickly. EU has imposed its own sanctions. Late today we discovered that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had canceled the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister scheduled for Thursday. This was not surprising, but it is yet another sign of the graveness of the moment. Late today, President Biden addressed the nation, calling Russia’s actions an egregious violation of international laws. He said that Putin believes he has the right to name new countries. Unanimity of votes for all 27 European Union countries to impose sanctions. Germany delivers one of the most severe blows by severing all certification of Nord Stream 2 from Russia to Germany. This unity, President Biden said, is something Putin didn’t count on. 

(…)

IAN PANEELL: President Biden condemned Vladimir Putin tonight after Russian leader acknowledged two Russian-backed separatist countries in Eastern Ukraine. He also ordered his troops to enter.

(…)

PANNELL – Biden then issued new, significant sanctions against Russian banks, business executives and their families. 

(…)

MUIR – President Biden issued the first sanctions after Putin had announced that he would recognise these separatist areas in Ukraine as independent. Today, new tough sanctions were imposed. Putin declared that he has launched an invasion against Ukraine. This includes targeting Russian banks, Russian oligarchs and wealthy Russians. Today, President Biden said that Putin could be targeted. He has stated that in the past weeks that stricter sanctions could be implemented, however, so far we don’t know if that is true.

CBS Evening News 
2/22/2022
6:35.11 PM EST

WEIJIA JOANG: Some Republicans in the United States called for more aggressive actions right now. 

LINDSEY GRAHAM – The Biden administration misjudged Putin as bad as any since Hitler was misjudged by the entire world. Next week, I would like a regime of sanctions from the pits.

NBC Nightly News
2/22/2022
7:03:54 PM (EST)

PETER ALEXANDER: But critics say the President’s moves don’t go far enough. Republican Lindsey Graham tweeting President Biden is not seizing the moment, the sanctions outlined are woefully inadequate to deter Putin’s efforts to redraw the European map and dismember a neighboring democracy. Trump’s former president also criticized President Biden, while applauding Putin for the justification of his decision.

FRANKLIN TRUMP, AN EX-PRESIDENT: Yesterday I was in and saw a TV screen. This is genius. Putin has declared a large portion of Ukraine to be independent. Putin proclaims that it is independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. With us, this would not have been possible. It would not have happened if I was in charge.