ABC’s evening news coverage included President Joe Biden’s press conference in response to the NATO crisis summit in Brussels. World News TonightBiden’s misleading statements about the Russian sanction purpose were completely ignored. Biden claimed that they would deter Russia invading Ukraine. However, the vice president reversed his position and stated “sanctions don’t deter.” Biden’s flipflop was ignored by ABC. CBS Evening NewsAnd NBC Nightly NewsDid air Biden’s comments.
As NewsBusters previously reported, Biden snapped at CBS News correspondent Christina Ruffini when she asked “what makes you think Vladimir Putin will alter course based on the action you’ve taken today?” Biden began to weep: “Let’s get something straight, do you remember, if you covered me, from the very beginning I did not say that, in fact, the sanctions would deter him. Sanctions never deter. That is what you keep hearing. Sanctions never deter.”
Later, CBS Evening NewsPart of this exchange was broadcast in the White House’s report on its new sanctions proposal “on key enablers, such as dozens Russian defense companies, and more than 300 Russian lawmakers, including the Duma,” With very little context, they then broadcast a part of Biden’s exchange with Ruffini.
BIDEN: Sanctions never deter.
NANCY CORRDES: While the President acknowledged that Russia may have suffered from crippling international sanctions, they have not forced Putin to change his course.
BIDEN. We’ll continue what we do, not only for next month but also throughout the year. This is what will stop him.
NBC Nightly NewsThey provided more context for Biden’s admittance that Russian sanctions don’t deter and played up Kamala Harris, Vice President Kamala Harris’s assertion that they work.
Kristen Welker, chief White House correspondent, reported on the The United States and NATO have imposed significant sanctions on Russia in response to the invasion. However, these penalties did not stop Putin from pursuing his plans.Welker also stated that “The White House, Vice President Harris first stated the goal.”
HARRIS – The goal of the sanctions was and is deterrence.
WELKER: Today, however, the President refused to answer questions about whether that strategy had failed.
BIDEN: He would be deterred by the sanctions, but I didn’t say so. Sanctions never deter. That is what you keep hearing. Sanctions never deter. Sanctions are not deterrent. This is what will stop him.
Welker has rightly stated that the Biden administration believed the sanctions would deter Putin’s invading. As NewsBusters Associate Editor Kyle Drennen reported in the link above, “Secretary of State Antony Blinken explicitly told multiple media outlets that the purpose of economic sanctions was to deter Putin.”
CNN State of the Union, Blinken said “the purpose of the sanctions in the first instance is to try to deter Russia from going to war,” while on NBC’s Meet the PressBlinken claimed that sanctions had been structured “to build everything we can to deter him [Putin] from the course that he’s now set on.”
Jersey Mike’s and Pacific Life made it possible for ABC to black out Biden’s flipflop about the effectiveness of Russian sanction. The information they share is linked.
For the complete transcript click on “expand”.
CBS Evening News
3/24/2022
Eastern, 6:34:59NANCY CORRDES: New sanctions were also announced by the White House on key enablers of invasion. These include dozens of Russian defense firms and over 300 Russian members of Russia’s lower parliament, The Duma.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Sanctions never deter.
CORDES. Although the President conceded that Russia is suffering from crippling sanctions so far, they haven’t made Putin change his mind.
BIDEN: What we are doing will be sustained for the rest of the year. Not just the next month. This is what will stop him.
NBC Nightly News
3/24/2022
Eastern: 7:02 p.m.KRISTEN WALKER: President Biden, after warning Vladimir Putin about chemical and biological weapon use in Ukraine tonight, declared that the U.S. would respond to any chemical attack at an emergency NATO summit.
JOE BIDDEN, PRESIDENT: If he used it, we would reply. The nature of our response would be determined by the nature and extent of its use.
WELKER: When asked, however, he did not give any details about whether military force is being considered.
BIDEN: This would trigger an immediate response. We’d take that decision, regardless of whether you ask if NATO would be crossing.
WELKER
BIDEN: He doubted that we would be able to sustain such cohesion. NATO is stronger than ever. Putin has achieved exactly what he wanted.
WELKER: NATO and Mr. Biden announce new sanctions against Russia. These include new sanctions for Russian legislators and $1 billion in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. This money was part of newly approved funds. The President of Ukraine Zelenskyy, who spoke via video to the summit, strongly criticised the U.S. und NATO. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainians were suffering and that NATO had yet to demonstrate what it could do. Zelenskyy said that Ukraine awaits real action. In the meantime, Biden said he would push Russia out of the G-20, a group of major economies. China has so far not offered Russia any military aid, although it still purchases Russian oil.
BIDEN – China recognizes that Russia is more important than the west for its economic success. So I hope he doesn’t get involved.
WELKER This was what the White House and Vice-President Harris originally stated as the objective.
KAMALA MALA HARRIS, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA: The goal of the sanctions was and is deterrence.
WELKER: Today, however, the President refused to answer questions about whether that strategy had failed.
BIDEN: He would be deterred by the sanctions, but I didn’t say so. Sanctions never deter. That is what you keep hearing. Sanctions never deter. Sanctions are not deterrent. This is what will stop him.
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