As gas prices continue to skyrocket to astronomical levels around the country, ABC’s World News TonightCompletely ignored the story. Both CBS und NBC Evening NewsNBC and NBC Nightly News covered the pain American consumers are feeling at the pump, they promoted the Biden administration’s ineffective solutions to the problem.
ABC’s World News TonightThe ABC decided that they needed to report on important news other than Americans suffering financially from skyrocketing gasoline prices. ABC reported on local weather in the North East and an attack at a Des Moines school.
CBS Evening News, senior White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe reported how gas prices have soared to a “fourteen-year average high of more than four dollars” and over forty cents in just the past week. Which O’Keefe noted that by one measure is “the largest jump in history.”
During Monday’s White House press briefing, O’Keefe asked Press Secretary Jen Psaki “what is the President’s message to Americans who are going to the gas station today and seeing prices so high?” Her response was that Biden is going to do “everything he can to reduce the impact on the American people including the price of gas at the tank.”
Apparently everything except ramping up domestic oil production in the United States so we wouldn’t need to rely on other countries like Russia for energy.
Unfortunately, CBS didn’t bring that possible solution up, instead they hyped that the Biden administration “is in talks with Venezuela for the first time in three years, part of an ongoing global search for crude oil that’s a substitute for Russia if the ban goes through.”
More on NBC Nightly News, business correspondent Jo Ling Kent reported that a “gallon of regular [gas] is now more than four dollars and ten cents” which has surpassed “a previous record in 2008.”
Kent noted that “in California, drivers spotting an eye-popping $7 a gallon in Los Angeles. Across the country, the biggest jumps are in Rhode Island, Nevada, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Alabama.”
Later on in the segment, Kent reported that Russia’s economy is “heavily dependent on energy exports” which ends up accounting for “nearly ten percent of the global oil supply.” She warned that an American ban on Russian oil would, according to analysts, “trigger even higher gas prices here at home.” Knowing this, Kent interviewed a woman at a gas station:
KENT: What if paying more for Ukraine’s invasion would result in a better outcome?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN – Short answer: Yes, that’s the short answer. If this means I need to spend a little more, it would be fine with me.
What Kent failed to note in her report is that Americans wouldn’t be forced to pay higher prices if the Biden administration would allow more domestic oil drilling.
Crest is responsible for this new example of bias in omission at ABC News. CBS & NBC failing to mention an easy solution to America’s high gasoline prices was made possible by Progressive on CBS and Liberty Mutual on NBC. These links link to their information.
To read the relevant transcripts click “expand”:
CBS Evening News
3/7/2022
Eastern, 6:42:30NORAH O’DONNELL: Back here at home, stocks fell sharply on Wall Street today as oil and gas prices continue to skyrocket. The Dow fell by nearly 2.5 percent, the NASDAQ and S&P 500 suffered even greater losses. Tonight CBS’s Ed O’Keefe reports on the Biden administration’s efforts to try and ease the pain at the pump.
ED O’KEEFE: President Biden today held a video conference with European leaders intent on pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to reverse course. As the crisis escalates, gas prices have shot up, reaching a peak of four dollars per year, an increase of forty cents in a matter of weeks. The largest increase in gas prices since records began.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN : The cost of gasoline is so high that I have never seen it.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN : This is mind blowing. This is a ridiculous number.
O’KEEFE: What is the President’s message to Americans who are going to the gas station today and seeing prices so high?
JEN PSAKI – He will do all he can and everything possible to minimize the American people’s impact, including the increase in the cost of gasoline at the pump. It is true that President Putin’s actions, invading a sovereign nation, created market instability.
O’KEEFE: The administration is considering banning Russian oil and cutting off the revenue to Putin, though it counts to just three percent of U.S. oil imports. Today’s poll shows that seven out of ten Americans favor a Russian oil ban, even though it would mean higher prices. And the administration is in talks with Venezuela for the first time in three years, part of an ongoing global search for crude oil that’s a substitute for Russia if the ban goes through.
NBC Nightly News
3/7/2022
Eastern, 7:12:01LESTER HOLT: Just about everyone’s feeling the growing economic consequences of this war, most notably at the gas pump as you’ve heard. Jo Ling Kent shares that tale.
JO LING KENT – Tonight’s record breaking prices at the pumps across the country
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: It’s actually killing my budget
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN – You can feel it but just keep moving.
KENT: A gallon of regular has now risen to more than $4.10, exceeding a 2008 record. In the past seven days, prices have risen nearly 50c per gallon. Los Angeles drivers were able to spot an astounding $7 per gallon. The biggest jumps across the nation are found in Rhode Island (Nevada), Connecticut, Kentucky and Alabama.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN – I can go on for another two weeks like this. Then I will park my car and get on the bus.
KENT: It will soon go beyond the pumps. Experts predict that higher gas prices will result in more costly plane tickets. Oil prices have risen to levels never seen since 2008’s financial crisis.
SECRETARY of STATE ANTONYBLINKEN: At the moment, we are in active negotiations with European partners regarding banning Russian oil imports.
KENT Analysts believe that an import ban would not only cripple Russia’s economy but also cause higher domestic gas prices. Would you pay more if you could have a positive outcome in the case of Ukraine’s invasion?
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN – Short answer: Yes, that’s the short answer. I would pay a few extra dollars if that meant it.
KENT: It is possible that the cost of gasoline will rise further. The national average is expected to rise by 40 to 50 cents per gallon, according gas buddy. This could be in just a few weeks. Lester?
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