With the emergence of the new Omicron Covid variant out of South Africa that’s reportedly more transmissible than Delta, the liberal media’s initial reaction on Sunday was to fret for the future – not in terms of how it could hurt people, but how it could hurt President Biden’s agenda. ABC’s Good Morning America worried about the midterm elections and NBC’s Sunday today wanted Biden to “use the bully pulpit” against Republicans.
ABC Congress correspondent Rachel Scott filled in for the role of co-anchor GMAAveri Harper was Averi’s deputy political director when Averi asked about the possibility of Biden being covered by the new variant. “Nearly 150 days ago the President said we were closer to declaring independence from the virus. This new Covid version is now visible. How much of a challenge does this pose for the President,” she wondered.
“[W]The omicron variation was the reason why the market took a dive on Friday. This presents a serious challenge for the Biden administration on both the economic and political fronts.,” warned Harper.
Her biggest concern was reserved for how Omicron could damage Biden’s and Democrats’ chances in the midterms:
The President encouraged Americans last week to trust the country’s progress. This omicron-based variant may pose a threat to all that good news. This could be a problem as it is crucially heading into the election year of the Biden administration.
And what economic “progress” was she talking about? The inflation rate is at its highest level in 30 years. You can live in an echo chamber or bubble.
Willie Geist, host of NBC called in the director for political affairs and Meet The Press moderator Chuck Todd to discuss how the new variant is “a reminder that Covid is with us and with this President as he attempts to do other things.”
After admitting that Biden’s July claim that we were declaring “independence from the virus” was “obviously prematurely,” Todd was itching for Biden to strike back against Republicans as if their policies were responsible for the variant’s genesis in South Africa:
Is he going to use the opportunity to take a stance against any of the Republicans Particularly in states that are anti-vaccine mandates, or anti-mandates all around, have they been hesitant to use vaccines, especially in certain areas? We will find that vaccinated people are better off with the new version than those who have not been vaccinated. Is the President using this to use the bully pulpitGet rid of all the vaccine misinformation out there.
And as with ABC, Todd’s concern was how this could harm Biden’s ability to push his agenda. “Because, Willie, The social spending bill and all his other problems are not possible to be resolved until Covid has left us,” he whined.
With both these messages coming from each network’s political coverage leadership, it shows how in sync the liberal media are in pulling in the same direction.
This misplaced priority of the health of President Biden’s agenda over the health of people was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from WeatherTechABC and ProgressiveNBC. This link will take you to their contact information so that you can inform them about the bias news they are funding.
You can click on “expand to view the transcripts” below.
ABC’s Good Morning America
November 28, 2021
Eastern 8:10 a.m.(…)
RACHEL SOTT: Let’s invite our deputy director of politics, Averi Harper. Averi Harper, let’s start with the pandemic. A little over 150 days ago, the President stated that the country was closer to declaring its independence from the virus. This new Covid version is now visible. What kind of challenge will this present for the president?
AVERI HARPER : We have already spoken about the restrictions on travel. New York’s governor declared an emergency. We also know Friday saw markets plunge due to the omicron variation. This poses a serious challenge for the Biden administration on many fronts, especially the one on the economy.
The President encouraged Americans last week to trust the country’s progress. This omicron variation could be a threat to all that progress. This could be a problem as it is crucially important that the Biden government enters an election year.
(…)
NBC’s Sunday today
November 28, 2021
Eastern, 8:07:12WILLIE GEIST (Chuck, good morning) The President was able to take a break in Nantucket for a couple of days. He returns to the legislative struggle over the social expenditure package, which passed the House. The Senate still has much to do. And this new variant – we should underline what the doctors and the scientists are saying – we don’t know much about it yet. In the United States, there aren’t any documented cases. Perhaps we are lucky. We hope it does. It’s an opportunity to remind us that Covid is there for us as we try to help the President with other tasks.
CHUCK TODD (And Willie): It was already rising, correct. We’ve been watching a slow and steady rise of Covid cases particularly in the northeast and the upper Midwest as winter is getting ready to set in and all of that.
Look, I think what I’m going to be curious to watch here with the President is, I think, one of the things about his Covid response over the last couple of months is one could argue he – HE has not been the face of the Covid response. In a long time. Not really since we declared our – back in July, when he declared our independence from the virus, obviously prematurely.
Do you think he will use this chance to push back against all the Republicans, particularly those in different states that are anti-vaccine mandates, or just hesitant about vaccines? If we find that vaccinated people are better off with the new version than those who have not been vaccinated, can the President take this opportunity to use his bully pulpit and push back against all the vaccine misinformation out there, grab this?
Willie is right. The Social Spending Bill, and any other issues he has, cannot be resolved until Covid comes to an end. This is an opportunity for him to remind us that Covid needs to be more prominent in his response.
GEIST: Let’s see if his posture changes.
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