Column: ABC Saves Biden’s Bacon In Year-End Roundup

One of the most disturbing concepts in politics is the media elite providing the “first draft of history.” You can test-drive this with a look at ABC’s two-hour year-end special on December 27. The show was mostly about athletes, celebrities, and natural disasters. However, ABC was active in defense when President Biden spoke.

It began with Biden’s inauguration and Trump’s second impeachment proceeding, over the January 6 riot…when Trump was already replaced.

ABC anchorman David Muir announced: “Back at the White House — A flurry of executive orders, plans to combat COVID, and After its absence conspicuously, the White House Briefing is back.” What? Kayleigh McEnany wasn’t briefing the press in 2020? ABC claimed Jen Psaki was Stephanie Grisham’s replacement, despite never having a briefing.

Muir proclaimed: “On the world stage, Biden touted a return to diplomacy, resetting relationships with our allies, repositioning America in the fight against climate change.” There was zero mention of a border crisis.

One of the worst moments was during the withdrawal form Afghanistan. It involved the loss of thirteen Marines as well as the bungled strike that killed ten civilians. They reran Biden, telling ABC that there had been no errors and it was possible to withdraw with chaos.

On COVID, they re-ran Muir asking Biden “We’re nearly two years into this pandemic. It’s been a year since your election to the presidency. It’s not enough to have test kits and shelves empty when this is so crucial. Is that good enough?” Biden said no, but he touted how many Americans were vaccinated.

ABC didn’t mention the fact that over 820,000 Americans died in America since Biden took office, more than half of which was before vaccines became available. There was no clip of Biden boasting in 2020 he would “shut down the virus.” Muir shifted the tone: “All the while, the signs of hope. The reunions and the bright spots.”

ABC touted passage of the “bipartisan infrastructure bill,” and then noted “progressives” held out for a much larger spending package.  The ABC team included a strange soundbite by Ryan Michelle Bathe, about Congress’s allocation of cash as if it were a cake for picky children.

Democrats became irritated by Senator Manchin’s betraying of the party, refusing support for the larger bill. However, then came the Republicans! White House reporter Jonathan Karl jauntily declared “While Democrats are divided, the Republican Party is in chaos!”

George Stephanopoulos warned “Republicans reckoned with the outsized influence of former President Trump… As an emboldened, often controversial wing of the party emerges” (picture of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene).

So are the Republicans a “mess” – or is that wishful liberal-media thinking? They just want Trump to rule. They’re invested in his GOP-wrecking potential.

Stephanopoulos continued: “Even Those who condemned Trump’s actions on January 6^th…gravitated back to the former president…Largely refusing to publicly debunk Trump’s big election lie, ostracizing those who spoke out. Congresswoman Liz Cheney is ousted from her leadership post.”

Joe Manchin lied to his party. Liz Cheney, however, is the truth-telling heroine. This sounds like Stephanopoulos spinning.

Recent polls show Republicans are strongly positioned to retake Congress, which ABC described as a “pounce,” as expected. “Ahead of next year’s midterms, Democrats on alert after suffering a stinging loss in Virginia’s gubernatorial race. Republicans ready to pounce as Biden’s popularity takes a perilous dive, setting up what promises to be another unpredictable, pivotal year in American politics.”

Terry McAuliffe lost in Virginia despite mentioning Trump incessantly, but the Democrats at ABC can only insist 2022 is going to be “unpredictable.” Sadly for them, they can’t use their powers to mind-control everyone to vote for Democrats.