Immediately following President Biden’s announcement late Tuesday morning that the U.S. would finally ban Russian oil over the ongoing war in Ukraine, CBS went to work spewing White House propaganda that the administration’s left-wing environmental agenda was “not hurting oil production in this country.” Instead, the network claimed there were “no good options” other than turning to other enemies of America, like Venezuela and Iran, for oil.
“He also made it clear, Weijia, that his policies, the Biden administration policies, are not hurting oil production in this country. He wanted to make that clear, too,” CBS MorningsGayle King was the anchor of special coverage and co-host Gayle King declared it. Weijia Jiang (senior White House correspondent) laments: “Right, because that’s what Republicans have been saying very forcefully. Wondering why we can’t just ramp up oil production here.”
The reporter then repeated the President’s talking points as if they were a fact-check of his GOP critics:
Well, the President just said that oil companies have the option to do that right now but they aren’t taking it. And we did talk to a commodities expert, a strategist who said that’s exactly right. But there’s a lot of concern from those oil companies because investors are very hesitant to have more production ramp up, especially if it could be tied to anything having to do with the war going on right now.
Gayle makes another point. it couldn’t happen overnight, right? I mean, when you’re talking about the need for supply right now, you can’t make that happen right away.
Meanwhile, the CBS coverage completely excused the President’s wildly controversial plan to beg hostile dictators in Venezuela and Iran – rogue nations that are both allied with Russia – for oil, rather than do everything possible to ramp up U.S. domestic production. Jiang defends the action:
Gayle was briefly reminded by the President that he’s working to ensure the supply of global food. That’s going to be another huge part of this, because of the doors that he is knocking on. There are no U.S. interests in Iran, Venezuela or Saudi Arabia. But Gayle, when you’re talking about the pain that people might feel here at home, that’s who the White House right now is consulting with to make up the differenceNow they’ve announced a ban on Russian oil.
She concluded later: “And again, that’s why experts, lawmakers are all saying this is really a bad situation all around with no good options.”
At NBC, Stephanie Ruhle, a routine Biden booster and business correspondent, praised the address “And the President hit all the marks he needed to on this speech.”Then, she cheered his attempts to divert attention from his own disaster energy policies and make U.S. oil corporations the villain.
He reminded us also that price-gouging is not an option for big oil and gas producers. You can expect him to make use of his bully pulpit in order to force themIt is important to note that these businesses need to be profitable, but not price gouging.
Savannah Guthrie is back as today show co-host, special report anchor. “And no question there was a shot across the bow from the President to those oil companiesThey are supported by banks and financial institutions. no price gouging, no profiteering, you have to make a profit, you don’t have to pad your profits.”
Real journalists would be questioning the administration’s radical environmental policies and pressing the White House on why increasing U.S. domestic energy production was being treated as a matter of national security. Instead, the stenographers at CBS and NBC just repeat what they’re told.
There were no commercial breaks in the live special coverage.
Here is a transcript of CBS’s March 8 special coverage:
11.39 am ET
(…)
WEIJIA JIANG [CBS NEWS SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT]All of these things will have an impact on what the people see each day. Gayle, the President mentioned briefly that he’s working to ensure a global supply. That’s going to be another huge part of this, because of the doors that he is knocking on. The U.S. does not want to do business with Iran, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia. But Gayle, when you’re talking about the pain that people might feel here at home, that’s who the White House right now is consulting with to make up the difference now they have announced this ban on Russian oil. Gayle?
GAYLE KING: That raises another set of questions. Weijia also clarified that the policies of the Biden administration aren’t affecting oil production. He also wanted to be clear about that.
WEIJIA JIANG: Right, because that’s what Republicans have been saying very forcefully. Wondering why we can’t just ramp up oil production here. Well, the President just said that oil companies have the option to do that right now but they aren’t taking it. And we did talk to a commodities expert, a strategist who said that’s exactly right. But there’s a lot of concern from those oil companies because investors are very hesitant to have more production ramp up, especially if it could be tied to anything having to do with the war going on right now.
And so another point, Gayle, is it couldn’t happen overnight, right? I mean, when you’re talking about the need for supply right now, you can’t make that happen right away. Saudi Arabia, unfortunately, is where you should go. And again, that’s why experts, lawmakers are all saying this is really a bad situation all around with no good options.
(…)
Here is a transcript of NBC’s special coverage:
11:00 AM ET
(…)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Let’s go to Stephanie Ruhle, our business correspondent. And, Stephanie, the practical effect of this, I mentioned that oil imports from Russia account for just a smaller portion of our consumption here in this country, but it’ll pack a punch. And now we’re seeing the UK and the EU taking some steps, although not quite as dramatic.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Absolutely, Savannah. The President delivered this speech with all of the requisite points. Well, we’re not going to have a supply issue here, we make an ample amount here in the U.S., as you said. The amount of Russian oil we consume is much less than the Europeans, who use far more. However, the issue of price will continue to exist. The United States, the government, we don’t set the price. The price is set globally, and we’re already seeing prices go up. We don’t expect that to change.
According to the President, the price for war is currently at this point. And hitting Russia, cutting off their big economic artery, is the hope that it’s going to cause real pain over there. We were also reminded by him that these big natural gas and oil producers, the big corporations, cannot price gouging at this time. You can expect him to use the bully pulpit as a pusher, reminding them that these companies need profits but not price gouging.
It will be tough, he said to the American people. It is likely that we will be paying even more. But remember, we don’t have our soldiers on the line costing their lives. And this is something we’re going to be living with for the foreseeable future. It’s going to be expensive for the American people, Savannah.
GUTHRIE: And no question there was a shot across the bow from the President to those oil companies and the banks, the financial institutions that help them go to say no price gouging, no profiteering, you have to make a profit, you don’t have to pad your profits. This is a clear signal from the White House. Also interesting messaging, the President called it Putin’s price hike, of course laying the blame squarely on the person who started this war, Vladimir Putin. Stephanie, I’m grateful.
(…)
About Post Author
