ABC is not the same as ABC CBS Mornings on Friday actually called out the Biden administration’s flip flopping over whether Russian sanctions work or don’t. ABC’s Good Morning America, however, pretended like Joe Biden hasn’t repeatedly contradicted his own White House on the issue.
On Friday, reporter Ed O’Keefe played a clip of the President responding to a question about whether sanctions will make Vladimir Putin change course. Biden responded with this incredibly claim: “I did not say that, in fact, the sanctions would deter him. Sanctions never deter.”
O’Keefe didn’t let that stand, noting: “He didn’t say it, but senior administration officials said before Russia invaded that’s what he believed.”
He played then a scene with administration officials, saying precisely that:
JAKE SULLIVAN, National Security Advisor: President believes sanctions are meant to discourage.
ANTHONY BLINKEN, Secretary of State: Russia’s intention is to avoid sanctions.
Townhall observed at least six occasions when the White House explicitly stated this as the purpose of the sanctions. Maybe ABC and other outlets should ask themselves if the White House is failing?
“We want them to have a deterrent effect, clearly,” Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said of the Biden administration’s sanctions on Russia during an interview on Fox News.
“The President believes that sanctions are intended to deter,” said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
Psaki spoke out about sanctions during a briefing. She later emphasized “there is a deterrent” brought to bear with sanctions, claiming “we’ve seen the deterrent impact work at times. Right?”
More than one Good Morning AmericaCecilia Vega allowed Biden to get away with his direct contradictions. She simply averted her gaze to the flip flopping: “President Biden announcing new sanctions on more than 400 Russian lawmakers, state-owned defense companies and dozens more Russian elites. The President insisting NATO’s unity will defeat Putin.”
Kevin Tober, MRC analyst, noted that ABC ignored White House backtracking on Thursday.
Over on NBC’s Today, reporter Kristen Welker gently called out the hypocrisy, noting that “the Biden administration initially said was the goal” with sanctions.
KRISTEN WELKER – The President was still hesitant to answer questions about U.S. sanctions on Russia or whether they had deterred Putin from entering war. This was something the Biden administration stated at first. The President’s message now?
JOE BIDEN: Sanctions never deter. That’s what you keep saying. You keep talking about that.
The propaganda on ABC was sponsored by Honda and Target. To let Honda and Target know your thoughts, click the links.
Here are some partial transcripts. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS Mornings
3/25/2022ED O’KEEFE: On Thursday the President and leaders of NATO, the G-7, and EU announced new sanctions on more than 400 Russian officials including more than 300 members of Russia’s parliament. Questions were raised by Mr. Biden about the effectiveness of these sanctions.
CHRISTINA ROUFFINI: The deterrence method didn’t work. Based on what you did today, do you believe Vladimir Putin would change his course?
JOE BIDEN – I didn’t say that the sanctions would stop him. Sanctions never deter.
O’KEEFE: He didn’t say it, but senior administration officials said before Russia invaded that’s what he believed.
JAKE SULLIVAN, National Security Advisor: President believes sanctions are meant to discourage.
ANTHONY BLINKEN, Secretary of State: Russia’s intention is to avoid sanctions.
Good Morning America
3/25/2022
7:07CECILIA VEGA: Allies in a united show of force against Vladimir Putin. Right now, President Biden is on his way to Poland and pushing European leaders towards further isolation of Putin by cutting their dependence to Russian oil. Biden, along with European allies, made an important promise this morning that could benefit them both and hurt Moscow. The U.S. will increase its shipments of natural gas to Europe, so they are less dependent upon Russian oil.
…
VEGA: The President Biden announces new sanctions against more than 400 Russian legislators, defense contractors owned by the state and many other elites. Putin will be defeated by NATO unity, insists the President.
Today
3/25/2022KRISTEN WELKER : When asked about U.S. sanctions on Russia, the President was resolute. They also failed to deter Putin’s decision to go to war. This was what the Biden administration had initially stated as the goal. The President’s message now?
JOE BIDEN: Sanctions never deter. It’s all you talk about. You keep talking about that.
WELTER: When asked whether he was quick to remove military action from the table, and if that encouraged Putin?
BIDEN: Yes and no.
About Post Author
