CBS Hypes 'Huge Bipartisan Victory', 'Milestone' with Fiscal Cliff Bill's Passage
On Wednesday's CBS This Morning, Nancy Cordes trumpeted the passage of Senate Democrats' temporary fiscal cliff fix by the House as a "big bipartisan victory", immediately after pointing out that "the votes were about two-to-one Democratic in favor of the bill." Cordes also hyped how the bill is "a milestone, finally settling a decade-long debate over the Bush-era tax cuts," despite the fact the bill raises tax rates on top earners.
The correspondent also likened Congress to a teenaged student: "Well,
if this was high school, you'd say they turned in the assignment a
little bit late. It was kind of a rush job, but at least they got it
done."
Fill-in anchor Anthony Mason outlined these new tax hikes in his
lead-in for the correspondent's report, and continued by pointing out
that "the bill also extends long-term jobless benefits for a year, and
puts any significant spending cuts on hold until later in 2013."
Later in the segment, the CBS journalist underlined her "milestone"
term with a soundbite from ultra-liberal congresswoman from San
Francisco, Nancy Pelosi:
NANCY CORDES
(voice-over): With that vote, the long, contentious effort to prevent a
middle-class tax hike came to an end Tuesday, though few on either side
felt like celebrating....Still, the bill is a milestone, finally
settling a decade-long debate over the Bush-era tax cuts.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER (from speech on the House
floor): Permanent tax relief for the middle class, for more than 98
percent of American taxpayers, more than 97 percent of America's small
businesses.
Cordes concluded her report by noting how "this bill really doesn't
address...those across-the-board indiscriminate spending cuts to both
defense and non-defense agencies. The bill just pushes off those cuts
for two months, so you're going to see Congress and the White House fighting right away about how to replace the sequester with more sensible cuts once and for all."
The CBS morning show then turned to Major Garrett for the White House
reaction to the bill's passage. The former Fox News journalist again
acted as an Obama administration stenographer, just as he has done on several occasions since he became the network's chief White House correspondent:
ANTHONY MASON: Major, just to start with, what was the reaction from the White House once this deal finally passed?
MAJOR GARRETT: ...I would say the three dominant words can be described as
this: relief, a sense of triumph, and also, a sense of regret. Let me
take those in order. There was genuine relief in this building...that
this deal got passed, because there were hours of very profound anxiety
here yesterday that the House would not pass it. Let me tell you: there
really was not an alternative plan, if the House had amended this Senate
bill and sent it back, or killed it entirely. So the President felt
slightly powerless watching House Republicans sort it out. By about 6
o'clock last night, they began to feel that this was going to happen.
So, relief is probably the dominant reaction.
Also, a sense of triumph about the resolving tax increase debate on his
terms – largely on his terms - for the first time, getting Republicans
in the Senate and the House to vote for higher income tax rates....And
also, resolving this debate without touching entitlements in any
significant way. That's what the triumph part is. The regret is, this is
not a grand bargain, and, as Nancy Cordes, my colleague, just
indicated, there are more fight to come, and they're coming pretty soon.
NORAH O'DONNELL: You know, Major, the President did stand his ground to
some degree and won out – I mean, no spending cuts and the extension of
those tax cuts for the middle class. What do you think the White House
learned from this whole episode?
GARRETT:
Well, first of all, that necessity is the mother of invention. This
deal needed to get done, and everyone had to participate. And the other
thing the President learned, is that things can change very quickly. For
weeks and weeks and weeks, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Republican
leader, had nothing to do with the negotiations, or had any prospect at
resolving this. Suddenly, he became the key player. Similarly, Vice
President Biden stepped off the sidelines and became the number-one
negotiator representing this White House with Mitch McConnell. The
President learn that that combination can work in the future.
And also, yesterday, the White House gained new appreciation for
Speaker [John] Boehner, because, though they have doubted him in the
past, they saw that he was able to put this deal through last night and
avoid the fiscal cliff both for him, Senate Democrats, and this White
House.
