CBS Plays Up Obama's Mockery of GOP on Border Security, No Opposing Clip

On Wednesday's Early Show. CBS's Bill Plante highlighted President Obama's recent mockery against Republicans on border security, but omitted playing an opposing clip from a GOP politico. The President jabbed the opposing party during the speech in El Paso, Texas: "Maybe they'll need a moat. Maybe they'll want alligators in the moat." The morning show was alone among the Big Three in covering the event.

Plante noted at the beginning of his report, which aired 3 minutes into the 7 am Eastern hour, that "the President went all the way to the Mexican border to make the case for immigration reform, trying to get over the heads of the Republicans who are blocking it here in Washington. Mr. Obama said that his administration has answered the complaints of Republicans about border security with more agents, a border fence, and aerial surveillance, going above and beyond what they asked for."

The correspondent then played the "alligators in the moat" clip from the Democrat. While Plante did counter the President's "that's politics" critique of Republicans in his reply ("Well, it's politics, for sure, but on both sides. What the President is calling for doesn't stand a chance in this Congress."), he didn't play a sound bite from anyone in the GOP during the remainder of the segment.

Just over 12 hours earlier, the CBS Evening News on Tuesday held up the student body president [1] of California State University at Fresno as an example of the need to pass the DREAM Act, which President Obama supports.

The full transcript of Bill Plante's report from Wednesday's Early Show:

ERICA HILL: President Obama turned his attention to the hot button issue of immigration yesterday, saying the time for reform is now, and it must not be delayed until after the 2012 election.

CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante has more on that story for us this morning. Bill, good morning.

BILL PLANTE: Good morning, Erica. The President went all the way to the Mexican border to make the case for immigration reform, trying to get over the heads of the Republicans who are blocking it here in Washington. Mr. Obama said that his administration has answered the complaints of Republicans about border security with more agents, a border fence, and aerial surveillance, going above and beyond what they asked for.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (from speech in El Paso, Texas): You know, they said we needed to triple the border patrol. Well now, they're going to say we need to quadruple the border patrol, or they'll want a higher fence. Maybe they'll need a moat. Maybe they'll want alligators in the moat. (crowd laughs) They'll never be satisfied. And I understand. That's politics.

PLANTE: Well, it's politics, for sure, but on both sides. What the President is calling for doesn't stand a chance in this Congress: the path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, a visa reform for students and agricultural workers, and allowing the children of undocumented immigrants to go to college or serve in the military. But Mr. Obama wants to make sure that the independent voters that he'll need next year know that he's working on border security, and that the Hispanic voters know who to blame if nothing happens. Erica?

HILL: Bill Plante at the White House this morning- Bill, thanks.