NBC, ABC Yawn as Rick Perry Sends National Guard to the Border

As the border crisis in Texas intensifies, only one network on Monday bothered to cover Governor Rick Perry sending the National Guard to the border. CBS This Morning allowed 20 seconds to the latest development. NBC's Today and ABC's Good Morning America avoided the story. 

This Morning co-host Charlie Rose explained, "The Republican will announce today his plan to mobilize some 1000 members of the Texas National Guard. Their mission is to beef up security." Rose added that the move came "amid the growing problem of immigrant children crossing into the southern states." He added, "Perry told Republicans in Iowa this weekend if the federal government won't secure the border, Texas will." [MP3 audio here. [1]]

Although Today couldn't be bothered to report on Perry's action, the show did devote a full report to al Roker asking Michelle Obama [2] "who's the best cook" in the first family. 

GMA hosts spent over two minutes on Pawn Stars host Corey Harrison's weight loss, but skipped the border crisis. 

Drug dealers [3], disease dangers [4] on the border, these topics have prompted very little coverage from the networks. A study by the Media Research Center [5] highlighted just what immigration stories the media are censoring. 

A transcript of the news brief is below: 

CBS This Morning

7/21/14

7:16

CHARLIE ROSE: Texas Governor's Rick Perry is expected to put troops in position at the Mexico border. The Republican will announce today his plan to mobilize some 1000 members of the Texas National Guard. Their mission is to beef up security. This comes amid the growing problem of immigrant children crossing into the southern states. Perry told Republicans in Iowa this weekend if the federal government won't secure the border, Texas will.