On Tuesday's NBC Nightly News, White House correspondent Kristen Welker touted President Obama gearing up for his second term: "An
invigorated President Obama joined in a prayer service this
morning....On Monday, resolve, defending entitlements and calling for
action on climate change and gay rights, a broad liberal agenda."
Welker then heralded Obama appeasing the Democratic base in his inaugural address: "The
President, once criticized by his own party's left for caving into
Republicans, seemed emboldened by his reelection and ready for a fight." A sound bite followed of Time's
Michael Duffy happily declaring: "Yesterday's speech at the Capitol was
not about bipartisanship. It was about the agenda that Barack Obama, a
Democrat, the direction he wants to take the country. Republicans can
come along if they'd like."
The report by Welker echoed fellow White House correspondent Peter Alexander on Tuesday's Today: "Mr. Obama's inaugural address offered clues into his agenda, with an impassioned call for 'collective action'....be very clear, this was an emboldened President Obama....Emboldened by a political victory, and laying out what was a clear liberal agenda."
Here is a portion of Welker's January 22 Nightly News report:
(...)
7:03PM ET
KRISTEN
WELKER: An invigorated President Obama joined in a prayer service this
morning. And this afternoon, along with the First Lady and Bo, surprised
supporters, a moment captured by the White House and streamed on the
web. On Monday, resolve, defending entitlements and calling for action
on climate change and gay rights, a broad liberal agenda.
BARACK OBAMA: But we reject the belief that America must choose between
caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the
generation that will build its future.
WELKER: The President, once criticized by his own party's left for
caving into Republicans, seemed emboldened by his reelection and ready
for a fight.
MICHAEL DUFFY [TIME MAGAZINE]: Yesterday's speech at the Capitol was
not about bipartisanship. It was about the agenda that Barack Obama, a
Democrat, the direction he wants to take the country. Republicans can
come along if they'd like.
WELKER: On the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell congratulated the President before he accused Mr. Obama of
being hyper-partisan.
MITCH MCCONNELL: The era of liberalism is back. An unabashedly far left
of center inauguration speech certainly brings back memories of the
Democratic Party of ages past.
(...)