NBC: Obama's Massive Budget Is 'Aimed at Helping the Poor'

ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday ignored the massive new budget proposed by Barack Obama (and the tax increases contained within). NBC's Today, despite four hours of air time, allowed a scant 23 seconds. But in that brief period, news reader Natalie Morales spun, "President Obama unveiling a record $4 trillion budget on Monday aimed at helping the poor and middle class." 

Parroting the White House, she noted that "President Obama says the budget is practical, not partisan." The only hint of opposition came when Morales briefly noted that "Republicans say the plan is just more taxes and spending." 

Good Morning America couldn't even manage that. The two hour-long ABC program devoted two and a half minutes to singer Katy Perry's fashion at the Super Bowl halftime show, however. 

It was only CBS This Morning that treated the budget as a serious topic. Co-host Charlie Rose explained, "Republicans are blasting the spending plan they received on Monday." 

Reporter Major Garrett actually highlighted GOP opposition: 

MAJOR GARRETT: To fund some of the president's priorities the budget also calls for major tax increases on wealthy households and corporations and $277 billion in tax cuts aimed at the middle class and the poor. 

MITCH MCCONNELL: There are so many positive things he could have done instead of phoning in another tired tax and spend manifesto. We basically see the same thing every year. 

GARRETT: Republican leaders in Congress have vowed to pass an alternative budget that blends spending cuts and targeted spending increases. But to do that Republicans must first work through more immediate battles with the White House. 

The Washington Times [1] reported that under Obama's budget, "the federal civilian workforce will reach its highest level since the end of the Cold War." 

On Monday, ABC's World News anchor David Muir allowed 16 seconds [2] to the subject, but failed to note the bleak prospects the budget faces for passage. 

Transcripts of the two February 3 segments can be found below: 

CBS This Morning 
7:11

CHARLIE ROSE: President Obama's treasury secretary and budget director go to Capitol Hill this morning to defend the president's new budget proposal. Republicans are blasting the spending plan they received on Monday. Major Garrett is at the White House with why both sides are fired up. Major good morning. 

MAJOR GARRETT: Good morning Charlie. The White House says budget deficits are now economically manageable and the president's budget makes no attempt to balance federal books now or ever and that means the nation’s $18 trillion debt will continue rising. 

BARACK OBAMA: I want to work with Congress to replace mindless austerity with smarter investments. 

GARRETT: The president's $4 trillion budget seeks $74 billion in new domestic spending this year divided roughly equally between defense and domestic programs. The deficit would be the lowest of the Obama presidency. But the plan does little to tackle some of the nation's largest long-term fiscal problems. 

DAVID WESSEL [Brookings Institute]: We borrowed a lot of money during the great recession. Debt as a fraction of the economy is very high. The president's budget doesn't do much to bring that down at least in the next decade. 

GARRETT: To fund some of the president's priorities the budget also calls for major tax increases on wealthy households and corporations and $277 billion in tax cuts aimed at the middle class and the poor. 

MITCH MCCONNELL: There are so many positive things he could have done instead of phoning in another tired tax and spend manifesto. We basically see the same thing every year. 

GARRETT: Republican leaders in Congress have vowed to pass an alternative budget that blends spending cuts and targeted spending increases. But to do that Republicans must first work through more immediate battles with the White House. 

WESSEL: I have seen no evidence that they are coalescing on what the principles of that would be. They seem to be preoccupied with some sideshows like Keystone or another repeal of ObamaCare. 

GARRETT: Speaking of ObamaCare the House will vote again today to repeal it and the Senate will vote to end the president's actions on immigration. White House vetoes which Republicans cannot override await both. Gayle?  

Today 
7:14

NATALIE MORALES: Closer to home, President Obama unveiling a record $4 trillion budget on Monday aimed at helping the poor and middle class. To pay for that, the budget includes overall tax increases of $2 trillion that target corporations and the wealthy. President Obama says the budget is practical, not partisan, but Republicans say the plan is just more taxes and spending.