On Wednesday, July 30, CBS This Morning was the only network morning show to report on how President Obama is considering bypassing Congress and issuing a series of executive actions to legalize potentially millions of illegal immigrants. ABC and NBC ignored the potential executive orders altogether.
CBS News Political Director John Dickerson highlighted how President Obama is seeking to “to take executive action to deal with the immigration problem. This is not going to be comprehensive immigration reform of the kind we've heard about for the last seven years that will deal with those 11.5 million undocumented workers, but it's going to be as much as he can do.”
In introducing Dickerson, CBS co-host Charlie Rose noted how “the Senate this morning is expected to reject a spending bill to handle a rush of illegal immigrants. House Republican leaders are pitching a cheaper alternative and the White House is looking at ways to change immigration policy without congressional approval.”
During his report, the CBS News Political Director did lament how “the president has said he's been hemmed in by the limitations on his office before when it comes to immigration, but now he's going to do as much as he possibly can.”
As the segment continued, Dickerson played up the fact that “no matter how small the smaller portion is it'll will be, there will be a big fight with Republicans on this. This immigration question is obviously a hot button issue among conservative voters and you're right to focus on those dozen or so Senate races.”
For his part the CBS News Political Director noted how such executive actions could provide fuel for Republicans who are already upset with President Obama:
It will rile up Republicans not just because of the issue of immigration but this is also a question they say of the president abusing power. Depending on how far these executive actions go, they’ll say he’s overstepping the bounds of his office, which previously he had said, or what kept him from acting unilaterally here on the immigration question.
Rather than cover the ongoing border battle, NBC’s Today promoted the premier of the TV movie “Sharknado” which co-hosts Matt Lauer and Al Roker make guest appearances in. ABC’s Good Morning America highlighted Britain’s Prince George learning how to swim.
See relevant transcript below.
CBS
CBS This Morning
July 30, 2014
CHARLIE ROSE: The Senate this morning is expected to reject a spending bill to handle a rush of illegal immigrants. House Republican leaders are pitching a cheaper alternative and the White House is looking at ways to change immigration policy without congressional approval. CBS News Political Director John Dickerson is in Washington. John, good morning.
JOHN DICKERSON: Good morning, Charlie.
ROSE: What is the president likely to do?
DICKERSON: Well, he’s likely to do as much as his lawyers will allow him to do. What the president is looking at is some way to take executive action to deal with the immigration problem. This is not going to be comprehensive immigration reform of the kind we've heard about for the last seven years that will deal with those 11.5 million undocumented workers, but it's going to be as much as he can do. So it will be delaying deportations perhaps or issuing some new kinds of work permits. The president has said he's been hemmed in by the limitations on his office before when it comes to immigration, but now he's going to do as much as he possibly can.
NORAH O’DONNELL: The word is, John, that the president may sign this executive action sometime after Labor Day. We've got midterm elections. How do you think it will play in some of these key Senate races where Republicans could take control if the president is seen as granting work permits, saving some 11 million immigrants from deportation?
DICKERSON: Well again, it will be a smaller portion but no matter how small the smaller portion is it'll will be, there will be a big fight with Republicans on this. This immigration question is obviously a hot button issue among conservative voters and you're right to focus on those dozen or so Senate races. And that's all about who controls the Senate, will Republicans take control of it? It will rile up Republicans not just because of the issue of immigration but this is also a question they say of the president abusing power. Depending on how far these executive actions go, they’ll say he’s overstepping the bounds of his office, which previously he had said, or what kept him from acting unilaterally here on the immigration question.
ROSE: John, we’re beginning to hear some people here around Washington, some conservative Republicans talk about the word impeachment. Where does that conversation go?
DICKERSON: Well, it started sort of in the grassroots. Sarah Palin who has been sort of the most vocal person discussing it. And the White House, well no, both the White House and Democrats in particular, have been talking about this, Democrats have raised quite a lot of money from this just as Republicans raised a lot of money on the threat of impeachment back in 2006. But John Boehner, Speaker of the House, said this is not a serious thing and this is just the White House trying to raise money off of a political scandal.
O’DONNELL: All right. John Dickerson, thank you.
— Jeffrey Meyer is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Jeffrey Meyer on Twitter. [1]