The Regime Media went into full meltdown mode over the demise of the 1500-page cromnibus invoice that went down in flames as soon as DOGE chairs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy turned conscious of a few of the invoice’s provisions. D.C. media reacted on the very un-D.C. strain positioned upon the cromnibus with equal elements shock and horror.
Watch as CBS’s Norah O’Donnell leads off the Night Information with the type of overwrought and manipulative editorial most sometimes on ABC:
CBS EVENING NEWS
12/18/24
6:31 PM
NORAH O’DONNELL: It’s fairly an evening of stories as a result of America is 2 days away from a authorities shutdown except Congress acts quickly. Which means thousands and thousands of presidency employees and army members might be with no paycheck days earlier than the vacations. And it is fairly a reversal since the place we began simply this morning. The Home of Representatives gave the impression to be on the verge of approving a last-minute bipartisan plan. However tonight, it’s imploding. As we appear to be witnessing the rising affect of the world’s richest man, unelected tech billionaire Elon Musk spent the day repeatedly and publicly calling on Republicans to vote no and referred to as for many who assist the plan to be voted out of workplace. Then President-Elect Donald Trump weighed in, additionally urging a “No” vote, after which inside hours, Musk declared the deal lifeless. There’s a lot to get to and it issues your tax {dollars}, your authorities, and your election officers.
The truth that the media are so horrified by Elon’s affect with the Trump group in killing the cromnibus appears to counsel that they’re on the appropriate path. Because the saying goes, the hit canine hollers the loudest.
On the one hand, outgoing CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell’s intro to the report was clearly the worst. On the opposite, Nikole Killion’s video bundle was essentially the most clear in detailing a few of the excesses of the CR:
NIKOLE KILLION: The stopgap measure would hold the federal government operational by means of March of subsequent 12 months, and contains greater than $100 billion in catastrophe aid for Hurricane Helene and Milton victims and $10 billion in direct help for farmers. But it surely’s additionally padded with loads of extras, from funding for the fallen Baltimore Key Bridge, to well being care extensions, authorization for a brand new Washington Commanders soccer stadium, and a pay bump for Congress.
ABC and NBC don’t go into this depth of element. Along with the aforementioned extras, the CR sought to guard the January sixth Committee from investigation, and continued to fund the federal government censorship equipment.
ABC’s Mary Bruce, her Biden-Harris apple sharpening days quickly coming to an finish, adopted O’Donnell’s lead in driving up the shutdown hysterics:
MARY BRUCE: If Congress would not go the invoice by Saturday and the federal government shuts down, thousands and thousands of federal employees may head into the vacations with out paychecks. Some will probably be furloughed, others requested to work with out pay. That features some members of the army, and different essential authorities employees like TSA brokers and air site visitors controllers, simply as the vacation journey craze begins.
Remaining protection throughout was persistently the identical, persistently that includes the soon-to-be-released Home Ethics report on Matt Gaetz in the identical schadenfreudy model.
We’re 33 days away from the Second Trump Inaugural, however in some ways it appears like he’s already in cost. The media’s response to the top of the 1500-page Cromnibus attests to that.
Click on “”increase” to view the total transcripts of the aforementioned stories as aired on their respective community newscasts on Wednesday, December 18th, 2024:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
12/18/24
6:38 PM
DAVID MUIR: We proceed tonight, and to The Hill. The showdown brewing over a looming authorities shutdown proper earlier than Christmas. And now, Elon Musk with an influence play of kinds. Now threatening members of Congress himself, saying anybody who votes for this new bipartisan spending invoice that will hold the federal government open, quote, “deserves to be voted out in two years”. Tonight, President-Elect Trump now weighing in, and here is Mary Bruce.
MARY BRUCE: Tonight, after a relentless strain marketing campaign from billionaire Elon Musk, Washington is now barrelling in the direction of a doable authorities shutdown, simply days earlier than Christmas. Musk calling a shutdown “infinitely higher than passing a horrible invoice,” threatening any lawmaker that votes for it deserved to be voted out. The bipartisan deal that will hold the federal government up and operating for 3 months was brokered by Republican Home Speaker Mike Johnson.
MIKE JOHNSON: We have to get this achieved, as a result of here is the important thing. By doing this, we’re clearing the decks and we’re organising for Trump to return in, roaring again, with the America First agenda.
BRUCE: However this morning, Musk, who President-Elect Donald Trump has tapped to steer a brand new division on authorities effectivity, posted on X, “This spending invoice is against the law.” The invoice would fund the federal government by means of mid-March. Amongst different issues, it contains $100 billion in catastrophe aid, and billions extra in help for farmers. However Musk says it is also bloated with wasteful spending. Republican leaders as we speak caught off guard by Musk’s strain play.
JOHN THUNE: There’ll be numerous exhausting votes within the subsequent couple of years, and it isn’t at all times going to be the case that the skin world, the social media viewers goes to be weighing in.
BRUCE: If Congress would not go the invoice by Saturday and the federal government shuts down, thousands and thousands of federal employees may head into the vacations with out paychecks. Some will probably be furloughed, others requested to work with out pay. That features some members of the army, and different essential authorities employees like TSA brokers and air site visitors controllers, simply as the vacation journey craze begins. Late as we speak, Trump lastly weighing in, criticizing the invoice with out telling Republicans precisely what to do, urging them to get good and hard. However Democrats tonight are blunt.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Home Republicans will now personal any hurt that’s visited upon the American those who outcomes from a authorities shutdown or worse.
BRUCE: And David, one other headline right here tonight. The Home Ethics Committee has quietly voted to launch its report on former Congressman Matt Gaetz, Donald Trump’s first decide to be Legal professional Normal. They have been investigating him for sexual misconduct and illicit drug use. Gaetz saying in an announcement, partially, quote: “in my single days, I usually despatched funds to girls I dated. Even some I by no means dated however who requested. I by no means had sexual contact with somebody underneath 18… It is embarrassing, although not prison, that I most likely partied, womanized, drank and smoked greater than I ought to have earlier in life. I stay a special life now.” David.
MUIR: Mary Bruce, stay at The Hill tonight. Mary, thanks.
CBS EVENING NEWS
12/18/24
6:31 PM
NORAH O’DONNELL: It’s fairly an evening of stories as a result of America is 2 days away from a authorities shutdown except Congress acts quickly. Which means thousands and thousands of presidency employees and army members might be with no paycheck days earlier than the vacations. And it is fairly a reversal since the place we began simply this morning. The Home of Representatives gave the impression to be on the verge of approving a last-minute bipartisan plan. However tonight, it’s imploding. As we appear to be witnessing the rising affect of the world’s richest man, unelected tech billionaire Elon Musk spent the day repeatedly and publicly calling on Republicans to vote no and referred to as for many who assist the plan to be voted out of workplace. Then President-Elect Donald Trump weighed in, additionally urging a “No” vote, after which inside hours, Musk declared the deal lifeless. There’s a lot to get to and it issues your tax {dollars}, your authorities, and your election officers. CBS’s Nikole Killion goes to steer us off from Capitol Hill to clarify all that’s occurring up there. Good night, Nikole. All proper, the place does this invoice stand proper now?
NIKOLE KILLION: Hey, good night to you, Norah. Nicely, numerous people need to know that, however I can let you know that every one of those developments have actually despatched Capitol Hill right into a tailspin. This invoice got here out nearly 24 hours in the past, and now it seems getting ready to collapse. Tonight, chaos in Congress, with Vice President-Elect JD Vance on Capitol Hill, telling lawmakers what to do.
JD VANCE: Nicely, what the president believes is we should always assist a clear CR as long as it comprises a debt restrict improve.
KILLION: It follows an intense strain marketing campaign on X by none apart from its personal CEO, Elon Musk. The billionaire tapped to co-lead a fee on authorities effectivity posted greater than 100 occasions because the early morning hours. He bashed the 1500-page invoice as pork, warning “this invoice mustn’t go.”
MIKE JOHNSON: Elon and Vivek and I are on a textual content chain collectively. They perceive this case. They mentioned, “it’s not directed to you, Mr. Speaker. However we do not just like the spending.” I mentioned, “guess what, fellas, I do not both.”
KILLION: The stopgap measure would hold the federal government operational by means of March of subsequent 12 months, and contains greater than $100 billion in catastrophe aid for Hurricane Helene and Milton victims and $10 billion in direct help for farmers. But it surely’s additionally padded with loads of extras, from funding for the fallen Baltimore Key Bridge, to well being care extensions, authorization for a brand new Washington Commanders soccer stadium, and a pay bump for Congress.
ANNA PAULINA LUNA: Look, this can be a [bleep] Sandwich, I do not know the way else to say that.
KAT CAMMACK: It’s completely bloated pork barrel spending.
KILLION: A number of hard-line Republicans blame Speaker Johnson for conceding an excessive amount of to Democrats, even threatening to not assist him for the submit subsequent 12 months.
THOMAS MASSIE: I’m not voting for him.
KILLION: Meantime, Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries fired again.
HAKEEM JEFFRIES: Home Republicans have been ordered to close down the federal government and damage on a regular basis People, all throughout this nation.
KILLION: Some members are pushing for a clear persevering with decision with none extras. Nevertheless, at this level, members have been suggested that there will probably be no votes tonight. Norah?
O’DONNELL: Actually attention-grabbing. Nikole, I do need to ask you about that Home Ethics report on Matt Gaetz. Are we going to see it?
KILLION: Nicely, the hope is that that will probably be launched quickly, after the Home Ethics Committee voted to launch its extremely anticipated report into Matt Gaetz following its investigation into him. He confronted allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, and bribery. He mentioned that he didn’t have intercourse with a minor however did acknowledge that he could have parted and womanized greater than he ought to have. Gaetz, after all, was briefly tapped as Trump’s Legal professional Normal decide however later withdrew his identify over this controversy. Norah.
O’DONNELL: It’s busy there on Capitol Hill. All proper, Nikole Killion. Thanks very a lot.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
12/18/24
6:31 PM
LESTER HOLT: In what might be seen as one other signal of Elon Musk’s rising affect throughout the Trump orbit, the President-Elect joined Musk as we speak in his name to scrap a spending invoice backed by some Republicans, elevating the probabilities of a authorities shutdown. Musk, tasked with tackling wasteful spending within the new administration, posted all through the day on his X platform, demanding the spending invoice be killed. Calling the bundle put ahead by Republican Speaker Mike Johnson “pork barrel spending.” Later, Mr. Trump delivering the demise knell, following Musk’s lead, and calling for the bundle to be scrapped- dramatically growing the percentages of a authorities shutdown as quickly as this weekend. Meantime, there are new developments as we speak relating to the Home Ethics Committee investigation of former Congressman Matt Gaetz. Ryan Nobles is protecting all of it. Ryan, this new transfer by President-Elect Trump comes as that Friday deadline is shortly approaching.
RYAN NOBLES: Lester, that’s proper. In actual fact, lawmakers had been planning to vote on this large spending invoice as quickly as tonight. However now they’re left to grapple with the modifications that President-Elect Trump is demanding.
Tonight, President-Elect Trump blowing up a bipartisan spending deal labored out by Home Speaker Mike Johnson, designed to maintain the federal authorities open by means of March of subsequent 12 months. Writing, quote: “We should always go a streamlined spending invoice that does not give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats the whole lot they need. The invoice prolonged authorities funding whereas additionally including $100 billion for catastrophe help and $10 billion for farmers. But it surely additionally included well being care reforms, and a provision permitting for pay raises for Members of Congress, resulting in conservative backlash. Billionaire Elon Musk, who will lead Trump’s effort to chop authorities spending writing, “any lawmaker who votes for this outrageous spending invoice deserves to be voted out in two years. Tonight, Vice President-Elect Vance speaking in regards to the spending plan generally known as a CR.
JD VANCE: Nicely, what the president believes is we should always assist a clear CR as long as it comprises a debt restrict improve. That is the place of the president, and that’s what we will attempt to push for.
NOBLES: All of it coming after one other shock headline. NBC Information studying the Home Ethics Committee has voted in secret to launch its report on former congressman Matt Gaetz, in accordance with two sources accustomed to the method. Now the committee is ready to launch its findings by the top of the week. Gaetzearlier withdrew as Trump’s decide for legal professional normal.
MATT GAETZ: Have not been listening to that.
NOBLES: The committee wanting into allegations of sexual misconduct and illicit drug use which Gaetz denies. Tonight,Gaetz writing, “I ‘ve by no means had sexual contact with somebody underneath 18. It is embarrassing, although not prison, that I most likely partied, womanized, drank and smoked greater than I ought to have earlier in life. I stay a special life now.” A Justice Division investigation into the allegations was in the end closed, with no costs filed in opposition to Gaetz.
HOLT: Ryan, let me circle you again to the potential shutdown. Speaker Johnson is dealing with a very main problem tonight.
NOBLES: That is proper, Lester. He must give you a plan B, which can seemingly be a slimmed down model of what he has already proposed. However that dangers alienating assist for some Democrats. And he must do all of it by that deadline of midnight on Friday. Lester.
HOLE: All proper. Ryan Nobles, thanks.