Tuesday’s CBS Mornings and NBC Today continued Monday’s attempts to smear tens, millions of conservatives as Republicans for Friday’s brutal attack against Paul Pelosi. They claimed that the suspect was involved in “far-right extremeism” and linked to both the Tea Party movement (and the 2010 GOP wave).
CBS’ Jonathan Vigliotti, CBS’s correspondent, tied the attack on the midterm election to: “With midterm elections a week away, and threats against officials escalating,” the DA urged everyone to tone it down.
Tony Dokoupil, co-host of NBC’s “Co-host,” focused on comments made by Kari Lake (R), Arizona gubernatorial hopeful. She simply stated that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, has “protection” when she’s in D.C. but that her house “apparently doesn’t have a lot.”
The crowd laughed and left the media to argue Lake was the GOP laughing at the attack.
“Many Republicans condemned the attack against Paul Pelosi. But some others have made light, including Kari lake, who is running for governor of Arizona. Dokoupil replied to a question about safety at schools and she brought up the attack.
Dokoupil complained to Roberta Costa, chief election and campaign correspondent: “We have Mike Pence. We have Ben Sasse and other Republicans condemning this attack. She is taking a different path. What does this say about the current political climate?
Costa responded by linking the Berkeley-residing, deranged nudist to the very people that he covered in National Review in 2010: the Tea Party.
Recall 2010, the year of the Tea Party movement and the Republican wave. The Republicans ran on a Nancy Pelosi campaign. She was ridiculed and scorned politically. Pelosi was portrayed by her Republican critics as an elitist from San Francisco. This has been true for more than a decade.
Let’s recap: Costa insists that Pelosi is an “elitist” while saying that she should “fire[d]” her was toxic and threatening.
Costa continued to go:
Even though it was a difficult time for her and her family at the time, laughter at the event is not surprising. This is indicative of our deeply divided political moment.
Today’s co-host Hoda Khotb, NBC Today, teased that San Francisco officials are “knocking down conspiracy theories about an attack on the internet being pushed online.”
Savannah Guthrie, Savannah’s co-host, went further and complained about the “string” of online conspiracy theories while also linking this mentally-ill suspect (who blogged about it) to “far right extremism.”
Miguel Almaguer, senior national correspondent, had the same complaint: “Online conspiracy theories surfaced on right, some pushed to the right by prominent figures from Ted Cruz through Elon Musk to Donald Trump Jr.”
What are these conspiracy theories? One example is that Paul Pelosi knew the attacker. One problem is that they (and the police) reported it for several days before it was finally corrected on Sunday.
Almaguer, however, didn’t mention it and instead carried water to the district attorney, stating that she “warn[ed] against misinformation.”
Almaguer also blasted Lake, claiming that she “made light of the incident” to prove that the left is mortified.
Advertisers such as Ashley Homestore (on CBS) or Fidelity (on NBC) made Tuesday’s attempts at tarring and feathering tens of million of Americans possible. Follow these links to view their contact information on the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back Page.
Click “expand” to view the relevant transcripts starting November 1.
CBS Mornings
November 1, 2022
7:01 a.m. Eastern
JOHNBERMAN [on CNN’s AC360 on 10/31/22] Kari Lake, who is running for governor of Arizona, seemed to make fun of the attack.
KARI LAKE: Nancy Pelosi is protected when she’s in D.C. Evidently, her house doesn’t have much protection.
(….)
7:06 a.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE] Pelosi Attack Suspect Indicted; Police: Suspect Plans to Kidnap Speaker of Torture House]
JONATHAN VIGLIOTTI – With the midterm elections just a week away, and threats against officials escalating in the news, the DA urged everyone to tone it down.
SAN FRANCISCO DA BROOKE JENKINS : We should be able engage in passionate political discourse but still be respectful of each other.
(….)
7:07:03 a.m.
1 minute and 28 second
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE] Political Rhetoric over Pelosi Attack; Arizona GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Makes Jokes about Security at Pelosi’s Home
TONY DOKOUPIL – While many Republicans condemned the attack against Paul Pelosi’s, others have made light, including Kari lake, who is running for governor of Arizona. When responding to a question on safety in schools, she brought up the attack. Listen.
LAKE: It’s possible to protect our children at school. They act as if it is. Nancy Pelosi is protected when she’s in D.C. Evidently, her house doesn’t have much protection. [CROWD LAUGHS]
DOKOUPIL – It’s the laughter of the crowd that really gets you. Let’s now bring Bob Costa to Pennsylvania, who was there following the campaign. Good morning Bob. Let’s talk about Pennsylvania. First, Kari Lake’s clip. We’ve got Mike Pence. Ben Sasse and other Republicans have condemned the attack. She is taking a different path. What does this say about the current political climate?
ROBERT COSTA: Good Morning. She is going a different way. Recall 2010, the year of the Tea Party movement and the Republican wave. The Republicans ran on a Nancy Pelosi campaign. She was ridiculed and scorned politically. Pelosi’s Republican critics portrayed her as an elitist from San Francisco. This has been true for more than a decade. Even at this difficult time for her and her family the laughter at that event is not surprising. This is a reflection of our deeply partisan and deeply divided political moment that continues across the country ahead the midterms.
DOKOUPIL: Yeah, it sure does.
——————————————————————————–
Today on NBC
November 1, 2022
7:00 a.m. Eastern (TEASE)
SAVANNAH GUTRIE: We are learning more about the brutal attack on Speaker Pelosi’s husband.
HODA KOTB : Officials are denying that the attack was actually being pushed online.
(….)
Eastern, 7:03 a.m.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE] Pelosi Suspect in Court Today
GURTHRIE: New details have been revealed about his social media posts this morning, which focus on far-right extremism and lead to a series of conspiracy theories online about the attack itself.
(….)
Eastern, 7:04 a.m.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE] Pelosi Suspect in Court Today
MIGUEL ALMAGUER
SAN FRANCISCO DA BROOKE JENKINS : I think the biggest hurdle right now is when so many people are misinforming the public.
ALMAGUER – Online conspiracy theories have surfaced on right, some pushed a prominent figure from Ted Cruz to Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. Overnight Kari Lake, Republican candidate for Arizona governor made light of the incident.
KARI LAKE: Nancy Pelosi is protected when she’s in D.C. Evidently, her house doesn’t have much protection. [CROWD LAUGHS]
