Realizing that their party was going to be crushed in Tuesday’s midterm election, the big three (ABC/NBC, CBS/NBC) evening newscasts tried to cast doubt on the outcome by warning about foreign interference and possible violence on election day.
Anchor David Muir asked James Longman, a correspondent from Ukraine, about his “Russian businessman with connections to Putin” and he replied that he had tried to interfere in the U.S. election process in the past as well as trying to interfere in the current midterms.
Longman replied that Vladimir Putin ally YevgenyProgosin had admitted “on the day of these midterms, [he] has said that we have interfered, and we are interfering, and we will interfere carefully. precisely, surgically, as we know how.” Longman said that it was “a worrying thing to listen to.”
CBS Evening News, despite no plot, hyped a report by the FBI that claimed there was a “potential of violence.” Chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Pegues warned about the “recent DHS Alert warned domestic violent extremists from across the ideological spectrum pose an increased threat.”
Anchor Norah O’Donnell was compelled to jump in and ask, “What about foreign interference?”
Pegues replied that “U.S. Cyber officials claim China has been active spreading misinformation in a manner it hasn’t seen before, seeking chaos by manipulating the social media. But we’re also being told U.S. cybersecurity teams believe that the threat from hackers has decreased than it has in the past.”
Tom Costello, NBC Nightly News correspondent, joined the panic over Elon Musk’s loosening content moderation rules and how it could allow foreign governments influence voters with online misinformation.” “Cybersecurity experts warn that changes at Twitter could invite more interference.”
Clint Watts, a national security analyst, expressed concern that “if Twitter makes these changes here in coming days, I would expect Russian influence actors to move very aggressively for accounts.”
If Republicans have a good night, don’t be surprised if the media continues to blame “foreign interference” for Democrats losing control.
This media panic was possible because of Nature’s Bounty (ABC), Liberty Mutual (CBS) and Salonpas (NBC). Their information is linked.
Click “expand” to view the transcripts.
ABC’s World News Tonight
11/7/2022
6:48:15 Eastern
DAVIDMUIR: Another headline-making news story at this hour is James. A Russian businessman with ties with Putin has now admitted to trying to meddle with U.S. elections in the past as well as trying to interfere in the current midterms.
JAMES LONGMAN (Yes, that’s correct, David). Although Yevgeny Progosin denied these allegations for years, he now says that we have interfered, that we are interfering, and that we will continue to interfere surgically as best we can. It is a worrying thing.
CBS Evening News
11/7/2022
6:42:20 p.m. Eastern
NORAH O’DONNELL: Law enforcement officials have briefed President Biden about potential threats to the midterm election. Jeff Pegues, CBS’s CBS News correspondent, tells us that election workers are a prime target. Good evening Jeff, what is the federal government doing?
JEFF PEGUES – Tonight, the FBI, Norah activates its command centers across the nation with violence possible over these midterm election. DHS recently warned that domestic violent extremists from all ideologies pose a greater threat. After the discovery of a white powdered envelope, Kari Lake’s campaign headquarters was evacuated. While no one was injured, details of threats to Arizona election workers were published. A judge also ordered that masked men dressed in tactical gear stay away from the ballot boxes. Norah?
O’DONNELL : So there are potential domestic threats. What about foreign interference?
PEGUES: This is also a concern. U.S. cyber officials claim that China has been actively spreading disinformation in a manner it hasn’t seen before. They are also trying to create chaos through manipulating social media. However, we’re also being told by U.S. cybersecurity teams that the threat from hackers is less than it was in the past. Norah?
NBC Nightly News
11/7/2022
7:22:45 p.m. Eastern
TOM COSTELLO – Meanwhile, a month ago, the FBI warned that foreign governments could attempt to influence voters through online disinformation. Cybersecurity experts believe that changes at Twitter could lead to more interference.
CLINT WATTS, NBC NATIONAL SECURIT ANALYST: If Twitter makes these changes in the coming days, then I would expect that Russian influence actors will move aggressively to create accounts.
