Despite a combined six hours of available air time on Wednesday, the three network morning shows buried the first implosion of a Biden cabinet pick, allowing just a scant two minutes and four seconds out of a combined six hours of available air time. Neera Tanden withdrew as nominee to be the director of the Office of Management and Budget on Tuesday night after nasty tweets doomed her chances.
Yet, NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America allowed just 27 and 31 seconds, respectively. CBS This Morning managed a bit more, one minute and six seconds. But reporter Ed O’Keefe scoffed at the reasons behind her departure: “Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination last night amid bipartisan criticism of, for lack of a better term, mean tweets about members of both parties.”
Co-host Tony Dokoupil engaged in whataboutism, deflecting, “The definition of mean tweets is pretty elastic given the tweets of the former president.” O’Keefe lamented the history that would no longer be made with Tanden: “[The White House] wanted to keep Tanden in place because, you know, she represents some history. She would have been the first Indian American to hold that job. She’s one of the women that they’re trying to get nominated to senior posts.”
What were the “mean tweets” O’Keefe vaguely referred to? He didn’t inform viewers, but they included seething at “vampire” Republicans, “Voldemort” Mitch McConnell and Susan “the worst” Collins.
Over on NBC’s Today, Savannah Guthrie managed to call Tanden “controversial,” but the only example she offered was an attack on socialist Bernie Sanders:
The President is dealing with his first cabinet defeat this morning. The White House has had to withdraw the nomination of Neera Tanden, Biden’s controversial choice to lead the office of Management and Budget. Tanden faced opposition from Republicans and some Democrats because of her history of partisan attacks on Twitter, including one tweet saying, quote, “Russia did a lot to help Bernie Sanders’ campaign.” Critics say those attacks ran counter to Biden’s calls for unity.
On Good Morning America, Rachel Scott sounded like the journalists at CBS. She offered no examples of what Tanden actually said:
It was really clear that Neera Tanden was facing some deep trouble here with getting confirmed in the Senate. You had lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raising concern with past controversial commences she made on social media.
The news broke during Tuesday’s evening newscasts so only NBC Nightly News had time to get the story in for the 7 PM show. Peter Alexander followed the template and didn’t say what these “incendiary” tweets actually were:
It’s the first setback for the president’s effort to fill his cabinet. Tanden had faced bipartisan opposition from senators due to her past incendiary tweets about some Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
In contrast, when Trump Labor Secretary nominee withdrew in February of 2017, the evening newscasts alone devoted over five minutes to the story.
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Transcripts are below. Click “expand” to read more.
CBS This Morning
3/3/2021
7:17 AM ET
ED O’KEEFE: Meanwhile, over at the White House, President Biden has pulled the nomination for his budget chief. Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination last night amid bipartisan criticism of, for lack of a better term, mean tweets about members of both parties. The White House says they’re going to find something else for her to do instead that doesn’t require senate confirmation. Tony?
TONY DOKOUPIL: Yeah. The definition of mean tweets is pretty elastic given the tweets of the former president. I’m curious, Joe Biden cannot be accused of rushing to remove this nomination. He stuck with it for quite a long time. How come?
O’KEEFE: Well, a few reasons. One, they wanted to keep Tanden in place because, you know, she represents some history. She would have been the first Indian American to hold that job. She’s one of the women that they’re trying to get nominated to senior posts. The other is that they were under the belief that they could get at least one Republican vote for this given that at least one Democrat had said they weren’t interested in confirming her. But ultimately the horse trading that was going on, they determined it couldn’t happen. Suppose the moral is, Tony, just watch your tweets.
DOKOUPIL: That was exactly what I was going to say, Ed. Well put. Thank you very much.
Today
3/3/2021
7:31 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: The President is dealing with his first cabinet defeat this morning. The White House has had to withdraw the nomination of Neera Tanden, Biden’s controversial choice to lead the office of Management and Budget. Tanden faced opposition from Republicans and some Democrats because of her history of partisan attacks on Twitter, including one tweet saying, quote, “Russia did a lot to help Bernie Sanders’ campaign.” Critics say those attacks ran counter to Biden’s calls for unity.
Good Morning America
3/3/2021
7:13 AM ET
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Meantime, the first cabinet casualty of the Biden administration, his Budget Director nominee Neera Tanden withdraws from consideration.
RACHEL SCOTT: Yeah, it was really clear that Neera Tanden was facing some deep trouble here with getting confirmed in the senate. You had lawmakers on both sides of the aisle raising concern with past controversial commences she made on social media. One Democratic senator who just flat out refused to support her. The margin in the Senate is too thin to lose any Democratic support so the White House is looking for another role for Tanden in the administration that does not require a Senate confirmation, George.
NBC Nightly News
3/2/2021
7:12 PM ET
LESTER HOLT: Breaking news out of Washington. The Biden administration has withdrawn a cabinet nominee for the first time after she encountered bipartisan opposition in the Senate. Peter Alexander is at the White House. Peter, what do we know?
PETER ALEXANDER: Lester, after days defending Neera Tanden’s nomination for Budget Director today President Biden announced he had accepted her request to withdraw it. It’s the first setback for the president’s effort to fill his cabinet. Tanden had faced bipartisan opposition from senators due to her past incendiary tweets about some Republican and Democratic lawmakers. Tonight President Biden said he has the utmost respect for Tanden and looks forward to her joining his administration in a different role that does not require Senate approval. Lester?