Planned protests in opposition to Israel broke out Monday, fanning out all across the country. The protests were intended to shut down traffic in key locations across several major cities, such as landmark bridges and airport roads. And ABC World News Tonight was the only network newscast NOT to cover the protests.
Here’s how NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez opened up his White House recap; with an acknowledgement of what happened:
GABE GUTIERREZ: Tonight, the pressure is mounting on the Biden administration over the war in Gaza. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters today blocked traffic on New York’s Brooklyn bridge with several arrests.
VOICE: Oh, God.
GUTIERREZ: Police say protesters near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport today substantially delayed travelers. And on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, multiple arrests after protesters snarled traffic there for hours.
CBS’s Weijia Jiang offered up a similar, albeit less specific open to her own White House recap:
WEIJIA JIANG: From San Francisco to Chicago, protesters and several major cities blocked traffic, demanding an end to the war in Gaza, dialing up pressure for President Biden to do the same. In New York City, some even waved a Hezbollah flag showing condemnation for Israel. The protests were planned before Iran launched an unprecedented assault on Israel.
Granted, they’re not as extensive, and there was enough source material on the protests to justify their own report. But ABC didn’t even do the mini brief. They did nothing, and the reason they did nothing is because more often than not, the first casualty of any story adverse to the president is his own electoral prospects. We often talk about “protect the Precious”, and this principle is increasingly showing itself to be very real this election cycle.
It is unconscionable that ABC News hid from their viewers a multi city protest consisting of the willful blockage of roads and bridges, and featuring chants of “from the river to the Sea” as American flags burned.
Click “expand” to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective evening newscasts on Monday, April 15th, 2024:
CBS EVENING NEWS:
NORAH O’DONNELL: Back here in Washington, the White House is reiterating its unwavering support for Israel. President Biden is urging caution ahead of any Israeli counterattack. CBS’s Weijia Jiang reports that the president is facing pressure here at home with protests shutting down parts of major cities across the country.
WEIJIA JIANG: From San Francisco to Chicago, protesters and several major cities blocked traffic, demanding an end to the war in Gaza, dialing up pressure for President Biden to do the same. In New York City, some even waved a Hezbollah flag showing condemnation for Israel. The protests were planned before Iran launched an unprecedented assault on Israel. Today, as Biden hosted the Prime Minister of Iraq in the Oval Office, he stressed U.S. support of Israel, but acknowledged fears that responding to Iran could widen the war.
JOE BIDEN: We’re committed to a cease-fire that will bring the hostages home and prevent any conflict from spreading beyond where it already has.
JIANG: CBS News has learned during a phone call Saturday night, President Biden urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to think carefully and strategically about the risks of escalation, and said that if the IDF launched a reprisal strike on Iran, the U.S. would not participate. Biden issued this warning to Iran just one day before the strikes.
BIDEN: Don’t.
JIANG: Tehran went ahead anyway.
Does that signal to Iran that it can defy the U.S. without facing any consequences?
JOHN KIRBY: If I am sitting in Tehran and I’m taking a look at what just happened on Saturday night, I don’t think I’d be betting that the United States is not willing to get engaged here and help defend Israel.
JIANG: House Speaker Mike Johnson says the House would soon vote on aid for Israel in light of the Iranian attack. Tonight, the White House says it opposes any measure that focuses solely on Israel as it pushes Congress to pass a package that also includes money for Ukraine and border security. Norah.
O’DONNELL: Weijia Jiang at the White House with those tough questions today. Thank you very much.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS:
LESTER HOLT: Tonight, the White House is trying to prevent a wider war in the region after Iran’s attack on Israel. It comes as protests broke out coast-to-coast here at home against President Biden’s policies in the Israel-Hamas war. We get more from Gabe Gutierrez.
GABE GUTIERREZ: Tonight, the pressure is mounting on the Biden administration over the war in Gaza. Hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters today blocked traffic on New York’s Brooklyn bridge with several arrests.
VOICE: Oh, God.
GUTIERREZ: Police say protesters near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport today substantially delayed travelers. And on San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, multiple arrests after protesters snarled traffic there for hours. The demonstrations come as President Biden touts what he calls an unprecedented military effort to defend Israel.
JOE BIDEN: Together with our partners, we defeated that attack.
GUTIERREZ: In the Oval Office today, he met with Iraq’s prime minister, as he tries to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.
BIDEN: We’re committed to a cease fire that will bring the hostages home, and prevent any conflict from spreading beyond what it already has.
GUTIERREZ: The president spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu this week and following Iran’s attack, urging restraint, a senior administration official tells NBC News the president told Netanyahu to take the win and that although the White House’s commitment to defend Israel is ironclad, the U.S. would not participate in offensive operations against Iran.
GUTIERREZ: To ask it bluntly: if Israel retaliates against Iran, will the U.S. Support that?
JOHN KIRBY: To answer bluntly, I’m not going to get into hypotheticals. We don’t want to see a wider conflict.
GUTIERREZ: Today the White House stressed Iran did not provide warnings to the U.S. about its time frame for launching an attack on Israel. Some Republican critics argue the Biden administration has emboldened Iran.
MITCH MCCONNELL: It’s time for the commander in chief to lead allies and partners in an international effort to impose meaningful costs on Iran.
HOLT: And, Gabe, amid all of this, there are new questions about that U.S. aid package for Israel. What can you tell us?
GUTIERREZ: Yes, Lester, House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing intense pressure to bring Israel and Ukraine funding up for a vote after sitting on it for months. Well, late today, he told GOP lawmakers that he planned to do it this week in separate bills. Lester.
HOLT: All right, Gabe. Thank you.