ABC spent considerable time and effort during Wednesday’s World News Tonight desperately selling Andrew Cuomo’s so-called “excuse”, the Democratic governor of New York, after he was charged with sexual harassment, including touching, by three young women.
In contrast, the CBS Evening News gave more time to share its prosecutor’s reaction and even spoke to the attorney representing the third prosecutor.
In total, ABC presenter David Muir and correspondent Stephanie Ramos spent almost three minutes (2:53) focused on propping up the embattled governor and summarizing what he was “sorry” and “embarrassing” for. Meanwhile, Ramos buried his accusers’ reaction in the last 24 seconds of the segment:
MUIR: And tonight, do you have a reaction from two of the women?
RAMOS: Exactly, David. Former governor’s aide Lindsay Boylan tweeted, “How can New Yorkers trust you to run our state if they don’t know when you have been inappropriately with your own staff?” Charlotte Bennett’s attorney issued a statement stating, “The governor’s statements were full of falsehoods.”
Of course, Muir Ramos’ rapprochement preceded it by telling the audience: “Governor Cuomo says he learned “a very important lesson” from his words.”
It wasn’t the first time Muir sounded like Cuomo’s spokesman, either. When he went into the segment, he made sure to talk repeatedly about how bad Cuomo was feeling.
“For the first time in days in front of the cameras. I apologize today but say that he will not resign after three women accused him of wrongdoing and said, “I now understand that I acted in a way that made people feel uncomfortable. I apologize deeply. ‘Muir quoted. “Added, “I’m embarrassed.””
“And the reaction of two of his accusers tonight,” Muir quickly added in an obvious afterthought.
And when Ramos started the video portion of the segment, she noticed that Cuomo’s comments during “one of his trademark COVID briefings. ”“ And when it was over, he addressed the sexual harassment allegations threatens his career to derail“He added strangely.
In contrast, CBS issued 1 minute 43 seconds to the reaction of Cuomo’s accusers (1:26 for the apology and claims). Correspondent Jericka Duncan even interviewed Deborah Katz, attorney for third prosecutor Charlotte Bennett:
In order for the governor to say, “I have never touched anyone inappropriately,” the world saw this picture. If he took the microphone today and said, “I looked at this picture and it was inappropriate, and I clearly touched it inappropriately, and I’m sorry.” I would have a lot more respect for his position.
While Muir sounded like Cuomo’s PR guy by jumping straight to the apology, Anker Norah O’Donnell responded directly to his accusers’ reaction. “Tonight two former advisers to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo decline his apology,” she said at the top of the segment.
And while NBC gave Nightly News more time Cuomo’s excuse and the reason (1:28) than they did his accusers (24 seconds, with 23 seconds on the investigation)Anker Lester Holt seemed to be making fun of Cuomo. The governor apologized as he put itfor the way he behaved, ”he told the audience.
Neither of them, however, mentioned Cuomo’s ridiculous statement: “I have never done anything in my public career that I am ashamed of.” Sexual harassment of his employees should be one thing to be ashamed of, as should his disastrous arrangement, COIVD to put patients in nursing homes. But the evening news broadcasts didn’t care either how they showed they were ignoring this scandal for the second day in a row.
ABC’s help for Governor Cuomo was made possible through lucrative sponsorships from Consumer Cellular and ancestry. Their contact information is linked so you can let them know about the biased news they’re funding.
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