How Cable News handled Biden and Trump at the southern border

Nicolle Wallace devoted most of her afternoon talk show to the implications of Wednesday’s Supreme Court decision to hear Trump’s claims of presidential immunity. Ms Wallace opened her 4pm program by warning that the court had jeopardized a cherished idea that no individual is above the law. She spoke with Andrew Weissmann, lead prosecutor in Robert S. Mueller’s investigation into Mr. Trump, and Charlie Sykes, a former conservative pundit who identifies as a Never Trumper.

Ms. Wallace did not inform her viewers when Mr. Trump or Mr. Biden began speaking in Texas, although she aired excerpts of Mr. Biden’s remarks later in the program.

CNN

CNN showed the appearances of both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump. After Mr Trump delivered his conclusion, host Kaitlan Collins told viewers: “As we do after every Trump speech, it seems, we have to do a series of fact checks.” Ms. Collins noted that Mr. Trump had “told several lies about the border” and misrepresented his past actions on the issue. Daniel Dale, a CNN fact-checker, hosted a segment dissecting the falsehoods in Mr. Trump’s comments.

Later, after Mr. Biden spoke, Mr. Dale reentered the picture. He noted that Mr. Biden had stuck closely to his prepared remarks, which were “written in a precise manner,” in contrast to Mr. Trump’s more liberal approach. “I don’t have any fact checks from President Biden here,” Mr. Dale said, “but there’s an obvious reason for that.”

Given Americans’ fatigue with political news and general dissatisfaction with the expected candidates, it should come as no surprise that CNN offered viewers a broader mix of topics. Shortly before Trump spoke, CNN brought in Bill Nye, the famed “scientist,” to explain the Leap Day phenomenon. Mr. Nye offered an astronomy lesson, complete with a miniature globe.

“Bill, that was so much of what I wanted and more,” said CNN anchor Boris Sanchez. “I appreciate you and all your props.”