The Washington Post also has a story out this afternoon that closely follows the AP’s credulity, adding lengthy quotes about Republican outrage, shock, feelings of betrayal at Biden’s surprise announcement. But unlike the AP, it actually provides an example of something slightly different: the way the bigs can get the real information in there, sorta, but in a way that buries it so much as almost not to matter.
The article’s first ten paragraphs go on as I described: Republican shock and outrage over Biden’s switcheroo. And then down at the end you have three paragraphs, literally the last three paragraphs which basically tell the story: that this has all been completely known for weeks or even months. They even quote Mitch McConnnell saying as much. They feel the need to hang it on Sen. Brian Schatz. But still it does cover at least a significant statement of the reality of the situation.
The White House has been clear its intentions for months that it hoped to pass both the bipartisan deal and the Democratic reconciliation package, and Republicans have known both bills were likely coming. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said earlier this month: “We are anticipating at some point getting a reconciliation bill.”
Some Senate Democrats said Republicans should not have been surprised by the president’s position.
“You don’t have to pretend to believe that Republicans haven’t been reading the news for the last two months when legislative leaders said explicitly that we were moving on two tracks,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) said on Twitter. “You don’t have to pretend to believe that they are surprised or angry.”
They still feel the need to hang it on the Democrats – “Some Senate Democrats said …” But it at least notes the fact that this has been completely open and known by everyone for some time. But it’s buried down at the bottom of the story. So doesn’t amount to much.
