On Monday’s Good Morning America, ABC continued to voice its shock it first registered Sunday at newest ballot displaying voters imagine they’re worse off since President Biden took workplace than prior. Like with the Chinese language spy balloon embarrassment, ABC sprung to Biden’s protection with a softball interview of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and suggesting the ballot additionally had horrible information for Republicans.

Co-host and former Clinton official George Stephanopoulos referred to as the ballot “pink flags” and “issues” for Biden on the “insecurity in America’s management,” however insisted that was “throughout the board.”

Senior nationwide correspondent Terry Moran conceded “[t]his is a troublesome ballot for President Biden,” however added the qualifier that it was the case “for each different politician in Washington.”

The Biden half got here first. Moran bemoaned the truth that Biden’s numbers needs to be greater since he’s “com[ing] into the State of the Union tackle after a fairly good election end result for an incumbent president, with some legislative accomplishments to tout,” however that hasn’t been the case due to how People really feel concerning the financial system.

“We requested, are you higher off financially, worse off, or about the identical since Joe Biden grew to become President? And 41 % mentioned they’re worse off. Simply 16 % say they’re higher off. The remaining, about the identical. Individuals are struggling, and they aren’t pleased with Joe Biden. His approval numbers stay stagnant,” he defined.

Earlier than Moran’s fellow liberals might be completely crestfallen, he reassured them that their fellow People “don’t very similar to the Republican strategy both” as “by a whopping margin, have a look at this, 65 % of the individuals in America reject [the] Republican strategy” to debt ceiling negotiations.

Saying the ballot illustrated that “either side [are] having bother with the American individuals”, Stephanopoulos agreed: “Sure, they’re.”

Shifting to Stephanopoulos’s Yellen interview, he solely slot in three questions. Citing the shortage of public confidence of their financial standing regardless of record-low unemployment, Stephanopoulos requested: “How will you clarify that? What are you able to do about it?”

Yellen droned on and on that blamed the COVID pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however argued the financial system’s in exceptional form with Biden’s listing of supposed accomplishments taking root, so she didn’t actually reply it.

Stephanopoulos didn’t observe up and as an alternative lobbed one other softball: “These — these jobs numbers appear to defy predictions of a recession this 12 months. Do you continue to assume one is probably going?”

After Yellen instructed a recession isn’t seemingly given the extent of job creation and unemployment charges, Stephanopoulos allowed her to skate by and closed with one other weak pitch of the plate: “Lastly, are you assured we’re going to keep away from default and have this debt restrict showdown resolved?”

Afterward, Stephanopoulos requested chief economics correspondent and fill-in co-host Rebecca Jarvis how he did.

Jarvis was impressed: “A-plus, and I’m pleased to listen to her speak about a recession as a result of lots of people have actually pulled again on that for the reason that jobs report on Friday.”

Gag.

ABC lamenting People aren’t giving Biden excessive marks on the financial system as made potential because of advertisers akin to Swiffer and Zales. Observe the hyperlinks to see their contact info on the MRC’s Conservatives Combat Again web page.

To see the related ABC transcript from February 6, click on “broaden.”

ABC’s Good Morning America
February 6, 2023
7:01 a.m. Japanese [TEASE]

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Poll; Trouble Ahead for President Biden?]

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Our new ballot raises pink flags for the White Home as President Biden will get set to deal with the nation. Treasury Secretary Yellen joins us completely on the state of the financial system and the crucial debt ceiling showdown.

(….)

7:15 a.m. Japanese

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New This Morning; Trouble Ahead for Biden?; New Poll Raising Red Flags as President Prepares for State of the Union]

STEPHANOPOULOS: Now to the State of the Union tackle. Our new ballot factors to issues for President Biden and insecurity in America’s management throughout the board. Senior nationwide correspondent Terry Moran has the small print. Good morning, Terry.

TERRY MORAN: Good morning, George. This can be a robust ballot for President Biden, and for each different politician in Washington. Joe Biden really comes into the State of the Union tackle after a fairly good election end result for an incumbent president, with some legislative accomplishments to tout — infrastructure, and inexperienced vitality, and extra, however the issue for Biden is the financial system. Check out this quantity. We requested, are you higher off financially, worse off, or about the identical since Joe Biden grew to become President? And 41 % mentioned they’re worse off. Simply 16 % say they’re higher off. The remaining, about the identical. Individuals are struggling, and they aren’t pleased with Joe Biden. His approval numbers stay stagnant, however they don’t very similar to the Republican strategy both. Contemplate the debt ceiling disaster — the looming disaster over the debt ceiling with Republicans threatening to not increase the debt ceiling until they get main spending cuts that threatens to plunge the nation into default. However by a whopping margin, have a look at this, 65 % of the individuals in America reject that Republican strategy. They need the debt ceiling, compensation of debt and reducing spending dealt with individually. Simply 26 % of individuals agree with the GOP strategy there, so either side having bother with the American individuals, George.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Sure, they’re. Okay, Terry, thanks a lot. We’re going to have extra of this in our subsequent hour — an unique interview with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Robin?

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Coming Up on GMA; One-on-One With Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen; On State of the Economy & President Biden’s State of the Union Address]

ROBIN ROBERTS: Wanting ahead to your dialogue with the secretary, George.

(….)

8:00 a.m. Japanese [TEASE]

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: State of the Economy; Treasury Secretary Yellen Exclusive]

STEPHANOPOULOS:  State of the financial system. With President Biden set to deal with the nation this week, the priority for a lot of People in our new ballot. Plus, the combat towards inflation and the debt ceiling showdown. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joins us reside solely on GMA this morning.

(….)

8:02 a.m. Japanese [TEASE]

REBECCA JARVIS: Additionally forward, we’ve Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. She’s going to converse with George about President Biden’s huge problem: the financial system. Unemployment is at historic lows, however in our new ballot, 41 % of People say they’re worse off.

(….)

8:04 a.m. Japanese

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: ABC News Exclusive; One-on-One With Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen; On State of Economy & President Biden’s State of the Union Address]

STEPHANOPOULOS: President Biden set to offer his State of the Union tackle tomorrow night time. The guts of the speech sure to be the state of the financial system and the way it’s recovering three years after the pandemic hit. Becoming a member of us now with a preview, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Ms. Madame Secretary, thanks for becoming a member of us this morning. I need to start with what appears to be a paradox. We’ve obtained this lowest unemployment numbers [sic] out on Friday, 3.4 %, lowest quantity since 1969, but our new ballot exhibits and I need to put it up there — Rebecca simply talked about it — 41 % of People assume they’re worse off now than when President Biden took workplace. Solely 16 % assume they’re higher off. How will you clarify that? What are you able to do about it?

TREASURY SECRETARY JANET YELLEN: Nicely, the nation has been by way of loads, George, with the COVID pandemic and all of the stress that positioned on the financial system, after which Russia’s battle in Ukraine that boosted meals and vitality costs. People are involved about inflation, and it’s been President Biden’s prime precedence to carry it down, however actually we’ve a robust and resilient financial system. I do know President Biden will speak about that. As you talked about, the unemployment charge is at a 53-year low of three.4 %. Final month, we created over 500,000 jobs, greater than 12 million for the reason that President took workplace, and inflation is coming down. It stays too excessive, but it surely’s been falling for the final six months, and whereas the Fed has major accountability right here, laws that has been handed in some instances on a bipartisan foundation is strengthening our financial system, and decreasing prices for People. The Inflation Discount Act lowers the price of pharmaceuticals, well being care prices. President Biden has taken steps to decrease gasoline costs. They’re down greater than $1.50 since their peaks final summer time. We’ve put in place a worth cap on Russian oil to take care of world vitality provides, and to scale back Russia’s revenues, and importantly a trifecta of laws, the Chips, the bipartisan infrastructure act, the Inflation Discount Act. We’re investing in America once more, rebuilding roads and bridges, ensuring that each American household has entry to the web, and creating good jobs in superior manufacturing, clear vitality, semiconductors, factories are opening all throughout America, and never simply on the coast, however all through the nation in areas that haven’t seen the funding that they want.

STEPHANOPOULOS: These — these jobs numbers appear to defy predictions of a recession this 12 months. Do you continue to assume one is probably going?

YELLEN: Nicely, look, you don’t have a recession when you’ve 500,000 jobs and the bottom unemployment charge in additional than 50 years, so what I see is a path wherein inflation is declining considerably, and the financial system is remaining robust, and actually, that’s a path I imagine is feasible, and it’s — it’s what I’m hoping we will obtain.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Lastly, are you assured we’re going to keep away from default and have this debt restrict showdown resolved?

YELLEN: America has paid all of its payments on time since 1789, and never to take action would produce an financial and monetary disaster, and each accountable member of Congress should agree to lift the debt ceiling. It’s one thing that merely can’t be negotiable, and whereas it — typically we’ve gone as much as the wire it’s one thing that Congress has all the time acknowledged their accountability must do once more.

STEPHANOPOULOS: Madame Secretary, thanks on your time this morning.

YELLEN: Thanks.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And ABC Information may have reside protection of the State of the Union beginning at 9:00 p.m. Japanese tomorrow night time.

ROBIN ROBERTS: I noticed our economics correspondent watching very carefully.

STEPHANOPOULOS: How did I do, Rebecca?

JARVIS: A-plus, and I’m pleased to listen to her speak about a recession as a result of lots of people have actually pulled again on that for the reason that jobs report —

STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah.

JARVIS: — on Friday.