After using Monday’s press briefing to lobby and advocate for the Biden administration to ditch working with Senate Republicans on a bipartisan COVID relief bill, the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) showed off their efforts during their evening newscasts. They also used the opportunity to attack the GOP’s relief bill as unserious and an attempt to “test” President Biden’s calls for unity, and even suggest they didn’t want to help struggling Americans. “Let’s turn to the battle over COVID relief and President Biden's meeting today with Republican senators who want a far smaller package,” chided NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. And without noting the similarities, White House correspondent Geoff Bennett decried the GOP’s proposal. “The GOP plan leaves out a minimum wage boost the President includes, and whittles down his $1,400 direct payments to Americans to $1,000,” he told viewers. Bennett proudly showed off his question to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, casting doubt on the seriousness of the GOP: BENNETT: Do you see that as a serious attempt at compromise on their part? PSAKI: He felt it was an effort to engage and engage on a bipartisan basis. And that’s why he invited them to the White House today. Like Bennett, CBS White House correspondent Ed O’Keefe bemoaned the lack of that radical minimum wage hike. “But the Republican plan ignores the President's calls to boost the federal minimum wage, gives much less relief to schools trying to reopen, and provides smaller stimulus payments and unemployment benefits,” he said, failing to note the GOP plan gave the payments to only low-income Americans. He even described it as a “test of [Biden’s] campaign promise” of unity.     They conveniently left out the economic reality that minimum wage hikes directly correlate to higher prices and fewer jobs, which during a pandemic would hurt even more people. How do Bennett and O’Keefe expect a restaurant (or any business for that matter), who can’t operate at full capacity, to be able to afford $15 an hour? Most can’t afford that in prosperous times. Obviously, they’re ignorant about what it takes to run a small business. Further, on the CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O’Donnell seemed to question Republican support for helping struggling Americans, pushing a Biden’s way or the highway approach. “And getting relief to all Americans struggling during the pandemic is one of President Biden's top priorities. But will he get it done with or without Republican support,” she wondered. O’Keefe also showed off a clip of himself questioning the seriousness of Republicans: O’KEEFE: Why have this meeting at all if they're not even going to take seriously what he is proposing? PSAKI: Well again, this is an opportunity to exchange ideas, to have a conversation. For their part, ABC senior White House correspondent Mary Bruce kicked off her World News Tonight report by framing the meeting as Biden doing a favor for the Republicans. “With millions of Americans suffering and Democrats ready to go it alone on a COVID relief bill....President Biden today invited ten Republican senators to the Oval Office to hear them out,” she touted. And as if spending trillions of dollars was some kind of performance, Bruce reported that “the President and Democrats are urging Republicans to go big.” And after playing a soundbite of the President saying a COVID relief bill had to get passed, she too touted her own question to Psaki. “Should we take that as a sign that the President recognizes he may have to be abandoning his hopes for bipartisanship,” she asked. They're not for unity. Instead, what they actually want is Republican acquiescence. The Democratic lobbying to ditch the negations with the GOP from ABC, CBS, and NBC was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Tums on ABC, and Liberty Mutual on CBS and NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund. CBS Evening News has also asked people to “Text Norah” at this number: (202) 217-1107. The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read: ABC’s World News Tonight February 1, 2021 6:41:47 p.m. Eastern (…) MARY BRUCE: With millions of Americans suffering and Democrats ready to go it alone on a COVID relief bill. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Nice for us to talk. BRUCE: President Biden today invited ten Republican senators to the Oval Office to hear them out. The Republicans bringing with them their own plan for a relief package. And there is some common ground. Like Biden, the Republicans are calling for $160 billion for vaccines and testing and help for small businesses. But while Biden wants $1,400 direct payments to most Americans, Republicans want to limit the checks to $1,000 and send them to only lower income Americans. The biggest difference, the overall price tag. Biden's plan is nearly $2 trillion dollars. The Republican plan? Just $600 billion. The President and Democrats are urging Republicans to go big. (…) BRUCE: So, today, we asked the White House. Should we take that as a sign that the President recognizes he may have to be abandoning his hopes for bipartisanship? PRESS SEC. JEN PSAKI: I think it's hardly an abandoning of bipartisanship. [Transition] We'll see what comes out of this meeting today, and if there are good ideas to put forward, we'll put forward them. There is still time to do exactly that. (…) CBS Evening News February 1, 2021 6:42:03 p.m. Eastern NORAH O’DONNELL: And getting relief to all Americans struggling during the pandemic is one of President Biden's top priorities. But will he get it done with or without Republican support? CBS's Ed O’Keefe has the latest now from the White House. [Cuts to video] ED O’KEEFE: At the start of his first face-to-face meeting with Senate Republicans, the President and former Senator said it reminded him of the old days. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I feel like I'm back in the Senate, which I like best of everything I did. O’KEEFE: The new President faces a potentially bitter fight over the size of the COVID relief plan, and an early test of his campaign promise to work with Republicans. With a price tag of nearly $2 trillion, the administration's plan is over three times the size of the Republican proposal. Both provide similar funding for COVID vaccinations and testing, federal food assistance, and to help childcare centers. But the Republican plan ignores the President's calls to boost the federal minimum wage, gives much less relief to schools trying to reopen, and provides smaller stimulus payments and unemployment benefits. (…) O’KEEFE: Why have this meeting at all if they're not even going to take seriously what he is proposing? PRESS SEC. JEN PSAKI: Well again, this is an opportunity to exchange ideas, to have a conversation. (…) NBC Nightly News February 1, 2021 7:10:04 p.m. Eastern LESTER HOLT: Let’s turn to the battle over COVID relief and President Biden's meeting today with Republican senators who want a far smaller package. With more on that, here’s Geoff Bennett. [Cuts to video] GEOFF BENNETT: President Biden's pledge of bipartisanship facing its first test tonight. The President inviting ten Republican senators to the Oval Office to pitch their COVID relief counter offer. Their $600 billion is a mere fraction of the President's $1.9 trillion package. The GOP plan leaves out a minimum wage boost the President includes, and whittles down his $1,400 direct payments to Americans to $1,000. Do you see that as a serious attempt at compromise on their part? PRESS SEC. JEN PSAKI: He felt it was an effort to engage and engage on a bipartisan basis. And that’s why he invited them to the White House today. (…)