Watch the breaking news banner in this video as MSNBC breaks the "news" that "GOP & Dems in WI Agree to Deal Ending Debate on Labor Battle." The initial report was breathlessly shared by Norah O'Donnell this way:
SCARBOROUGH: I understand the Associated Press is uh -- has breaking news that there may be a deal in Wisconsin. Whaddya got?
ODONNELL: That's right. We're learning now from the Associated Press -- this passed the urgent wires -- that Democrats and Republicans in Wisconsin have agreed to a deal that will limit further debate on this bill taking away the collective bargaining rights. So, this deal was just announced this morning after 6AM. They are going to have a vote on this measure today, later today this Thursday, so they've agreed on that.
The Democrats have agreed to limit further amendments, this is after some 40 hours on this and so there is going to be a vote later today, this Thursday, Joe. That's just passing the wires.
SCARBOROUGH: Any information-- Any more specific information, I mean, are the -- from the initial report, it sounds like the Democrats are just going to come back and vote on an up or down. Is that what it sounds like?
ODONNELL: Well, what they've agreed to is to limit further amendments to just 38 with a 10-minute time limit on each one. And if they take the maximum time that's going to put the vote around noon so I think we're going to have a debate today, essentially it's going to be debated on, we're going to watch that debate and there's going to be a vote on it.
See how O'Donnell never really mentions that it's the Wisconsin ASSEMBLY that's voting on it? The Assembly Democrats have been working to filibuster in that chamber as hard as they can. They've thrown 100 amendments at it and have done everything they can to stop it from going forward. They're tired. And so they've agreed to close their filibuster down. That's the ONLY thing that's been agreed to.
But O'Donnell never makes that distinction and indeed, it's only made about 30 minutes later in the broadcast, despite the banner clearly stating it's the Assembly that's voting, not the Senate.
In my opinion, this kind of "error" is intended to demoralize those fighting passage of this bill, the same way the Fox News "error" yesterday flipping poll results was meant to do.
So let's clarify exactly what that "breaking news" was and what Senate Democrats are and are not doing.
Even as demonstrators continued to chant and sing their protests against Gov. Scott Walker's plan to end collective bargaining for state workers, lawmakers prepared to move the bill along. Though the measure is expected to easily pass the Republican-controlled Assembly, it also needs Senate approval.
In television interviews from Illinois, Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach said all 14 senators who have fled Wisconsin would not return until some form of compromise is negotiated with Walker. The Republican governor has repeatedly ruled out any talks.
Just a reminder about how biased that "liberal media" can be.
