Government Shutdown: How the Networks Are Covering

The cable news networks were focused solely on the government shutdown as it happened at midnight ET on Monday.

The move was a result of Republicans and Democrats’ inability to come to an agreement on a new spending bill.

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All three networks — CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC — had posted countdown clocks leading up to the midnight deadline. Once midnight hit, CNN switched to a clock showing how many minutes and seconds since the shutdown began.

Piers Morgan anchored that network’s live coverage at that time, expressing perplexity at how this happened.

“As a British guy, a guest in your country, I find this utterly baffling,” he told Wolf Blitzer.

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Rachel Maddow anchored MSNBC’s live coverage, while Bret Baier was overseeing for Fox News.

All three networks also showed live coverage of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on the Senate floor as he was explaining what was happening and outlining the plan for the following day.

means I won’t get any more parking tickets,” quipped Jimmy Kimmel.”]