Let's start with the fact that the broadcast channels (ABC, CBS, NBC) didn't carry Biden's address. It was a "political" speech.
As President Biden addresses the nation in a prime time address, NBC is showing "Law and Order," CBS is sticking with "Young Sheldon," and ABC is airing "Press Your Luck."
— Matt Viser (@mviser) September 2, 2022
You'll never guess what CNN talking heads had to say under the new John Malone regime:
Whatever you think of this speech the military is supposed to be apolitical. Positioning Marines in uniform behind President Biden for a political speech flies in the face of that. It’s wrong when Democrats do it. It’s wrong when Republicans do it.
— Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) September 2, 2022
Allison Jaslow, combat vet & former top @dccc official on the Marines at Pres. Biden's speech:
"Some people might see this as small ball" but "if you don't want the so-called MAGA Republicans or any Republicans to be politicizing the military... then you shouldn't do it yourself" pic.twitter.com/pmQk4aIdwI— Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) September 2, 2022
Oh, Brianna. Identifying a threat to our democracy and calling for republicans, independents and democrats to unite against an ideology of violence and anti democracy is not a political speech. He condemned the ideology that led to what you see here. That is not politics. pic.twitter.com/bCOGxcvzgS
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) September 2, 2022
Hey um, I don’t recall your response when Trump held the GOP convention at the WH in violation of the Hatch Act.
— Horatio McFlabbergasted (@HMcdoolittle) September 2, 2022
There’s nothing unusual or wrong with a President delivering a political speech — it’s inherent in the job description — but doing it against a backdrop of two Marines standing at attention and the Marine Band is a break with White House traditions. pic.twitter.com/s3TSYHtkcA
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) September 2, 2022
Excuse me. This is not an RNC convention at the WH … if this is the new CNN, count me out
— Jennifer "Pro-privacy" Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) September 2, 2022
Every time I read something like this I realize how many people in positions of influence don’t understand or refuse to accept what is required of civil society at this moment of democratic peril.
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) September 2, 2022
It was t a political speech. It called for unity among republicans, democrats and independents against a violent ideology that threatens our democracy. Has @cnn really become this shallow? This speech will be history, and if cnn keep going like this, it will be soon too.
— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) September 2, 2022
Jeff If you can produce similar concerns about this speech where the sitting American President called for the killing of his domestic opponents am excited to see it.
https://t.co/Vu22JsXqVP— Simon Rosenberg (@SimonWDC) September 2, 2022
As a journalist, I think the most important question to ask after this speech is “are Biden’s concerns about US democracy warranted?” and not “has a president ever given a speech with a US marine in the background before?”
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) September 2, 2022
Biden’s speech tonight was precisely what a president should say at a moment when democracy is under siege by violent extremists.
And the fact that some are debating decorum — instead of the fascist threats to our democracy — is exactly why we’re here in the first place.— Amy Spitalnick (@amyspitalnick) September 2, 2022
The correct answer to fake GOP outrage about Biden's speech is: The leader of your party just openly declared that if elected president again, he'll corruptly grant mass immunity to the people who tried to violently overthrow the US government, and you said nothing. So STFU.
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) September 2, 2022
CNN’s Brianna Keilar just attacked Biden for having Marines positioned behind him during his speech. She said the military shouldn’t be “politicized.” They’re not. The military stands against Fascism and they support the President. CNN stands against Biden and supports Fascism.
— Dash Dobrofsky (@DashDobrofsky) September 2, 2022
.@CBSNews also chasing those sweet MAGA ratings https://t.co/TPFcBjLk8F Assume @edokeefe spins these awesome anti-democracy talking points with his colleague @MickMulvaney
— David Rothschild 🇺🇦 (@DavMicRot) September 2, 2022
Ahem pic.twitter.com/y1B0jFCytI
— Helen Kennedy 🌻 (@HelenKennedy) September 2, 2022
I was listening to NPR this morning an analyst said that Joe Biden mentioning Donald Trump in his speech made it "political." I hate to break it to you, but anything a president does is inherently political so mentioning the guy destroying democracy isn't the X factor here.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) September 2, 2022
If you listened to President Biden’s speech last night, you might want to take a look at what many sheriffs around the country are organizing themselves with help from high level, well-funded sources. https://t.co/s3lHjijDgE
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) September 2, 2022
This effort is aided by the Claremont Institute (where Trump atty John Eastman is a Sr. Fellow) which launched last year a new “Sheriffs Fellowship.” Why a fellowship for Sheriffs at a right-wing think tank you ask? Here an excerpt from a fundraising ltr. Take this seriously. https://t.co/pjLIj7jYGi pic.twitter.com/5x5nze2AHg
— Sherrilyn Ifill (@SIfill_) August 31, 2022
Jay Rosen offers the media some advice:
If you run a "mainstream" newsroom and someone asks you whether democracy is at greater threat from Republicans or Democrats, the key to avoiding a both-sides meltdown is to start like this:
"We hold everyone to the same standards."
Here's how the rest might go... [next slide]— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) September 1, 2022
"We hold everyone to the same standards. That includes the two parties. If our reporting shows you're putting democracy at risk, you can expect that to become a theme in our coverage. Right now our reporting is telling us that the threat is far greater from the Republican side."
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) September 1, 2022
But of course it's advice they won't take. They make too much money turning democracy into a "both sides" horse race.
