For most of Wednesday MSNBC anchors and commentators spent their time putting Donald Trump and Ted Cruz through the ringer for their positions on fighting ISIS, and taking on radical Islamic terrorism. They did this while praising Hillary for her in foreign policy experience and repeatedly declaring her “the adult in the room.”
During Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski let it be known that she fears the language Republican presidential candidates are using following the attacks. “I fear that some of the language that's going to be used in the coming days, especially on the Republican side, is not going to be very good for global security.” There were other commentators that shared this belief, fretting that Republican plans feed into the ISIS cause and bring about more attacks. Talk about fear mongering.
Later that afternoon Hillary gave a speech at Stanford University in California where she called out Trump and Cruz and criticized their positions. Disgraced NBC reporter Brian Williams gushed over content of the speech and her method of handling foreign policy. “We heard Ted Cruz but mostly broad quotes about “If you're calling for carpet bombing, you're in over your head. Slogans aren't strategy, and loose cannons misfire.” So a call for courage and steady as we go U.S. Foreign policy.”
“That's right, Brian, and I think the word "Steady" is really key here … She said that is not only wrong but counterproductive and dangerous.” MSNBC reporter Kristin Welker reiterated. “And again, Brian, trying to paint herself as the adult in the room.” During the beginning of her speech MSNBC had images from the attacks in Belgium and stock video of ISIS fighter playing right alongside her. The images helped to give her words extra weight.
Welker also hinted that Hillary’s “steady hand” is going to be a new fixture in the liberal media narrative of her. “Having served in the Obama administration to make the point that she is the one who would lead with a steady hand. And I think you’re going to hear that word a lot more moving forward, particularly when it comes to this discussion of foreign policy.”
Transcripts below:
MSNBC
Morning Joe
March 23, 2016
7:58:37 – 7:59:56 AM EasternMIKA BRZEZINSKI: Alright, welcome back to Morning Joe. We've been following these two huge stories all morning long. Breaking overnight, police have identified three of the suspects involved in yesterday's terror attacks in Belgium. Two of the suicide bombers were brothers and a massive manhunt is underway this hour for the third man. Reports have been evolving all morning that he had been arrested. Someone's been arrested, but at this moment it appears it is not him. We're awaiting a news conference any moment now with updates. We'll go to it live when it happens.
Plus, we have results in the presidential race this morning. Donald Trump is the projected winner in the winner-take-all Arizona primary, but Ted Cruz is projected to easily win the Utah caucus on his way to crossing the 50 percent mark that will make that a winner-take-all state as well.
On the Democrat side, Hillary Clinton is the projected winner in the Arizona primary, but Bernie Sanders answered with projected wins in the Idaho and Utah caucuses. So, Joe, we have obviously politics in the headlines but this election just got ramped up with this latest terrible act of terrorism. I fear that some of the language that's going to be used in the coming days, especially on the Republican side, is not going to be very good for global security.
...
MSNBC
MSNBC Live
March 23, 2016
3:09:47 – 3:12:18 PM EasternBRIAN WILLIAMS: Hillary Clinton at Stanford University in California. Brian Williams here with you from New York as we begin the next few hours of live coverage of both the domestic political situation and the terrorism situation overseas, in this case merging the two. We were listening along with correspondent Kristin Welker who covers the Clinton campaign. And Kristin, some name checking. We heard Ted Cruz but mostly broad quotes about “If you're calling for carpet bombing, you're in over your head. Slogans aren't strategy, and loose cannons misfire.” So a call for courage and steady as we go U.S. Foreign policy.
KRISTIN WELKER: That's right, Brian, and I think the word "Steady" is really key here. Look, Secretary Clinton had two goals today, one, to underscore her foreign policy experience having served as Secretary of State and secondly to draw distinctions of her Republican challengers. She mentioned Donald Trump and Ted Cruz once by name.
But first to the policy points Brian. She called for a number of enhancements. Improving support to Kurdish fighters, and she also called on Europe and our European allies to enhance information and intelligence sharing. So not only a prescription for here at home but for our allies abroad as well.
Now to the second point, the political part of this which was very key to this speech. Brian, you heard her mention some of the policies that Donald Trump and Ted Cruz have rolled out in the wake of those horrific attacks in Brussels, namely Donald Trump's call to enhance torture, Ted Cruz's calls for surveillance of Muslim neighborhoods.
She said that is not only wrong but counterproductive and dangerous. Really drawing the battle lines here for potential general election match-ups against either of these two candidates. And again, Brian, trying to paint herself as the adult in the room. Now of course, her foreign policy experience could cut both ways. We have seen that with senator Sanders criticizing her with some of the decisions she made as Secretary of State, and also her vote in favor of the Iraq war.
But again in this case she’s drawing upon all of that experience she has. Having served in the Obama administration to make the point that she is the one who would lead with a steady hand. And I think you’re going to hear that word a lot more moving forward, particularly when it comes to this discussion of foreign policy. Brian.
