While nothing was official during the airing of Thursday's Andrea Mitchell Reports, the show's namesake host and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey were confident that Joe Biden will eventually win the election. For Mitchell, that means that checks and balances are suddenly bad again.
Talking about the hypothetical where Biden wins, but Republicans maintain control of the Senate, Mitchell pondered, "But let's say he faces the same thing Barack Obama faced, which was obstruction from a Republican, the majority leader, a Republican Senate, divided government."
But doesn't democracy die in darkness?
Democrats check and balance Republicans, but Republicans obstruct Democrats according to the media, which is bad because according to Mitchell because, "A lot of challenges, not just the pandemic. The economy and everything else that any president taking office on January 20 is going to face in this country."
Casey, of course, agreed, "Joe Biden would face a set of challenges that maybe no president in a century has faced. With regard to both the economic trauma that's already devastated a lot of families, a lot of communities, in addition to the worst public health crisis in a century."
Mitchell then switched topics, "Finally, I just want to ask what you think about our politics right now with the president trying to undermine the vote count, the reliability of democracy across America, on Twitter, at least. We haven't seen him since early yesterday morning. What about the state of politics in our country?"
Perhaps, if Mitchell wasn't such a big fan of election result delegitimizer Stacey Abrams her complaints against Trump might be more credible, but as the entire segment proved, consistency is not Mitchell or the media's strong suit.
This segment was sponsored by Select Quote.
Here is a transcript of the November 5 show:
MSNBC
Andrea Mitchell Reports
12:19 PM ET
ANDREA MITCHELL: Let's talk about what this all means, because let's say Pennsylvania does go for Biden, and let's say that he ends up with 270 tonight or tomorrow, whenever this happens. What is he facing? You know, he may be facing Mitch McConnell as majority leader again, depending on what happens in those Georgia races, at least one runoff, possibly two runoffs in Georgia in the Senate. We don't yet what's going to happen in the Alaska Senate race as well. But let's say he faces the same thing Barack Obama faced, which was obstruction from a Republican, the majority leader, a Republican Senate, divided government. A lot of challenges, not just the pandemic. The economy and everything else that any president taking office on January 20 is going to face in this country.
BOB CASEY: Andrea, no question, I think you've outlined it well. I think were he to be elected, Joe Biden would face a set of challenges that maybe no president in a century has faced. With regard to both the economic trauma that's already devastated a lot of families, a lot of communities, in addition to the worst public health crisis in a century. But I think he's ready for the moment and they'll be able to bring the country together.
CASEY: Finally, I just want to ask what you think about our politics right now with the president trying to undermine the vote count, the reliability of democracy across America, on Twitter, at least. We haven't seen him since early yesterday morning. What about the state of politics in our country?
