It’s not as though anyone actually expected TV newsrooms across America to cover today’s inauguration objectively. But boy, did they lay it on thick.
The praise for Biden’s inaugural ceremony began well before the event actually kicked off, with CNN political director David Chalian remarking the night before that the lights lining the National Mall resembled “extensions of Joe Biden’s arms embracing America.”
That preposterous assessment was matched by numerous equally absurd statements from Chalian’s colleagues and counterparts on Wednesday. To see the most nauseating coverage of President Biden’s inauguration, watch the video below:
NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss assured viewers that Biden’s speech had been “terrific,” as well as “modest, austere, brave, cleansing, calming, and inspirational.” All of which, he added, were exactly “what you’d want today.”
Meanwhile, CNBC’s new anchor Shep Smith gushed: “It felt cathartic, heartfelt. It ended with a feeling of hope springing eternal.”
Journalists heaped endless praise on Biden’s calls for unity. Shortly after the ceremony ended, CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes opined: “There are few politicians in Washington — perhaps no politicians in Washington — that can lay claim to that kind of message like Joe Biden can.”
“He also used this moment to attempt to reclaim truth,” observed ABC chief White House correspondent Cecilia Vega. Face the Nation anchor Margaret Brennan over on CBS identified that passage of Biden’s speech as “really resonant,” in particular “for all of us as journalists.” She then added:
And It reminded me of that CBS News poll that we had, that showed that 71 percent of Americans right now believe that democracy itself is in peril. And I wonder how much that changes today.
These adoring takes are really just the tip of the iceberg as far as the praise TV journalists had for Biden’s inauguration (watch the video above if you don’t believe us). Brace yourselves for four years of syrupy reverence.
