On Thursday night, after the conclusion of the virtual 2020 Democratic National Convention, NBC made sure viewers knew they loved Joe Biden’s acceptance speech, calling it an “intimate,” “not partisan,” “optimistic,” and “upbeat” “fireside chat” that sound like it was given by “a preacher at the pulpit.”
NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt led off by asserting that it wasn’t a speech but instead “a fireside chat” to which Today co-host Savannah Guthrie concurred (and was repeated over on CNN).
Guthrie herself swooned that the “deeply optimistic,” “hopeful,” and “intimate” address “took on the tone at the end of almost a preacher at the pulpit.”
“It really seemed like he was trying to buck up a nation that's been through a lot. He talked about his plan for dealing with COVID and the economic fallout, but this was a more personal talk with the American people,” Holt then added.
Being the quintessential Swamp denizen, NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent and MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell was perhaps most enthused with Biden’s speech, noting how long she’s covered him in D.C.:
I have to say having watched Joe Biden since the '70s when he first ran for the Senate, I've never seen him deliver a better speech. When he talks, as you say, so optimistically, saying “are we the generation that can wipe the stain of racism from our national character? I think we can.” It was all hopeful, upbeat, optimistic. It sounded like a presidential address rather than an address to a Democratic convention. It was not partisan at all. In fact he was talking about bridging the divide and I thought this was really a powerful moment for him.
Holt didn’t challenge Mitchell’s valentine but instead added to it by calling Biden’s speech “was a much broader, aspirational and more obviously an effort to be more uplifting.”
And in going to break, Guthrie threw in one more piece of praise: “It was optimistic but he also said this is a time of peril in our country but it is also a time of possibility.”
After said break, Meet the Press moderator and fraudulent political referee Chuck Todd insisted the awkward, condescending, divisive DNC “was a really well run” and “highly successful convention,” “stretched their tent” of support, and “laid down a marker” for the RNC.
For good measure, Todd predicted that he’s not sure “if [Republicans] can match” what Democrats did in terms of success. What a crock.
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To see the relevant NBC transcript from August 20, click “expand.”
NBC Democratic National Convention
August 20, 2020
11:13 p.m. EasternLESTER HOLT: Biden formally accepting his party's nomination in a speech. Savannah, I'm going to borrow your words. At times, it was much more like a fireside chat.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: A fireside chat and then took on the tone at the end of almost a preacher at the pulpit. It was a deeply optimistic speech, hopeful. He did not spend a lot of time talking about President Trump. It was intimate and it was very suited to a virtual convention. I mean it felt like he was talking individually. It wasn't that kind of soaring rhetoric. It was a very plain spoken speech and now we see them on the screen. Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, as they do that celebration we've seen at many conventions.
HOLT: It really seemed like he was trying to buck up a nation that's been through a lot. He talked about his plan for dealing with COVID and the economic fallout, but this was a more personal talk with the American people. Let's bring in Andrea Mitchell right now as we watch the two couples share the moment in that virtual world. Andrea, give us your thoughts of what we've just seen.
ANDREA MITCHELL: I have to say having watched Joe Biden since the '70s when he first ran for the Senate, I've never seen him deliver a better speech. When he talks, as you say, so optimistically, saying “are we the generation that can wipe the stain of racism from our national character? I think we can.” It was all hopeful, upbeat, optimistic. It sounded like a presidential address rather than an address to a Democratic convention. It was not partisan at all. In fact he was talking about bridging the divide and I thought this was really a powerful moment for him.
HOLT: He didn't — he didn’t spare Donald Trump, he certainly went after him on a few points, but to your point, it was a much broader, aspirational and more obviously an effort to be more uplifting.
MITCHELL: Well, I think it was important that he went after him, Lester, on COVID. That was the record on COVID and that is certainly what Americans are concerned about and that is what their polling is telling them, the pandemic.
GUTHRIE: And he put it in stark terms. It was optimistic but he also said this is a time of peril in our country but it is also a time of possibility.
(....)
11:18 p.m. Eastern
HOLT: Fireworks above the Chase Center in Wilmington, Delaware, following the acceptance speech by Joe Biden, former vice president and his wife have stepped outside along with Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug, to view this moment. This is the closest we've come to seeing any kind of a crowd. People had showed up in their cars and have tried to maintain some distance as they take in this moment of celebration.
GUTHRIE: And as we wrap up our coverage, let's go to Chuck. Chuck, so the campaign is on. It's the official beginning of the general election. The Republicans go next week and the debates, I guess, are the next big test.
CHUCK TODD: It's the next big test for Joe Biden. I have to say, look, the Democrats have laid down a marker and Joe Biden closed it very well. This is a unified Democratic Party, more unified than any of us thought it would be a year ago, six months ago. This was a really well run convention. They stretched their tent out really well without ripping any holes in the middle and then Joe Biden ought to thank Donald Trump for trying to create a caricature of Joe Biden that I don't think anybody that watched that speech is going to wonder who is Donald Trump talking about? I know that guy. I know that Joe Biden, so I think this is a highly successful convention and it lays down a marker for Donald Trump next week. I don't know if they can match it.
HOLT: And don't go far cause we'll need you here next week. The 2020 Democratic National Convention is now history. It's been a very different presentation from past conventions, thanks to the pandemic, but the Democrats succeeded in uniting behind and launching the Biden/Harris ticket and arming it for battle against Donald Trump.
GUTHRIE: And a battle it's going to be.
