Speaking to President Biden on Monday morning over the loud hums of Marine One on the South Lawn, CNN White House correspondent M.J. Lee went full administration tool and lobbed a softball about whether House Republicans have deceased Russian dissident “Alexei Navalny’s blood...on” their “hands...right now” because they haven’t passed new aid for Ukraine.
Biden walked over to assembled reporters after yet another weekend in Delaware, saying he’d “be happy to” take questions “if you have anything to say.” Sure enough, Lee did with this question that came off like something you’d hear from, say, Jim Acosta or Brian Karem: “Mr. President, would you go so far as to say that Alexei Navalny’s blood is on the hands of House Republicans right now?”
An absurd logical fallacy. Did Karine Jean-Pierre write this question for her? What does the death of a heroic Russian dissident who spent decades fighting murderous dictator Vladimir Putin have to do with a two-year war started by Russia’s invasion of a sovereign country?
Even a mentally declining President wouldn’t completely bite:
Eh, I wouldn’t use that term. They’re making a big mistake not responding. Look, the way they’re walking away from the threat of Russia, the way they’re walking away from NATO, the way they’re walking away from meeting our obligations — it’s just stunning. I mean, for awhile — I’ve never seen anything like this.
Lee asked a muddled follow up, wondering in essence whether Navalny’s death would “make any difference in nudging House Republicans to take up Ukraine aid” despite being “on vacation right now.”
“I hope so, but I’m not sure anything’s going to change,” Biden replied.
After one more question from Polish radio reporter Marek Walkuski about sanctions, Biden walked off.
At the top of the 11:00 a.m. Eastern hour, Lee admitted on CNN News Central that she was the reporter who asked this hackery and argued it was merely wondering “whether he would draw that connection between Congress’s inaction in Navalny’s death.”
Lee concluded following a replay of the back-and-forth that Biden “obviously didn’t sound very optimistic” about the House GOP passing more Ukraine aid despite the lack of assistance having consequences on the battlefield.
Co-host Sara Sidner responded by thanking Lee and praising her insane take: “M.J. Lee asking the important questions there and getting some good answers. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.”
Lee has always been one to do what’s necessary for leftist elites. For example, during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, she peddled a hit piece laced with anonymous sources to try and sink socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) by claiming he once told Senator and 2020 competitor Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) back in 2018 that he didn’t believe a woman could win the presidency.
Despite Sanders’s vehement denials, Lee and co. proudly touted it as fact.
To see the relevant transcript from February 19, click “expand.”
White House South Lawn
February 19, 2024
Time N/APRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Oh, I’d be happy to — if you have anything to say.
M.J. LEE: Mr. President, would you go so far as to say that Alexei Navalny’s blood is on the hands of House Republicans right now?
JOE BIDEN: I wouldn’t use that term. They’re making a big mistake not responding. Look, the way they’re walking away from the threat of Russia, the way they’re walking away from NATO, the way they’re walking away from meeting our obligations — it’s just stunning. I mean, for awhile — I’ve never seen anything like this.
LEE: [Inaudible] make any difference in nudging House Republicans to take up Ukraine aid? They’re on vacation right now.
BIDEN: I hope so, but I’m not sure anything’s going to change.
MAREK WALKUSKI: Are you going to impose additional sanctions on Russia over Navalny’s death.
BIDEN: We already have sanctions [inaudible]. We’re looking at additional sanctions, yes.
(....)
CNN News Central
February 19, 2024
11:03 a.m. EasternSARA SIDNER: Let’s get straight to CNN’s M.J. Lee, who was there listening to these comments. Do we have any idea of when this decision was made and when these sanctions might be put into place?
M.J. LEE: Yeah, Sara, the President, just returned to the White House after, over the weekend, saying repeatedly that he believes Vladimir Putin is directly to blame for Alexei Navalny’s death, and that this is just one more sign of the Putin regimes brutality, the news of his death, of course, as you know, has really brightened the spotlight on Congress as additional U.S. funding for Ukraine remain stalled. And a question that I just asked the President is whether he would draw that connection between Congress’s inaction in Navalny’s death. And this is a part of his response to me just now. [TO BIDEN] Mr. President, would you go so far as to say that Alexei Navalny’s blood is on the hands of House Republicans right now?
JOE BIDEN: Eh, I wouldn’t use that term. They’re making a big mistake not responding. Look, the way they’re walking away from the threat of Russia, the way they’re walking away from NATO, the way they’re walking away from meeting our obligations — it’s just stunning. I mean, for a while — I’ve never seen anything like this.
LEE: [Inaudible] make any difference in nudging House Republicans to take up Ukraine aid? They’re on vacation right now.
BIDEN: I hope so, but I’m not sure anything’s going to change.
LEE: I know my second question was a little bit challenging to hear, but I was asking him whether he thinks Navalny’s death will do anything to nudge House Republicans to take action. He obviously didn’t sound very optimistic. He also told another reporter that the U.S. is considering additional sanctions on Russia. but no additional details were given by the President when he was speaking to reporters. You know, over the weekend, the President also talked about this critical Ukrainian town that fell and administration officials have been warning for months and months that if U.S. funding runs out, that there are going to be det — detrimental effects on the battlefield for Ukrainian forces, running out of ammunition, running out of important equipment. And that is what Ukraine is saying is happening already. And the President over the weekend did say that he was concerned that additional towns could end up falling if Congress doesn’t take prompt action. But, of course, the political reality that he is grappling with right now as we just heard him talk about, is that there is a small faction of House Republicans that is not willing to take up this national security supplemental bill that does have some $60 billion in additional aid for Ukraine, Sara.
SIDNER: M.J. Lee asking the important questions there and getting some good answers. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
