The Democrat Party often wonders why it can’t compete with Republicans in rural midwestern states. If they look at their favorite cable network's rhetoric they will know why that is. Moments after Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds finished her response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell mocked her.
Maddow’s initial reaction started off level-headed with the MSNBC host accurately saying that politicians of both parties have struggled in giving the State of the Union response because of the contrast with the pomp and circumstance of the President’s speech in the House chamber:
I will just say, that is one of the hardest jobs in national politics. Even if you are a great speaker, going after the State of the Union is difficult because the staging contrast will always make you look diminished in comparison. So, spare a thought for Governor Reynolds, that is a difficult thing.
That was where Maddow’s decency ended.
She then attacked Governor Reynolds’s performance: “I will say it is traditionally thought that the opposing party's State of the Union response is sometimes seen as a testing ground or maybe even a springboard to national ambitions. I don't think that will -- I don't think there's any risk of that this evening.”
After that moment of incivility, Maddow thought the best person to bring on would be fellow MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell who is known for his vitriolic commentary.
O’Donnell attacked Governor Reynolds by bringing up a past GOP State of the Union address by Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio: “the difficulty for this speech for Republicans and response has actually been dramatically lowered since the threshold was set by Marco Rubio. She cleared that because there were no water accidents at all. During this speech.”
Attacking a female Governor from the formerly swing state of Iowa is not the way to win over rural voters.
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To read the relevant transcript of this segment click “expand”:
MSNBC State of the Union
3/1/2022
10:46:59 p.m. EasternRACHEL MADDOW: That is the official Republican response to tonight's state of the union from President Joe Biden. That was Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds speaking from the Iowa state capitol. And I will just say, that is one of the hardest jobs in national politics. Even if you are a great speaker, going after the State of the Union is difficult because the staging contrast will always make you look diminished in comparison. So, spare a thought for Governor Reynolds, that is a difficult thing. I will say it is traditionally thought that the opposing party's state of the union response is sometimes seen as a testing ground or maybe even a springboard to national ambitions. I don't think that will -- I don't think there's any risk of that this evening. Joining us here in New York is our colleague Lawrence O'Donnell, Lawrence, it’s great to see you.
LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Great to see you. You know, Rachel the standard -- the difficulty for this speech for Republicans and response has actually been dramatically lowered since the threshold was set by Marco Rubio.
[Laughs]
O’DONNELL: She cleared that because there were no water accidents at all. During this speech. And, in the end, she said a lot but in the end, the headline is she completely agrees with Joe Biden, the state of the union is strong. That's what it came down to.
