What got into CNN this morning? We're accustomed to the network's unrelenting coverage of how the Republican Party is endangering America, but when it came to the current conflict between Israel and Hamas, the tone turned against President Biden. The media finds space to criticize Biden, when it's coming from the hard left.
New Day painted a surprisingly negative picture of a feckless, golfing, Biden lacking the relationship with Bibi Netanyahu that President Trump enjoyed, and incapable of making any real impact on forcing the Israelis into a ceasefire. As a gauge of just how unusual was the segment, when's the last time CNN compared Biden unfavorably to Trump in any regard?
The New Yorker's Robin Wright, a longtime foreign correspondent for several national papers, questioned the commitment of Team Biden to pressuring Israel:
WRIGHT: I think what’s striking is that Secretary of State Tony Blinken was en route to Denmark tomorrow, and he’s going Iceland beyond that. The Middle East is just not on the agenda of the Biden administration. And President Biden was out playing golf yesterday. There’s not the sense of urgency, people huddling in the Sit [Situation] Room, trying to figure out what to do. The president did make calls on Saturday to the prime minister of Israel and the president of the Palestinian Authority, but with no impact.
"Out playing golf" in the midst of the worst Israel/Hamas fighting in years? Not a good image for our fearless leader!
Berman also took a parting shot at Biden. When Wright said the Middle East wasn't on Biden's agenda, Berman retorted: "You know, foreign policy: you don't always get to choose what's on your map, in terms of where your focus will [read, should] be."
Don't miss how Berman sugar-coated the growing pro-Palestinian tilt of the Democrats, especially the new members from Ilhan Omar to Ocasio-Cortez. Fox News reported Omar accused Israel of "terrorism" -- not the people indiscriminately lobbing missiles into the air -- and then sent fundraising messages off the backlash.
Berman put it this way: "Biden is getting pressure from his own party. the Democrats are split here in the United States as to what they want to see. And their support for Israel may not be quite the same as it once was."
This is about as plain-spoken as saying Liz Cheney's support for Trump "may not be quite the same as it once was."
CNN painting a surprising picture of a feckless Joe Biden regarding the Israel/Hamas conflict was sponsored in part by Whole Foods and Tractor Supply.
Here's the transcript.
CNN
New Day
5/17/21
6:06 am EDTHADAS GOLD: I think the key thing here is, what are we going to see from the Americans? What are we going to see from President Joe Biden? Are we going to hear greater pressure on the Israelis, greater pressure on both sides to calm things down? . . . Will we hear more from the international community, and more importantly from Joe Biden, from the president, about trying to pressure both sides, pressure the Israeli to stop the fighting and to stop the violence?
BRIANNA KEILAR: Yeah. There’s definitely a gulf in that rhetoric between Netanyahu and Biden.
. . .
JOHN BERMAN: Robin, Brianna was talking about the Biden administration. How would you describe President Biden’s approach to the current conflict?
ROBIN WRIGHT: Well, first of all, he doesn’t have the kind of relationship with the Prime Minister of Israel that President Trump did. There's been tension, and he can’t ask the Israelis to take dramatic action with a great deal of effect.
. . .
BERMAN: And let’s talk about President Biden a little bit more here. Obviously he doesn’t, as you say, have the relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, for better or worse, that President Trump did.
Also, Biden is getting pressure from his own party. the Democrats are split here in the United States as to what they want to see. And their support for Israel may not be quite the same as it once was.
WRIGHT: I think that’s true, and I think what’s striking is that Secretary of State Tony Blinken was en route to Denmark tomorrow, and he’s going Iceland beyond that. The Middle East is just not on the agenda of the Biden administration. And President Biden was out playing golf yesterday. There’s not the sense of urgency, people huddling in the Sit [Situation] Room, trying to figure out what to do. The president did make calls on Saturday to the prime minister of Israel and the president of the Palestinian Authority, but with no impact.
BERMAN: You know, foreign policy: you don't always get to choose what's on your map, in terms of where your focus will be.
