On MSNBC’s All In Tuesday night, and then again on CNN’s New Day Wednesday morning, Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut repeated his claims that the current moment is comparable to 9/11. Each time, the hosts failed to ask him to clarify or add nuance to his extreme statement.
It seems Blumenthal was in fact quoting US Director of National Intelligence, Dan Coats, who compared the vulnerabilities of our energy grid to cyber-attacks to the vulnerabilities we faced before 9/11. In contrast, Blumenthal cited the “9/11 moment” in response to questions about the Trump-Putin Meeting in Helsinki.
While appearing on All In, Blumenthal was asked what Congress can do in response to President Trump’s NATO tour and Putin meeting. He asserted that: “We have a lot of real options and my hope is that we will come together on a bipartisan basis. We are in a 9/11 moment. Listen to our director of national intelligence Dan Coats who has said the red lights are blinking just as they did before 9/11.” Host Ali Velshi continued on with his questioning by expanding on Blumenthal’s bipartisan point while not touching the 9/11 comment.
The next day on New Day, Blumenthal was asked about what was said at the accord behind closed doors. Blumenthal answered: “The red light is flashing as the director of national security Dan Coats put it much as it was before 9/11. We are in a 9/11 national emergency because our country is under attack.”
He then concluded that “This 9/11 moment demands that we do come together, issue a subpoena not only for the translator and the notes but also for the national security team that debriefed the president.” Berman did not respond to this non sequitur in his next question.
Twice, Senator Blumenthal was able to take Dan Coats’ assessment out of context without so much as a clarifying question coming from a journalist.
The full transcript can be read below:
New Day With Alisyn Camerota and John Berman
7/18/18
7:55:32-7:56:27RICHARD BLUMENTHAL: That is a key question, John, and my answer is that Republicans have a historic responsibility as do all of us because the red light is flashing as the director of national security Dan Coats put it much as it was before 9/11. We are in a 9/11 national emergency because our country is under attack. Literally, that attack is ongoing and pervasive, verified by objective and verifiable evidence, those words are, again, from the director of national security. And this 9/11 moment demands that we do come together, issue a subpoena not only for the translator and the notes but also for the national security team that debriefed the president about these supposed agreements in the sphere of international security.
All In with Chris Hayes
7/17/18
8:16:23 PM - 8:16:53 PMBLUMENTHAL: We have a lot of real options and my hope is that we will come together on a bipartisan basis. We are in a 9/11 moment. Listen to our director of national intelligence, Dan Coats, who has said the red lights are blinking just as they did before 9/11. There is objective and verifiable evidence. Again, his words about pervasive and ongoing attacks on our democracy.
