It’s hard to notice, given all the other vitriol on the cable network, but MSNBC’s 9am hour has morphed into one of the liberal network’s most biased. On Friday, an agitated Stephanie Ruhle flat-out declared that it “isn’t an opinion” to say Donald Trump is a “bully.” Apparently, it’s just a fact.
Reacting to Trump preparing to speak to the FBI, Ruhle spat, “ President Trump, and I'm not speaking — this isn't an opinion. If you look at his pattern, he has a pattern of bully behavior.”
Later, MSNBC analyst Tim O’Brien declared, “He's a demagogue. This is classic demagoguery.” Ruhle quickly agreed, decrying:
Okay, but the demagogue isn't living in the castle alone. He is surrounded by senior advisers. And take Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Huckabee Sanders who have made it clear Sean Spicer-style they're there at the pleasure to serve, to please the President. But to the generals who are around him, to the cabinet members, do they not see that and want to hide under the covers? Just saying, "Please, Mr. President, we're on the eve of getting massive tax reform through." In their eyes, a huge win. And he muddied the water by giving that red meat to the media where he spouted nonsense.
As for Trump being a "bully," MSNBC journalists weren’t exactly concerned when Barack Obama intimidated and investigated a journalist who just happened to work for Fox News. Or when the Democrat declared he should get his way simply because he won an election.
A partial transcript is below:
MSNBC Live
12/15/17
9:43PETER ALEXANDER: What was striking to me is how everybody is to blame except for the president here, right, the Democrats are to blame for their failure to help on children's issues as he insisted there today. The FBI has been problematic and corrupt and has been after him for months and more. Only Vladimir Putin has been looking at it and saying nice things about the U.S. That was sort of striking in this moment as we heard from the President right now. What is notable, as we hear from him within the next hour or so as he goes to speak before some of these graduates at this FBI National Academy is how he will address them when he speaks before that group. It's one thing to say it to us when you're not speaking to the people that you're attacking. What do you say when you're speaking to that community that's under attack? We look forward to hearing that. Obviously he's gone after all these different groups. Often times not afraid to say it to their face. What does he say on camera? We’ll be watching.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: I mean, Peter, you know the answer. President Trump, and I'm not speaking –- this isn't an opinion, if you look at his pattern, he has a pattern of bully behavior. What he says when they're not in the room. He goes after them super hard. And then when he walks in, it’s hugs and kisses.
...
TIM O’BRIEN (MSNBC contributor): You know why he does it, right? He's a demagogue. This is classic demagoguery. He is trying to convince people watching him on TV that he's the only one who should be believed. And anyone who's a critic of the President, whether they're in law enforcement or the media or in Congress, shouldn't be believed. De facto.
RUHLE: Okay, but the demagogue isn't living in the castle alone. He is surrounded by senior advisers and take Kellyanne Conway and Sarah Huckabee Sanders who have made it clear Sean Spicer-style they're there at the pleasure to serve, to please the President. But to the generals who are around him, to the cabinet members, do they not see that and want to hide under the covers? Just saying, “Please, Mr. President, we're on the eve of getting massive tax reform through.” In their eyes, a huge win. And he muddied the water by giving that red meat to the media where he spouted nonsense.
