Appearing as a guest on Friday's CNN Tonight, CNN presidential historian Douglas Brinkley excoriated President Donald Trump over his history of taunting his political rivals, suggesting that he is not a "real human being" as the liberal analyst reacted to Joe Biden giving well wishes to the President over his COVID diagnosis.
Shortly before 11:00 p.m., host Don Lemon played a clip of Democratic presidential nominee Biden's comments:
I'd like to start by acknowledging -- which I'm sure all of you do as well -- sending my prayers for the health and safety of the First Lady and the President of the United States after they tested positive for COVID-19. My wife Jill and I pray that they'll make a quick and full recovery. This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically.
A few hours after ghoulishly reveling in Trump suffering "a medical humiliation" (without pushback from Wolf Blitzer, meaning he had to have agreed under the left's silence is complicity rules), Brinkley praised the Democratic candidate's reaction to President Trump's illness:
What a class act Joe Biden was today, refusing to politicize what had happened. Just think back in 2016, Don, when Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, stumbled after a fundraiser in New York and felt faint and went into the back of a limo. Donald Trump would mock that she was feeling faint and sick, that she was a weak character, I mean, just ridiculed her one or two days of illness to nobody's end.
He then went negative against the President, suggesting that he is not a "real human being" as Brinkley added: "And here you see Joe Biden showing you what a real man does -- what a real human being does -- and that's just say, I'm -- 'mocking Donald Trump right now is unfair, and we're all going to pull with him together," but we do also have to be reminded that we've got to wear masks and social distance. We are in the thick of this pandemic.'"
Lemon responded by working in a shot at the conservative media (and thus making a mockery of his insistence that he's merely a news anchor):
You don't even have to go back to 2016. We can look to even now where he makes fun of the former Vice President, you know, saying that he has lost a step and that -- and many in the right-wing media saying, you know, that he is suffering from some sort of cognitive, you know, decline, still making fun. But yet, I wonder how they would feel about people making fun of this President right now. Guess what -- I haven't seen any official politician do it. I've heard every one say, "We wish the First Lady and the President well," as they should be saying.
This episode of CNN Tonight was sponsored by Zebra. Their contact information is included.
Below is the relevant transcript:
CNN Tonight
October 2, 2020
10:54 p.m. EasternDON LEMON: After testing negative earlier today, Joe Biden spoke in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He wished the President and the First Lady well -- here it is.
JOE BIDEN: I'd like to start by acknowledging -- which I'm sure all of you do as well -- sending my prayers for the health and safety of the First Lady and the President of the United States after they tested positive for COVID-19. My wife Jill and I pray that they'll make a quick and full recovery. This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically.
LEMON: It is the kind of tone that we have come to expect when the nation is feeling challenged and uncertain, Douglas.
DOUGLAS BRINKLEY,: Absolutely, Don. You know, what a class act Joe Biden was today, refusing to politicize what had happened. Just think back in 2016, Don, when Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, stumbled after a fundraiser in New York and felt faint and went into the back of a limo. Donald Trump would mock that she was feeling faint and sick, that she was a weak character, I mean, just ridiculed her one or two days of illness to nobody's end. And here you see Joe Biden showing you what a real man does -- what a real human being does -- and that's just say, "I'm -- mocking Donald Trump right now is unfair, and we're all going to pull with him together," but we do also have to be reminded that we've got to wear masks and social distance. We are in the thick of this pandemic."
LEMON: You don't even have to go back to 2016. We can look to even now where he makes fun of the former Vice President, you know, saying that he has lost a step and that -- and many in the right-wing media saying, you know, that he is suffering from some sort of cognitive, you know, decline, still making fun. But yet, I wonder how they would feel about people making fun of this President right now. Guess what -- I haven't seen any official politician do it. I've heard every one say, "We wish the First Lady and the President well," as they should be saying.
