Most people do not commemorate other people's colonoscopies, but the Friday panel of Inside Politics on CNN is not most people. From host John King to chief political correspondent Dana Bash to Congressional correspondent Ryan Nobles, President Biden's procedure was a time to mark the fact that for the first time a woman held presidential authority.
King noted the grand, historical nature of Vice President Harris' brief stint as acting president, "It's a routine physical. It's a moment that -- but it is a moment that will be noted in the history books that America for an hour and 25 minutes had a woman commander-in-chief."
While some are greatly relieved that the country survived the Harris presidency, Bash was elated, "I just went to my phone to look at the date, November 19th, 2021. It is the first time that a woman, a woman of color had presidential power."
With a massive grin on her face, she added "It was brief, but it happened, and it is a moment to mark in history. Some point, maybe in our lifetime, there will be a woman who is elected to the highest office in the land."
Nobles then interjected to act as if this means Harris actually became the first female president in the country's history, "I will say, it's almost disappointing that this -- that this is how we get to this point."
After Bash interrupted to add, "Through a colonoscopy," Nobles continued and lamented, "Through a colonoscopy. And this far into the history of this country, you know, many other nations of America's ilk have already taken this step and given women power at this level."
Nobles concluded the panel's commemoration of the occasion by declaring, "I would say it is significant. We should not underplay the fact that we've gotten to this point and, you know, it is significant, but perhaps it comes in a more natural position."
Friday was not the media's first odd obsession with White House colonoscopies. In 2007, Keith Olbermann used then-Vice President Dick Cheney's procedure to declare that "For a few hours, at least, George W. Bush will actually get to be President."
This segment was sponsored by HughesNet.
Here is a transcript for the November 19 show:
CNN
Inside Politics with John King12:20
JOHN KING: It's a routine physical. It's a moment that -- but it is a moment that will be noted in the history books that America for an hour and 25 minutes had a woman commander-in-chief.
DANA BASH: I just went to my phone to look at the date, November 19th, 2021. It is the first time that a woman, a woman of color had presidential power. It was brief, but it happened, and it is a moment to mark in history. Some point, maybe in our lifetime, there will be a woman who is elected to the highest office in the land.
RYAN NOBLES: I will say, it's almost disappointing that this -- that this is how we get to this point.
BASH: Through a colonoscopy.
NOBLES: Through a colonoscopy. And this far into the history of this country, you know, many other nations of America's ilk have already taken this step and given women power at this level, so it's--.
BASH: Well said.
NOBLES: Yeah. And, but I would say it is significant. We should not underplay the fact that we've gotten to this point and, you know, it is significant, but perhaps it comes in a more natural position.
