Illuminated with blood-red lights, draped in inky shadows, and flanked by U.S. Marines, President Biden launched into an angry screed Thursday night, using dangerous and inciting rhetoric to attack so-called “MAGA Republicans.” It was a terrifying sight that drew praise and flowery language from the “journalists” of CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 as they lauded the “full frontal attack” and asserted he was “reclaiming patriotism.”
“President Biden finishing a 24-minute speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He said as he stands there tonight, equality and democracy are under assault and he left no doubt whom he believes it is under assault by,” fill-in host John Berman boasted immediately following the speech. “He said Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”
Chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins was in awe of the dark address:
A very political speech. I think with the exception of the speech that he gave on the anniversary of January 6 at the Capitol, this might be the most political, most forceful speech in that sense that he has given since taking office.
She said it was “a bit of a surprise” because earlier in the day, the White House claimed it wouldn’t be a political speech nor would it mention former President Trump. Collins didn’t care that the White House lied to reporters.
Instead, she was impressed:
It was a very political attack against those Republicans. He tried very hard to draw a distinction between Republicans and Republicans who style themselves after Donald Trump. Of course, whether or not they take that distinction remains to be seen. A very political speech by President Biden as this basically full frontal attack on what the White House has branded MAGA Republicans.
A short time later, national political reporter Eva McKend ridiculously suggested Biden was “reclaiming patriotism” with his menacing speech. “Often you hear Republicans argue that they are the pro-America party. Right? The Democrats are not patriotic enough. But what was more pro-USA than this speech?” she opined.
“It was a very, very patriotic speech and I think that that is a lot of what Democratic voters across the country, they want to be patriotic too,” she added. “They want to be part of the American story too. And I think he spoke to that.”
Although he’s not a CNN “journalist,” Biden biographer Evan Osnos was on hand to give his two cents. “Yeah, look, it's clear this is a speech Joe Biden has wanted to give for a very long time,” he said with a smile. “But there has been a growing sense in his mind that actually, the threat is much graver than just a political problem.”
This disturbing glorification of Biden’s dangerous speech was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from AT&T and Facebook. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360
September 1, 2022
8:27:31 p.m. EasternJOHN BERMAN: President Biden finishing a 24-minute speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He said as he stands there tonight, equality and democracy are under assault and he left no doubt whom he believes it is under assault by. He said Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic. A big portion of the speech, maybe the majority of the speech devoted to that very subject.
I'm back with a panel of experts to discuss this. Kaitlin Collins first, our chief White House correspondent, to you. This was a combative speech and not at all subtle.
KAITLAN COLLINS: A very political speech. I think with the exception of the speech that he gave on the anniversary of January 6 at the Capitol, this might be the most political, most forceful speech in that sense that he has given since taking office.
And it's a bit of a surprise, because we had spoken to White House officials earlier. We asked, he is someone who strayed from naming Trump very many times during his first year in office. He often stayed away from that. So, as a White House reporter to hear him come out so quickly and name drop him so fast, and talk about basically the brand of extremism that he thinks Trump has founded within the Republican Party – and clearly he thinks is thriving not in the sense that he wants it to. He came out very quickly and said Trump and said MAGA time and time again.
It was a very political attack against those Republicans. He tried very hard to draw a distinction between Republicans and Republicans who style themselves after Donald Trump. Of course, whether or not they take that distinction remains to be seen. A very political speech by President Biden as this basically full frontal attack on what the White House has branded MAGA Republicans.
BERMAN: An attack on MAGA Republicans, Evan, and a defense as he put it of democracy. He literally framed this as a battle between light and darkness.
EVAN OSNOS: Yeah, look, it's clear this is a speech Joe Biden has wanted to give for a very long time. For the last 18 months he has needed to legislate. He's needed to operate within the boundaries of what Washington would permit. But there has been a growing sense in his mind that actually the threat is much graver than just a political problem.
As he said tonight, a really memorable moment was, “too much of what's happening in this country is not normal.” He's appealing to what, I think, he believes is how a lot of Americans feel when they hear about playing footsie with political violence or the idea of throwing out a free and fair election. And he’s appealing to them and saying, “I know I'm drawing lines here but I think that a lot of Americans are going to be on the side of the line that I draw.”
(…)
8:32:08 p.m. Eastern
BERMAN: Eva, you hear this talk about this being a political speech, and I don't think you could ignore any of the references to MAGA Republicans there. But for supporters of Joe Biden, for some of the voters that you've been speaking to out on the trail there, if you do believe that democracy, small D, not political democracy but democracy is at stake, is this the type of defense that they’ve been wanting to hear?
EVA MCKEND: Absolutely without a doubt. And something else that really stuck out to me is that he almost seemed to sort of be reclaiming patriotism. Often you hear Republicans argue that they are the pro-America party. Right? The Democrats are not patriotic enough. But what was more pro-USA than this speech?
And I think this is exactly what Democratic voters wanted to hear. We honor the will of the people, right? A nod to our democracy but also a nod to preserving reproductive rights. He is the president of all America. You mentioned before too much of what is happening is not normal in this country. We are still at our core a democracy. I mean all of these things.
It was a very, very patriotic speech and I think that that is a lot of what Democratic voters across the country, they want to be patriotic too. They want to be part of the Americans – part of the American story too. And I think he spoke to that.
(…)
