Media Research Center Founder and President Brent Bozell joined the Wednesday edition of the Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co. to analyze the media’s over-the-top praise of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address.
Substitute host Ashley Webster aired highlights of journalists hailing Biden’s performance with the likes of CNN’s Jake Tapper claiming Biden seemed “invigorated from the address.”
Webster turned to Bozell and inquired: “Well into his eighties. I think he’s already there. Isn’t he? Brent Bozell joins me now. Brent? Did that speech invigorate you?”
Bozell had fun mocking the media’s feeble attempts to prop-up Biden: “Invigorated is code word for not senile....He’s into his eighties. He’s invigorated. Which means….the defibrillator worked, he’s alive.”
Bozell then offered what the media’s take should have been, if they weren’t so in the tank for this administration:
What I saw last night was an oratorical catastrophe. What I saw was a man who said “I’m going to run for President tonight and I’m going to show the American people that I’m not so old that I am — it is possible for me to run for President in 2024.” He used the people’s house. He used this very solemn moment to give a campaign speech….He used the people’s house to run for a political office.
Webster then turned to another topic, the broadcast networks continued cover-up of the Hunter Biden laptop story and all the new developments that could be hurting President Biden — if the media was doing its job.
WEBSTER: Another one for you, Brent. The hearing on Twitter’s handling of the Hunter Biden laptop story underway today, but guess what? The major networks are not covering it. Are we surprised about that?
BOZELL: Not at all. Not at all. They haven’t covered this story. Look, we have to remember this story. This number — 45 percent of Biden’s voters never heard of a Hunter Biden laptop. National surveys show had they known 9.4 percent would not have voted for him, Donald Trump would have won 317 electoral votes, would have won an absolute landslide. This is dynamite! This is kryptonite for the Democrats and for Joe Biden. So no they’re not going to cover it.
Look we’re already learning — now Joe Biden’s name is in that email. Now, now Hunter Biden is even admitting “Yes it is my laptop.” This is a catastrophe for them, the Democrats. No I’m not surprised at all.
To see the relevant FBN transcript from February 8, click “expand.”
FBN’s Varney & Co.
February 8, 2023
ASHLEY WEBSTER: The media gushed over what they call a vigorous State of the Union speech from President Biden. Listen to this.
[Begin clips]
MSNBC HOST JOY REID: President Biden’s superpower is that he’s a regular person.
MSNBC HOST RACHEL MADDOW: But it was delivered with a lot of energy and a lot of pace.
CNN ANALYST KASIE HUNT: Biden comes across as someone who’s enjoying himself and who has the energy to be in this job for another, you know, until he’s well into his eighties.
CNN ANALYST VAN JONES: He was as sharp tonight as he could be. I thought he did a great job.
CNN HOST JAKE TAPPER: President Biden does seem invigorated from the address.
[End clips]
WEBSTER: Well into his eighties. I think he’s already there. Isn’t he? Brent Bozell joins me now. Brent? Did that speech invigorate you?
BRENT BOZELL: Well, you know, invigorated is code word for not senile. I’m not kidding, you know? He’s into his eighties. He’s invigorated. Which means — you know — the defibrillator worked, he’s alive. Look, I want to talk about style for a second, because I think it’s important.
WEBSTER: Yeah.
[On screen headline: “Media Praises Biden’s State of the Union Speech”]
BOZELL: On the campaign trail, Ronald Regan oftentimes read a script but it was always oratorical. Barack Obama read a speech, it was oratorical. Bill Clinton might not read a speech but he was oratorical. The Bushes read a speech — weren’t oratorical. But at the end of the day they all had one thing in common. When it came to a State of the Union address, they were in the people’s house. They were giving a report to the American people. They were always, all of them, Donald Trump included, they were always statesman-like in giving that address.
What I saw last night was an oratorical catastrophe. What I saw was a man who said “I’m going to run for President tonight and I’m going to show the American people that I’m not so old that I am — it is possible for me to run for President in 2024.” He used the people’s house. He used this very solemn moment to give a campaign speech.
That left me — I don’t care how well he did as a campaign speech. That’s irrelevant. What’s important was he used the people’s house to run for a political office.
WEBSTER: All right, well now we know where you stand. Another one for you, Brent. The hearing on Twitter’s handling of the Hunter Biden laptop story underway today, but guess what? The major networks are not covering it. Are we surprised about that?
[On screen headline: “Study: Media Skips Unflattering Hunter Biden News”]
BOZELL: Not at all. Not at all. They haven’t covered this story. Look, we have to remember this story. This number — 45 percent of Biden’s voters never heard of a Hunter Biden laptop. National surveys show had they known 9.4 percent would not have voted for him, Donald Trump would have won 317 electoral votes, would have won an absolute landslide. This is dynamite! This is kryptonite for the Democrats and for Joe Biden. So no they’re not going to cover it.
Look we’re already learning — now Joe Biden’s name is in that email. Now, now Hunter Biden is even admitting “Yes it is my laptop.” This is a catastrophe for them, the Democrats. No I’m not surprised at all.
WEBSTER: You know what’s interesting you just mentioned that 45 percent of Democrats hadn’t even heard of the Hunter Biden laptop. Do you think he connected last night with those moderates and independents that people claim is going to make the difference and the speech last night was for them and if that’s the case did he reach them?
BOZELL: No, I think he connected on some levels of campaign speech but you know as things sink in, as you think more and more about it, when you look at him, he is your crazy old uncle Joe who should really maybe stay in that basement. No. I don’t think it connects very well. He showed no gravitas.
WEBSTER: Yeah, that’s a good word to use to your point about previous presidents and the State of the Union. Brent Bozell, as always, Brent, great stuff. Great insight. Appreciate your time this morning.
BOZELL: Thank you, sir. Thanks for having me.
