The liberal media were in lockstep Thursday reacting to President Biden’s trip to the Balkans this week, playing up the laudatory successes of NATO but downplaying/ignoring his gaffes and working in concert to frame Republicans as extreme.
Thanks to a softball from Biden fangirl Arlette Saenz of CNN and a pat on the back hours later from chief White House correspondent Peter Alexander on NBC Nightly News, the two blasted college football coach-turned-Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) for holding up military appointments and promotions because of a new Biden policy indirectly paying for abortions.
Saenz set the table as one of two American reporters called on during Biden’s joint press conference in Helsinki with the Prime Minister of Finland and, after a comical question wondering if Russia will engage in further “election interference,” she dragged Tuberville.
In terms of softball questions, this was as textbook as one could get:
And if I could also ask you something about happening back home. You’re seeing the GOP grappling with tying abortion rights with other issues including a block on military promotions by Senator Tuberville. What does this say about U.S. military readiness, and would you be willing to talk with Tuberville to try to work out some solution?
Almost certainly prepared with her fan’s softball in advance, Biden replied that he’d speak to Tuberville “if I thought there’s any possibility he would change his ridiculous position he has” that’s “totally irresponsible” and jeopardizing U.S. security.”
“I expect the Republican party to stand up — stand up and do something about it...[T]he idea that we are injecting into foreign fundamental policy decisions what, in fact, is a domestic social debate on social issues is bizarre. I don't recall that happening, ever,” he added.
Instead of a follow-up or fact-check, Saenz did her part for The Cause and moved to lobbing a question at the Finnish leader.
Fast-forward a few hours and NBC Nightly News fill-in anchor Tom Llamas boasted that Biden was “his way home after key summit meetings overseas” and spent Thursday not only “taking aim at Russia’s president but also slamming a U.S. Senator he says is jeopardizing national security.”
Alexander, for his part, boasted that Biden “[took] aim at a growing controversy back in Washington too, slamming Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville for blocking hundreds of senior military promotions including for a new Joint Chiefs chairman to protest the Pentagon’s recent policy change on abortion.”
After a Biden soundbite, Alexander at least conceded the move to pay for travel costs of servicewomen to obtain abortions was new and driven by Biden:
Tuberville’s been objecting to the new policy that provides government paid time off and reimburses travel costs for service members and their dependents seeking abortions. He says that change required Senate approval.
He did have the courtesy to play a clip of Tuberville blasting the move: “You can’t turn around and change the law with a memo. I mean, that’s all I’m saying. [SCREEN WIPE] All I’ve asked is let’s get a vote on the floor.”
Alexander switched back to end on Team Biden’s turf: “Tuberville is also facing criticism from fellow Republicans for holding up those military promotions, and we just learned Defense Secretary Austin spoke with Tuberville tonight, warning him about the impact on military readiness.”
Thursday’s Biden spin was brought to you by advertisers such as Ensure and Progressive. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.
To see the relevant transcripts from July 13, click “expand.”
Helsinki press conference [via CBS News Streaming Network]
July 13, 2023
10:59 a.m. EasternARLETTE SAENZ: We are seeing more disarray with Russian generals, most recently with the firing of a general from who criticized the Defense Ministry, this following that rebellion by Prigozhin. Does this raise any new concerns about Putin potentially doing more drastic things regarding Ukraine, like nuclear weapons, or, potentially, against the U.S., like election interference.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Well, first of all, they’re already interfering in American elections, so that would not be anything new. They did that last time. They tried to. But with regard to, I — I don’t think there’s any real prospect, and you never know of — of Putin using nuclear weapons, and not only has the west, but China has said, don't go there. Don't go there. Number two. Number three, I think that determining what happens to Prigozhin, what happens to Vilnius, excuse me, what happened when we discussed this in Vilnius is — god only knows what he is likely to do. I’m not even sure — we are not even sure where he is and what relationship he has. If I were he [sic], I would be careful what I ate and be — keep my eye on the menu, but all kidding aside, I — I — who knows. I don't know, and I don't think that any of us know for certain what the future of Prigozhin is in Russia. And — and so, I don't know how to answer that question beyond that.
SAENZ: And if I could also ask you something about happening back home. You’re seeing the GOP grappling with tying abortion rights with other issues including a block on military promotions by Senator Tuberville. What does this say about U.S. military readiness, and would you be willing to talk with Tuberville to try to work out some solution?
BIDEN: I’d be willing to talk to him if I thought there’s any possibility he would change his ridiculous position he has. He’s jeopardizing U.S. security by what he’s doing. I expect the Republican party to stand up — stand up and do something about it. They — they — it’s within their power to do that. The idea that we don't have a chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, the idea that we have all these — all these promotions that are in [inaudible] right now and we don't know what is going to happen — the idea that we are injecting into foreign fundamental policy decisions what, in fact, is a domestic social debate on social issues is bizarre. I don't recall that happening, ever. And it’s — it’s totally irresponsible in my view. And I — I just think that — I mean, I'm confident that the mainstream of the Republican party no longer — does not support what he is doing, but they’ve to stand up and be counted. That is how it ends.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NBC Nightly News
July 13, 2023
6:31 p.m. Eastern [TEASE]TOM LLAMAS: And what [President Biden] says about a U.S. Senator who’s holding up a key military appointment.
(....)
6:38 p.m. Eastern
LLAMAS: President Biden on his way home after key summit meetings overseas. Tonight taking aim at Russia’s president but also slamming a U.S. Senator he says is jeopardizing national security.
(....)
6:39 p.m. Eastern
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Breaking News; Biden Blasts Senator Blocking Top Military Nominees]
PETER ALEXANDER: The President here taking aim at a growing controversy back in Washington too, slamming Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville for blocking hundreds of senior military promotions including for a new Joint Chiefs chairman to protest the Pentagon’s recent policy change on abortion.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: He’s jeopardizing U.S. security with what he’s doing. [SCREEN WIPE] It’s just totally irresponsible in my view.
ALEXANDER: Tuberville’s been objecting to the new policy that provides government paid time off and reimburses travel costs for service members and their dependents seeking abortions. He says that change required Senate approval.
SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE (R-AL): You can’t turn around and change the law with a memo. I mean, that’s all I’m saying. [SCREEN WIPE] All I’ve asked is let’s get a vote on the floor.
ALEXANDER: Tuberville is also facing criticism from fellow Republicans for holding up those military promotions, and we just learned Defense Secretary Austin spoke with Tuberville tonight, warning him about the impact on military readiness.
