After polishing the White House’s apples on Thursday ahead of the President’s State of the Union address, ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) were unsurprisingly hot and bothered by what they deemed to have been an “aggressive”, “fiery”, “tough” President doling out a “feisty” speech in a “rowdy” atmosphere against a “combative” and “not” civil GOP.
Co-host and former Clinton hack George Stephanopoulos set the table, boasting that Biden “sparred with the GOP” and Republicans “shouted” back “as he spoke”, creating a “raucous...chamber” and thus “a clear contrast for voters”.
Chief White House correspondent/chief Biden apple polisher Mary Bruce was ebullient:
[T]his was a feisty speech that, at times, felt more like a rowdy campaign event than a traditional State of the Union address. The President, well aware of the stakes, pitted his message directly against Donald Trump’s, repeatedly sparring with Republicans in the room in a way we’ve never really seen before. The President trying to show voters he is ready for a fight and has what it takes to serve another four years.
Before diving into a hefty slew of Biden soundbites, Bruce swooned as though she were gunning for Karine Jean-Pierre’s job: “Overnight, a fiery President Biden kicking off the general election...Biden framing this moment as a fight for freedom in the nation’s democracy.”
Biden came out screaming and yelling at Republicans over Ukraine and January 6, but Bruce seemed fine with that: “Straight out that gate, the President shaming Republicans for failing to fund Ukraine and calling out Donald Trump, though not by name, for saying he would allow Vladamir Putin to attack NATO allies...And firing a warning shot over Trump’s election lies.”
Bruce also acknowledged Biden going back and forth with Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor-Greene (R-GA) over the murder of Georgia college student Laken Riley allegedly by an illegal immigrant, but refused to mention Biden misprounced her name, referring to her as “Lincoln”.
The ABC tool also wasn’t concerned about Biden threatening the Supreme Court: “Looking ahead to the general election, the President vowing to fight for freedom, like access to abortion. Even taking on the court with the justices watching on.”
She also relished Biden talking about his age (click “expand”):
BRUCE: At the end of the night, Biden finally tackling head on those big concerns about his age —
BIDEN: I know it may not look like it, but I have been around awhile. [LAUGHTER]
BRUCE: — turning the tables on his rival, Trump just three years younger.
BIDEN: Lot of people my age see it differently. The American story of resentment, revenge and retribution. That’s not me.
BRUCE: The President, with this parting shot.
BIDEN: At issue facing our nation isn’t how old we are, it’s how old are our ideas. Hate, anger, revenge, retribution are the oldest of ideas. But you can’t lead America with ancient ideas. It will only take us back.
Bruce closed with reaction from the White House as though it were her own take, bragging they’re “thrilled with the President’s performance” and “feel he was fiery and tough, that he landed his punches and pushed back successfully against” Republicans in a “well-planned and rehearsed speech.”
Senior congressional correspondent Rachel Scott ripped into the GOP, arguing they lacked any sort of “civility” and have sunk the State of the Union into being marred by “heckling”. This led to co-host Michael Strahan to agree (click “expand”)
SCOTT: House Speaker Mike Johnson wanted decorum and civility inside of the chamber last night. That did not happen. Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green was rowdy at times. downright combative. You saw her there breaking the House rules, wearing that make America Great Again hat in support of Donald Trump. She repeatedly booed the President, called him a liar. At the back of the chamber, we spotted Congressman Troy Nehls standing up, wearing a shirt with Trump’s mug shot on it. And, in a bizarre turn of events, George Santos showed up even though he was expelled. He technically is still allowed inside of the House chamber as a former member who has not been convicted of a crime. Now, as for the Republican response to Biden’s State of the Union address, it was delivered by one of the youngest members of Congress, Katie Britt. The junior senator of Alabama delivering this address from her kitchen table in Montgomery. She did focus heavily on immigration, calling Biden’s border policies a disgrace. And it is notable that she is from Alabama, the state at the center of the controversy over IVF. Now, Britt did try to create distance between that court ruling, insisting that Republicans believe in preserving access to IVF and expanding American families. But, guys, I gotta tell you, the heckling inside the chamber during these addresses really started to become a pattern. Guys?
STRAHAN: Yeah, distraction and a pattern.
As GMA has started to do with political stories, Stephanopoulos gave own take and, of course, he was pleased with how Biden did in “address[ing] this age issue with his aggressive, feisty, ad-libbed delivery” and drawing “that sharp contrast with Donald Trump and the Republicans, reminding voters why Republicans have lost three elections in a row.”
After a second half-hour news brief, Bruce reracked part of her report from the first hour, but tweaked her ending by saying “the White House is thrilled with the President’s performance” and believe “he nailed this”.
Not surprisingly, this squared with how GMA saw the 2023 State of the Union, as they hailed Biden as being “fired up and fiery” but delivering “a message of hope”, making for “one of the best speeches” he’s ever made despite the presence of “bitt” and “rude” Republicans.
To see the relevant ABC transcript from March 8, click here.
