In a CNN Townhall in Milwaukee last night, President Biden used the opportunity to reset his administration’s goals and the public’s perception of “success.” Naturally, the cable network happily gave Biden the forum to do so.
Summary
Following last week’s brouhaha over White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki’s defense of “one day a week in-person” learning being considered “re-opened”, President Joe Biden reset the record, saying the goal remains “five days a week” within his first 100 days in office.
- Biden blamed the episode on “a mistake in the communication” while saying high school age classes will take longer to get back to full-time in-person education and that by the end of July, there will be enough access to a coronavirus vaccine that everyone in the United States will be able to receive it.
- Politico noted the various policy “markers” Biden laid down and the deadlines associated with it, while also saying “Biden seemed like someone craving basic interaction with humans beyond family members and those who count politics as their vocation.”
- In separate reporting, Politico called Biden’s rebuke of progressive efforts to administratively forgive as much as $50,000 per person in student loan debt one of the “biggest progressive slap-downs” of the night.
- Biden attempted to offer hope, saying by early next year Americans can return to normal, but conceded that it’s not a certainty.
- CNN’s analysis of its own townhall started with glowing reviews for Biden’s avuncular performance, contrasting it derisively with former President Trump.
- Deadline similarly laid the praise on thick, saying Biden was “quick to show he cares”, combining policy mastery with discipline to put on “a winning performance.”
- The Baltimore Sun’s media critic heaped piles of acclaim on President Biden, saying Biden’s “respect, empathy, and kindness” towards the audience was most impressive.
- RedState highlighted what it called “a lot of troubling points” in Biden’s townhall, including Biden’s false claim that there was no vaccine when he was sworn into office as well as framing Biden’s insistence on understanding different “cultural norms” in China will help the United States navigate the persecution of Uighur Muslims.
- Biden’s comments about the vaccine also found traction on Townhall, calling his remarks “a downright lie”, noting he and Vice President Kamala Harris both received shots before inauguration on television.
- Newsmax’s coverage highlighted Biden’s effort to move past his predecessor, former President Trump, with Biden calling him “the former guy” while also reporting his optimistic non-committal that the United States will have put the coronavirus pandemic behind us a year from now.
- Fox News roasted its competitor for “avoiding uncomfortable subjects” for Biden, including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s coverup of nursing home coronavirus deaths and the circumstances over which Biden press aide TJ Ducklo was forced to resign.
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© Dallas Gerber, 2021
