President Joe Biden’s staffers worked furiously Thursday night to combat accusations that his speech at Independence Hall was too partisan against “extreme” MAGA Republicans.
The president repeatedly condemned “MAGA Republicans” and supporters of former President Donald Trump as violent extremists who represented a threat to American democracy.
“Democracy is not a partisan or political issue,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Chris Meagher wrote on social media, criticizing a CNN anchor’s description of the speech as “political”
Democracy is not a partisan or political issue. https://t.co/EgBfFoVl2s
— Chris Meagher (@chrismeagher46) September 2, 2022
“Except it’s not political,” White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates insisted, featuring the same criticism of Biden’s speech.
Except it’s not political. In the same way CNN isn’t political but has made the same warnings.
“Jake Tapper breaks down GOP threats to democracy” https://t.co/2EEGwR173D
“An Arizona Trump rally and voting rights march underscore the fight for democracy” https://t.co/pX3vxDlvUh https://t.co/NrBtZqxXL6
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) September 2, 2022
Bates also claimed that journalists were being hypocritical for suggesting that Biden’s speech was too partisan.
Press: “Biden isn’t doing enough to counter unpredecedented threats to democracy. Why aren’t you meeting the moment?”
Also press: “It’s so hyper partisan to defend democracy from these unprecedented threats. Who said you should meet the moment?”
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) September 2, 2022
“It’s not ‘political,’ it’s his duty,” wrote White House senior adviser for communications to the National Economic Council.
Many great journalists have reported as fact that the former President & his most loyal supporters in Congress are a threat to democracy. They tried to overthrow an election, including by force.
The President bluntly described the same facts. It’s not “political,” it’s his duty.
— Jesse Lee (@JesseLee46) September 2, 2022
White House director of digital strategy Rob Flaherty compared Biden’s speech to the nation’s first president George Washington’s farewell address.
CNN, 1796: a profoundly political and partisan speech, unbecoming a president who — in an abdication of norms and an act of cowardice — is vacating his seat of power pic.twitter.com/PKTirHAtJp
— Rob Flaherty (@RFlaherty46) September 2, 2022
Even former Biden officials tried to defend the president.
“Defending democracy is necessary because it is under threat. That doesn’t make that defense of one of our fundamental values as a county partisan or political. (Because it’s not),” former White House press secretary Jen Psaki wrote on Twitter.
Defending democracy is necessary because it is under threat. That doesn’t make that defense of one of our fundamental values as a county partisan or political. (Because it’s not)
— Jen Psaki (@jrpsaki) September 2, 2022
Former press secretary for Vice President Kamala Harris said Biden’s speech was “not” a campaign speech.
“Prior to tonight I thought, oh this is a campaign speech…after listening it clearly was not. I heard a POTUS ringing the alarm about the real threat to our nation,” she wrote.
Prior to tonight I thought, oh this is a campaign speech…after listening it clearly was not. I heard a POTUS ringing the alarm about the real threat to our nation. J6 HAPPENED. Election deniers are WINNING. This is not business as usual & we cannot afford to act like it is.
— Symone D. Sanders-Townsend (@SymoneDSanders) September 2, 2022