On CNN News Central Tuesday morning, host Kate Bolduan began her conversation with former Democratic mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu, by commending President Joe Biden’s current fundraising success. She highlighted the fact that Biden has raised “the largest amount for a Democratic candidate ever at this point in the cycle,” emphasizing the achievement with her tone. She also urged the Biden campaign’s national co-chair to secure the Palestinian vote in Michigan, warning that not doing so could jeopardize success in the November election.
Bolduan made sure to make a comparison between Biden’s fundraising and that of former President Donald Trump, insinuating that Trump’s donations were being used to cover his legal bills. “It’s difficult to compare Biden’s fundraising numbers to Republicans and Trump’s right now, as they have not released their numbers for the month. However, they did start the year with less and are now spending a large amount of money on Trump’s legal fees,” she quipped.
Landrieu was quick to join in on the mockery of Trump, saying, “While the President of the United States was focusing on important matters, like the well-being of Americans, Donald Trump was busy selling tennis shoes.” He continued his immature roast, saying, “Donald Trump wakes up every day thinking about himself. He’s consumed by thoughts of oppression, revenge, and harming others. Whereas Joe Biden wakes up every day thinking about how to fight for the American people.”
Acknowledging that many voters resonate with Trump’s message because he stands up for Republicans, Landrieu quickly countered this by passionately explaining why Americans should vote for someone who will protect their rights and provide job opportunities – none other than Biden, “who has done an exceptional job in his first term as President.”
Bolduan then shifted the discussion from fundraising and Biden’s supposed greatness to the pro-Palestinian message that Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) shared on Monday. Tlaib’s call for voters to select “Uncommitted” in the Michigan primaries stemmed from her disappointment in Biden’s support for Israel during their recent conflict with Hamas. Bolduan prodded Landrieu to carefully address this issue, stressing that “a protest vote in a Democratic primary this cycle can have a real impact on the general election in Michigan.”
Landrieu treaded cautiously, expressing his respect for Tlaib and acknowledging the complexity of the Israeli-Gaza conflict. “The President is well aware of the concerns and is working diligently to secure the release of hostages and provide humanitarian aid. This is a difficult and complicated issue,” he stated.
Landrieu’s frustration with this line of questioning was evident as he accidentally referred to Bolduan as “Brooke,” mistakenly calling her by the name of former CNN employee, Brooke Baldwin. Despite this slip-up, he maintained his focus on praising Biden, saying, “The President will continue to safeguard America’s interests while also being empathetic to the viewpoints and sentiments expressed by Congresswoman Tlaib.”
The whole segment was nauseating and overinflated with Landrieu, continuously emphasizing Biden’s ‘greatness and compassion’, assuring viewers that the President is aware of the issues and is working tirelessly to find a resolution—I guess he’s doing that between naps?
Who are they kidding?