Scott Jennings, a Republican CNN panelist, had some sharp words for his colleagues during a Thursday discussion.
He took aim at the stark contrast between their previous portrayal of Donald Trump and the recent meeting between the president-elect and Joe Biden at the White House.
Jennings’ comment centered on the dramatic rhetoric Democrats used to describe Trump during the campaign, calling him a “fascist” and even comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
Reflecting on the Campaign Trail
After airing clips of the heated back-and-forth between Trump and Biden on the campaign trail, the panel turned their focus to the surprisingly cordial meeting between the two men.
Meghan Hays, a former Biden advisor, noted that Biden was not one to hold grudges and believed the president was simply acting as a dignified statesman.
Jennings, however, couldn’t help but jest.
Holding up a copy of The Wall Street Journal, which featured a photo of Biden and Trump together, he asked, “Did you ever think you’d see literal Hitler in the Oval Office—with the President of the United States?”
Campaign Rhetoric vs. Reality
Hays quickly responded, urging Jennings to tone down the rhetoric, but Jennings continued, emphasizing that the depiction of Trump as a fascist was central to the Democratic campaign.
“I’m glad it’s happening,” he said, referring to the meeting, “but what it tells me, and what it should tell Democrats, is that they didn’t mean any of it. It was all just campaign talk.”
During the presidential campaign, Biden warned voters that Trump would be a “dictator on day one,” while Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre labeled him as fitting the “general definition of fascist.”
Kamala Harris, too, had called Trump “a president who admires dictators and is a fascist.”
Jennings pointed out that if Democrats had genuinely believed Trump was a fascist, they wouldn’t have allowed him into the White House for such a meeting.
Questioning Biden’s Actions
While some panelists praised Biden for his decision to meet with Trump as a positive moment for the country, acknowledging the peaceful transition of power, Jennings wasn’t the only one questioning the move.
Radio co-host Charlamagne Tha God raised similar concerns on The Breakfast Club, pointing out the shift in narrative.
“I just don’t understand the White House visit,” he said.
“What happened to all the talk about the threat to democracy? What happened to calling him a fascist?”
Charlamagne noted that Biden’s attacks on Trump had held more weight coming from the sitting president.
He posed a question that many were likely wondering: “How do you go from saying ‘He’s an existential threat to democracy’ to ‘Welcome back’?”
Moving Forward
As the political landscape shifts, questions linger about the implications of this change in tone.
Will the meeting between Biden and Trump have lasting effects on the political climate?
It seems the road ahead will be filled with many more twists and turns.
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