America’s establishment news media were unable to ignore Sen. Tim Scott’s (R-SC) rebuttal to President Joe Biden’s joint address to Congress Wednesday.
Just after the speech, Jake Tapper called Scott’s speech “inspiring and hopeful.”
“You heard there an inspiring and hopeful and at times even religious message from the man perceived to be a rising star in his party,” Jake acknowledged.
CNN later wrote of Scott’s speech that “rebuttals typically offer the opposing party a chance to critique the President’s message,” but recognized “Scott‘s speech directly called out Biden and his party, as the Republican senator touched on a wide range of issues… slamming Democrats as divisive.”
CNN’s Brianna Keilar on New Day credited Scott’s rebuttal in an interview with White House press secretary Jen Psaki by asking if President Joe Biden is working with Scott on police reform.
Psaki, despite casting Biden as bipartisan in press briefings, said she did not have any calls between the two to of which to speak.
“I don’t have any calls with Senator Scott to read out for you,” she quipped. “The President will stay engaged. He very much cares about signing this into law. He thinks it’s long past time to get police reform in place,” she said.
Over on MSNBC, anchor Nicolle Wallace criticized Scott for articulating facts. “This is a speech delivered from a planet where facts don’t matter,” she said. “If you’re so proud of a lie, tell the truth about it,” she said about Scott’s comments on Georgia’s voter ID law.
In an interview with Al Sharpton the following morning, MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough asked if Sharpton was disappointed with Scott’s rebuttal.
“Why were you disappointed with Tim Scott’s rebuttal?” he asked.
“I don’t think that he rebutted… I think he’s brighter than that and better than that. I think he really embarrassed himself last night,” Sharpton stated about Scott and his speech.
Even Vice President Kamala Harris was asked about Scott’s late night delivery on ABC’s Good Morning America by George Stephanopoulos.
“Senator Tim Scott said last night America is not a racist country. Do you agree with that and what do you make of his warning fighting discrimination with more discrimination?” he asked.
“Well, first of all, I don’t think America is a racist country,” Harris said. “But we also do have to speak truth about the history of racism in our country and its existence today and applaud the president for always having the ability and the courage, frankly, to speak the truth about it.”
“It does not help to heal our country to unify us as a people to ignore the realities… and I think the president has been outstanding and a real national leader on the issue” of racism in America, Harris remarked.