Media top headlines August 19
In media news today, Biden faces intense backlash for avoiding questions on Afghanistan following address, Biden says ongoing ‘chaos’ in the country was ‘priced’ into the withdrawal decision, and an MSNBC opinion piece compares Republicans to the Taliban
MSNBC host Joy Reid has spent the week defending President Joe Biden at every turn, insisting his predecessor is to blame for the collapse of Afghanistan and Republicans are unfairly holding Biden responsible.
"On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, Reid’s spin ranged from arguing this was what the American people wanted to blaming Donald Trump for the calamity to denouncing Afghans and the U.S. military," NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck wrote before breaking down the past three evenings of "ReidOut."
On Monday, Reid spent her first episode following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan harping on former President Trump.
"It was Donald Trump who wrote America’s exit strategy," Reid said as on-screen chyrons stated "Trump’s ‘peace plan’ set fall of Afghanistan in motion" and "GOP tried to blame Biden for Trump admin policy."
MSNBC host Joy Reid has spent the week defending President Biden at every turn.
The following day, Reid, arguably the most hyper-partisan host on the left-wing outlet, continued to claim Republicans are simply trying to blame Biden for the collapse of Afghanistan.
"It should come as no surprise that the Republican Party has seized on these moments to score political points," Reid said.
Houck, who dubbed the MSNBC host "Kabul Karen," said her "pretzel-twisted logic" took an ugly turn when she tried to smear Texas Republican Rep. Mike McCaul for saying Biden has "blood on his hands" over Afghanistan.
MCENANY RIPS MSNBC HOST'S ‘REMARKABLE’ CLAIM ON SUPPORT FOR BIDEN'S AFGHANISTAN DECISION
"This is the same man who represents a state where more than 54,000 people have died from COVID," Reid said. "Tell me Congressman, does Gov. Abbott have blood on his hands for his abandonment of the people of the Lone Star state?"
Reid didn’t only use the strategy of deflecting criticism away from Democrats on air. In a lengthy rant on social media, the far-left host implored her followers to not lose focus on domestic issues she claimed were a threat to Americans at home as chaos in Afghanistan unfolds.
"Meanwhile, we are gonna have to walk and chew gum at the same time, folks. At this hour, voting rights in the U.S. are still hanging by a thread. Gerrymandering is about to disenfranchise millions of Americans of color who the Census show should be gaining more power, not less," Reid tweeted this week. "We are facing a national security threat from white nationalists who feel empowered and emboldened, thanks to a former president of the United States and a major political party that's willing to ride violent extremism into power."
REID CONTINUES TO DEFLECT CRITICISM AWAY FROM DEMOCRATS AS PRESSURE MOUNTS OVER AFGHANISTAN
The hyperpartisan Reid also compared the religious right in the U.S. to Islamists terrorizing Afghanistan.
Houck monitors liberal news organizations and declared "Wednesday was even dumber."
"After leading with a Covid segment, Reid continued to ignore support on the right for Afghans by arguing that ‘Republicans pretend they got everything exactly right for the past four years’ while they hurl ‘predictable xenophobic attacks,’" Houck wrote.
She continued to blame Trump, who she called "Orange Julius Cesar."
"I think it’s magical thinking that’s the problem, thinking somehow Donald Trump would have evacuated those Afghans," Reid said. "No he wouldn’t of."
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Fox News’ Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
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