Cross posted to the MRC's NewsBusters blog
On the morning after President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union Address for 2020, there was further evidence of how heavily skewed toward the left that CNN has become as the New Day morning show did not feature a single pro-Trump guest to react to the speech. But the four-hour special edition of the flagship morning show did make time for three Democratic members of Congress and one liberal Republican CNN contributor to react negatively to the President's words.
In the 5:00 A.M. hour of the show, CNN contributor and former Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Charlie Dent lamented that "sadly" the "partisan" speech did not "unite the country." Here's Dent: "And the partisan nature of the speech. I mean, he really threw out a lot of red meat. Let's face it. He was talking abortion, guns, gives Rush Limbaugh publicly the Medal of Freedom award. So there was a lot there if you're a partisan, and not a lot there to unite the country sadly."
A bit later, he declared that he hopes that the U.S. Senate censures the President: "I'm not so sure the President has learned much from any of this. He's expressed no remorse -- he still says this was a perfect call, he "did nothing wrong." Frankly, I think that the Senate immediately upon his acquittal, somebody should move to censure him."
During the 7:00 A.M. hour, Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar of El Paso -- who last night made a Spanish language response to President Trump's speech -- made an appearance on the show and hinted that President Trump was to blame for the Wal-Mart mass shooting in her city from last year:
I don't speak for every single El Pasoan -- but one of the things that I mentioned in my speech last night was the painful reminder of the August 3 massacre here in El Paso. We know that a gunman -- a domestic terrorist drove over 600 miles, and he confessed to doing it so that he could slaughter Mexicans and immigrants in my community. That language that he used in a screed that he published online mirrored the President's language.
Near the beginning of the 8:00 A.M. hour, CNN co-host Alisyn Camerota recalled a tweet by Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen as she introduced him onto the show:
CAMEROTA: But a handful of lawmakers did walk out of the chamber at some point. One Senate Democrat and close Pelosi ally tweeted: "If I wanted to attend a MAGA rally, I would have. The President never misses a chance to further divide the country. Disgraceful." Joining us now is that Democratic Senator, Chris Van Hollen. ... When you tweeted that it was "disgraceful," what part of the speech were you referring to that was disgraceful?
And at 8:30 A.M., California Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren -- one of the impeachment managers -- made an appearance and complained that the President's speech was "divisive."
Below is a transcript of relevant portions of the Wednesday, February 5, New Day on CNN:
5:28 A.M. Eastern
CHARLIE DENT, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: And the partisan nature of the speech. I mean, he really threw out a lot of red meat. Let's face it. He was talking abortion, guns, gives Rush Limbaugh publicly the Medal of Freedom award. So there was a lot there if you're a partisan, and not a lot there to unite the country sadly.
(...)
DENT: I'm not so sure the President has learned much from any of this. He's expressed no remorse -- he still says this was a perfect call, he "did nothing wrong." Frankly, I think that the Senate immediately upon his acquittal, somebody should move to censure him.
(...)
7:42 A.M.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: So he's saying that he's lifted every race very high. Is that how Hispanics in El Paso feel?
CONGRESSWOMAN VERONICA ESCOBAR (D-TX): No, absolutely not. Now, of course, you know, I don't speak for every single member of the Latino community -- I don't speak for every single El Pasoan -- but one of the things that I mentioned in my speech last night was the painful reminder of the August 3 massacre here in El Paso. We know that a gunman -- a domestic terrorist drove over 600 miles, and he confessed to doing it so that he could slaughter Mexicans and immigrants in my community. That language that he used in a screed that he published online mirrored the President's language.
(...)
8:05 A.M.
CAMEROTA: But a handful of lawmakers did walk out of the chamber at some point. One Senate Democrat and close Pelosi ally tweeted: "If I wanted to attend a MAGA rally, I would have. The President never misses a chance to further divide the country. Disgraceful." Joining us now is that Democratic Senator, Chris Van Hollen. ... When you tweeted that it was "disgraceful," what part of the speech were you referring to that was disgraceful?
(...)
8:29 A.M.
JOHN BERMAN: Joining me now is one of the House impeachment managers, Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren. ... What was it like to be sitting in the chamber with the State of the Union Address -- the very chamber where seven weeks ago, you impeached the President of the United States?
CONGRESSWOMAN ZOE LOFGREN (D-CA): Well, it was a very long speech, and it was disappointing in a lot of ways. It was more campaign speech -- it was very divisive in a lot of ways. You know, there were some points. I mean, everybody loves a solder coming back to be reunited with his family or a 100-year-old Tuskegee Airman -- who could not like that? But the policy stuff was really, number one, false, and really designed to be further divisive in the country which is not really what we need.