Joe Biden suffered another major defeat last week, this time at the hands of moderate Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. For months, the two have suffered abuse and harassment at the hands of left-wing activists. During this time, rather than turn down the rhetoric, journalists downplayed, ignored, or participated in the vitriol against Sinema and Manchin.
Here’s the worst hate spewed last week against the two Democrats standing in the way of the Biden agenda:
CNN commentator and former Labor Secretary for Bill Clinton Robert Reich offered the ugliest response, seemingly encouraging violence against Sinema. Spewing venom after the filibuster was preserved, Reich tweeted, “Tonight, Republican senators lined up to shake Kyrsten Sinema’s hand. Democratic senators should have given her the backs of their hands.”
Here’s the tweet he ultimately deleted:
Offering a non-apology on Thursday, Reich, who also appeared on ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos, blamed the whole thing on “conservative media.”
Reich’s shocking comments have drawn no push back from CNN and ABC, two places he sometimes shows up as a contributor.
The unhinged Joy Reid on Wednesday night raged against the continued survival of the filibuster, comparing Manchin and Sinema to infamous murderers Bonnie and Clyde.
Any minute now the Senate is expected to begin a series of votes on voter protection legislation, which is expected to fail. Teeing up majority leader chuck Schumer’s plan to move forward with a vote on a proposed filibuster rule change. That, too, is likely to fail since conservative Democratic Senator — and professional coal baron — Joe Manchin in the tradition of the Bonnie to his Clyde, Kyrsten Sinema, preempted that effort this afternoon, reiterating his support for the 60 vote threshold with no requirement to do it in person.
On Wednesday, CNN seemed to endorse extremist rhetoric in response to moderates Manchin and Sinema. Former Bernie Sanders for President co-chair Nina Turner appeared on CNN Newsroom and encouraged “taking it to the streets” to stop the West Virginia senator. Host Bianna Golodryga didn’t object. Instead, she hoped Biden was “taking notes.”
NINA TURNER (Former Bernie Sanders for President co-chair ): Him and Senator Sinema are extremists, and anybody hiding behind them are extremists. Because when you want to put your political concerns over democracy, when you serve in some of the highest offices of the land, then something is wrong with you. That is why I do believe firmly that the President, not only the vision of FDR, but he’s got to take the message and the spirit that FDR had. Call out these folks, say, “I welcome your hatred.” That’s what the President should do. Take it to the streets.
BIANNA GOLODRYGA: Perhaps he’s listening to you and taking notes ahead of his presser.
On Sunday, MSNBC contributor Elie Mystal slimed the two Democrats as the “white people” Martin Luther King warned us about:
[T]he people like Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema — these are the white people that Martin Luther King Jr. warned us about. These are the white liberals who have no sense of urgency, commitment, or integrity when it comes to the progress of justice in the country and that’s just the — that’s just the fact. I don’t know if they can live with themselves with that.
Last December, I wrote about instances of bullying or harassment that Manchin and Sinema suffered. They included: Protesters surrounding Manchin in his care, screaming and swarming him. Leftists activists disrupting a wedding Sinema was officiating. They also followed the Arizona senator into a bathroom.
So the question must be asked: Do journalists care about the harassment Sinema and Manchin ore are enduring or are they fine with it?