House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) accused MSNBC host Katy Tur of being a Donald Trump “apologist” during a tense back-and-forth on the network yesterday afternoon, and all Tur could do was whine that she’d always been tough in her reporting on the disgraced former president.
The exchange was part of a larger conversation the two were having about the accomplishments of President Joe Biden and how they compare with the Trump administration.
“Donald Trump is a great threat to our democracy. What is a democracy, what are the pillars? What are the pillars?” Pelosi asked.
“A free and independent press to tell the story,” she continued. “To keep everybody informed of what people are saying and doing. That transparency is essential.”
“Independent judiciary. An independent judiciary when they’re practically threatening on TV exposure of jurors in the trial of the president, or any trial, and any of that. What is an independent judiciary about? It’s about free and fair elections. And what do they do, but suppress the vote?”Independent judiciary. An independent judiciary when they’re practically threatening on TV exposure of jurors in the trial of the president, or any trial, and any of that. What is an independent judiciary about? It’s about free and fair elections. And what do they do, but suppress the vote?
“So, there’s nothing in his ‘performance,’ if that’s the word we’ll use, what he has done, that would indicate he cares, prioritizes, or ever valued, or ever did anything to support a democracy.”
The former Speaker of the House added, “And now on the ballot saying he should have immunity from whatever he might do, I mean, really, I have sympathy and respect for everybody who votes. I’m just glad people vote. I know some of them will never, will always reject those of us who might look different to them in leadership and the rest, and that’s that.”
“But there are those who have real legitimate concerns about immigration, globalization, innovation, and what does that mean to their job and their family’s future? And we have to address those concerns. And Joe Biden is doing that. Created nine million jobs in his term in office. Donald Trump has the worst record of job loss of a president. So, we just have to make sure people know.”
Tur interjected, “That was a global pandemic.”
Clearly irritated by the suggestion from Tur, Pelosi countered, “He had the worst record of any president. We’ve had other concerns in our country. If you want to be an apologist for Donald Trump, that may be your role, but it ain’t mine.”
Tur: “I don’t think anybody can accuse me of that.”
Actually, Katy, they most certainly can accuse you of just that. Trying to cover for the biggest failure of the Trump administration, their handling of the COVID pandemic which led to a jobless recession and over a million deaths is indeed being an apologist for the worst U.S. president of the past 100 years.
The 2024 election should not be the least bit competitive when you lay Biden’s accomplishments next to Trump’s incompetence and insurrection. Democracy is on the ballot. If we value this republic, we’d damn well better show up in November and reject Trump.