President Joe Biden addressed the nation Thursday morning, calling for Americans to “work together” to manage the latest surge of COVID-19 cases just 48 hours after he stood on a Georgia rally stage and compared half the country to traitors and segregationists.
During his address, Biden once again called on Americans to get vaccinated — accusing those who had not yet done so of “standing in the way” of the nation’s recovery. He then turned to media and social media, challenging outlets to keep a tighter rein on the “misinformation” and “disinformation” that he claimed was prevalent on their platforms.
NOW – Biden: “I make a special appeal to social media companies and media outlets — please deal with the misinformation and disinformation that’s on your shows. It has to stop.”pic.twitter.com/NeVU74web3
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 13, 2022
“Unfortunately, while our military is stepping up as they always do,” Biden began, noting that military aid was going out to the states to assist in hospitals that were feeling the strain, “There are others sitting on the sidelines, and worse, standing in the way. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated, do it. Personal choice impacts us all, our hospitals, our country.”
Biden continued with a call for better control of disinformation and misinformation, adding, “I make a special appeal to social media companies and media outlets: please, deal with the misinformation and disinformation that’s on your shows. It has to stop.”
“COVID-19 is one of the most formidable enemies America has ever faced,” Biden concluded. “We’ve got to work together, not against each other.”
Just two days earlier, however, Biden had launched an attack against nearly half the country as he attempted to promote the Democrats’ planned overhaul of federal elections. Claiming that anyone who opposed his agenda was choosing the side of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, segregationist George Wallace, and Bull Connor — who set dogs on civil rights protesters.
Biden’s rhetoric was so stark that it prompted an exchange between CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) — and even Durbin agreed that Biden may have taken things a bit too far.
“Perhaps the President went a little too far in his rhetoric… But the fundamental principles and values at stake are very, very similar,” Sen. Dick Durbin says about Biden’s remarks on voting rights in which he referenced Jefferson Davis and Bull Connor. https://t.co/PQIos3OHA0 pic.twitter.com/UBwrSjFQwt
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) January 12, 2022
As The Daily Wire reported:
“But you’re comparing, or Biden is comparing, and you’re not criticizing, the idea of a legislator reducing the number of days for early voting from 15 to 10 or wanting voters to present a photo ID before they vote, you’re comparing that to Bull Connor, who literally set dogs upon civil rights protestors. George Wallace, who said segregation today, segregation forever, I’m paraphrasing, or Jefferson Davis, the president of the traitorous confederacy. I mean, isn’t that a little stark?” Tapper pressed.
“It is stark. And I will concede that point,” Durbin agreed. “But don’t overlook the reality that in 20 different states governed and led by Republicans in legislature and in governorship, and each and every one of them, they are taking step by weary step to make sure that fewer Americans vote.”
Durbin went on to claim that the comparisons were accurate, claiming that the segregationists wanted to reduce the number of Americans who could vote too, but he conceded, “Perhaps the president went a little too far in his rhetoric, some of us do.”