Just 10 months ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi proclaimed that an impeachment of President Donald Trump would not happen unless there was “something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan.” The House vote to impeach Trump was the dictionary definition of partisan — not a single Republican voted yes. There is nothing compelling and overwhelming here.
But our pro-impeachment media are investing as much moral authority in Pelosi’s putsch as they can muster. During live coverage of the vote on Dec. 18, MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell gushed over Pelosi’s black outfit. “She’s certainly always well-appointed, beautifully arrayed, if you will,” she said. “She’s wearing black today. And that is a symbolic expression of how somberly they are taking this.” Chris Matthews added: “It’s sacramental. … It’s sacramental.”
Sacramental? Matthews returned to this ridiculous concept on Jan. 15 when the House Democrats made a dramatic show for the cameras by marching their articles of impeachment to the Senate. Matthews told Chuck Todd: “There’s a sacramental quality to this. There’s a ritual.”
MSNBC reporter Garrett Haake affirmed this, adding: “I’m so glad Chris used the word ‘ritual’ because that’s the word that has been stuck in my head about this all day today. It’s beyond formality. … There is something almost religious to it.”
A few minutes later, Matthews suggested, “there’s an excommunication aspect to this thing.” Todd replied: “you are really taking this Catholic metaphor and going at it! Run, Chris, run!” Matthews then added, “the Lincoln Memorial is basically a church.”
As Speaker Pelosi was shown on screen about to sign the impeachment articles, Matthews returned to churchy metaphors, and things were getting truly wacky. He said: “Well, there’s a sacramental statement for life — like a priest for life. It’s a perfect statement of what she is. I think she is very reverential. I mean, she’s one tough politician, but she’s got another part of her, which is very respectful of hierarchy, in terms of who — true moral authority. The Democratic elected officials have true moral authority to run the country.”
All of these mangled metaphors ignore Pelosi’s crusades for abortion on demand and punitive LGBT “anti-discrimination” measures to crush religious liberty, all of which are in direct conflict with Catholic teaching. Her political career has been a war with her alleged religious affiliation.
This praise is goofball stuff, and at least one celebrated liberal Catholic was having fun with all the Pelosi parades. On CBS’ “Late Show,” Stephen Colbert put on dramatic lighting and joked: “First, each member of Congress steps forward to seal the text with a single drop of blood. Then, the sacred runes are drawn from beneath Jerrold Nadler’s jowls, and lo, a snow-white ram is brought forth to pluck the maidenhead of Adam Schiff.”
(Then, as expected, he mocked Sen. Mitch McConnell as a hideous demon to keep it acceptable to his fans.)
Impeachment is in no way a sacred act, and it carries no moral authority. But our pro-impeachment media are employing every sappy metaphor to achieve their fervent desire: dragging President Trump out of the White House and throwing him into the pyre.
L. Brent Bozell III is the president of the Media Research Center. Tim Graham is director of media analysis at the Media Research Center and executive editor of the blog NewsBusters.org. To find out more about Brent Bozell III and Tim Graham, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.