by Harold Hutchison
President Joe Biden’s Thursday evening speech targeting supporters of former President Donald Trump was mocked on social media, with many users poking fun at the stage.
The speech, held in Philadelphia, marked continued attacks on supporters of Trump, reiterating earlier attacks in which he claimed Republicans embraced “semi-fascism” at an Aug. 25 fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee in Maryland, and also attacked “MAGA Republicans” during a Tuesday speech in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Biden called “MAGA Republicans” a threat to democracy and doubled down on his rhetoric calling supporters of former President Donald trump “extremists.”
WMAL talk show host Larry O’Connor threw the epithet Biden directed at Republicans back at the president.
“Dude… This isn’t even ‘semi’ fascist,” O’Connor posted on Twitter. “This is full monty Mussolini.”
But the stage drew more attention, as one post on Twitter compared it to the throne room of Supreme Leader Snoke from “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Other users compared it to scenes from “The Wizard of Oz,” “Network,” and “V for Vendetta.”
Bruh. pic.twitter.com/xqGepYfQCh
— 𝚁𝚎𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝙳𝚒𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚗𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚑 🏴☠️ (@RexHarrisonsHat) September 2, 2022
“It’s spooky season,” Erin Perrine, a former Republican communications professional, posted.
It's spooky season! 🎃👻 pic.twitter.com/cNtt3Xwuks
— Erin Perrine (@ErinMPerrine) September 2, 2022
“Dark blood red background, evil and condescending tone of voice & squinting eyes,” former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell posted. “Negative words & themes – and constant condemnation. Who staged this? Who wrote this? Huge mistake.”
https://twitter.com/RichardGrenell/status/1565492304579678208
Others took a more direct approach to Biden’s speech.
“What a bunch of dishonest, divisive, and gaslighting nonsense,” Harmeet Dhillon, a top Republican lawyer, tweeted.
What a bunch of dishonest, divisive, and gaslighting nonsense.
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) September 2, 2022
Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee rebutted Biden’s claims.
“The extreme MAGA agenda is securing the border, reducing inflation, lowering taxes, and upholding the Constitution,” she tweeted.
The extreme MAGA agenda is securing the border, reducing inflation, lowering taxes, and upholding the Constitution.
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) September 2, 2022
“Biden is the most condescending president of my lifetime,” former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley posted. “He’s done nothing to unite the nation. Nothing to bring healing. Nothing to alleviate the pain millions of Americans feel everyday. He’s been a divider in chief and come November he must hear from all of us.”
Biden is the most condescending president of my lifetime.
He’s done nothing to unite the nation. Nothing to bring healing. Nothing to alleviate the pain millions of Americans feel everyday.
He’s been a divider in chief and come November he must hear from all of us.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) September 2, 2022
“Are they trying to make him look Evil?” Newsmax host Benny Johnson asked in a post on Twitter.
Are they trying to make him look Evil? pic.twitter.com/NDp1xiZZQL
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 2, 2022
“This image speaks for itself,” Johnson posted an hour later.
This image speaks for itself pic.twitter.com/giZ6hi1OM4
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 2, 2022
Even some CNN personalities raised concerns.
“Whatever you think of this speech the military is supposed to be apolitical,” “New Day” host Brianna Keilar posted on Twitter. “Positioning Marines in uniform behind President Biden for a political speech flies in the face of that. It’s wrong when Democrats do it. It’s wrong when Republicans do it.”
Whatever you think of this speech the military is supposed to be apolitical. Positioning Marines in uniform behind President Biden for a political speech flies in the face of that. It’s wrong when Democrats do it. It’s wrong when Republicans do it.
— Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) September 2, 2022
“There’s nothing unusual or wrong with a President delivering a political speech — it’s inherent in the job description — but doing it against a backdrop of two Marines standing at attention and the Marine Band is a break with White House traditions,” CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny tweeted.
There’s nothing unusual or wrong with a President delivering a political speech — it’s inherent in the job description — but doing it against a backdrop of two Marines standing at attention and the Marine Band is a break with White House traditions. pic.twitter.com/s3TSYHtkcA
— Jeff Zeleny (@jeffzeleny) September 2, 2022
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Harold Hutchison is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.