Vice President Joe Biden can do little wrong in CNN's eyes. Friday's Starting Point whitewashed his telling [1] the husband of an incoming U.S. Senator to "Spread your legs; you're going to be frisked" at Thursday's swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill.
Instead, the morning show touted Biden comforting the fretting young daughter of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.). "He was a one-man comedy act yesterday, the Vice President was. Love it," gushed co-host John Berman.
[Video below. Audio here [2].]
Co-host Brooke Baldwin agreed. "All the smooching, people's mothers. It was great. Great stuff from the Vice President." If former Missouri Congressman Todd Akin had told a senator's husband to "spread your legs," CNN might have had a different reaction.
The fawn-fest continued during the 8 a.m. EST hour with Berman hyping "the real drama, the theater on the Senate side yesterday."
"Joe Biden, man. That guy was in his element with kids there at the ceremonial swearing in. At one point, he comforted this small child who was a bit overwhelmed," Berman introduced the clip.
"Joe Biden, that was barely the funniest thing he said," raved Berman. "Old school on fire all day."
CNN's selective reporting falls in line with the rest of the media's treatment of the Vice President. During the 2012 election, CBS, ABC, and NBC showed a blatant double standard [3] with how they ignored Biden's gaffes versus their hammering of GOP vice presidential candidates in years past.
A transcript of the segments, which aired on January 4 on Starting Point, is as follows:
CNN
STARTING POINT
1/4/12
[7:02 a.m. EST]
BROOKE BALDWIN: Staying in Washington, it was all in the family as senators took the oath of office for the 113th Congress. Some senators such as Kirsten Gillibrand of New York held their children as they raised their hand in front of Vice President Joe Biden there, swearing in. In fact at one point, the Vice President offered comfort to a child overwhelmed by the ceremony.
(Video Clip)
CHILD: Mommy.
JOE BIDEN, (D) Vice President of the United States: It's a Democrat. I know. But it's okay.
(Laughter)
(End Video Clip)
BALDWIN: That is the daughter of Ted Cruz, the freshman senator from Texas.
BERMAN: He was a one-man comedy act yesterday, the Vice President was. Love it.
BALDWIN: All the smooching, people's mothers. It was great. Great stuff from the Vice President.
(...)
[8:03 a.m. EST]
BERMAN: That was the action on the House side, but the real drama, the theater on the Senate side yesterday.
HOOVER: Incredible.
BERMAN: Joe Biden, man. That guy was in his element with kids there at the ceremonial swearing in. At one point, he comforted this small child who was a bit overwhelmed.
BALDWIN: And it turns out this child was the daughter of Ted Cruz, the freshman senator from Texas.
BERMAN: Let's look at this.
BALDWIN: I don't think we have it.
BERMAN: We do not have it.
BALDWIN: So, what happened was, we'll tell you story. We'll do a dramatic re-enactment right now. Ted Cruz's baby right there, Senator Biden says, let me pick up your baby, the baby starts crying.
BALDWIN: Okay, we have it. Your explanation was great, but –
(Video Clip)
CHILD: Mommy.
BIDEN: It's a Democrat, I know, but –
(Laughter)
(End Video Clip)
BALDWIN: I hadn't caught that the last time.
BERMAN: It's good stuff, right?
BALDWIN: Good stuff.
BERMAN: Joe Biden, that was barely the funniest thing he said.
AVLON: He's old school.
BERMAN: Old school on fire all day.
-- Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center