There wasn't much good to say about the opening night of the Democrat convention. It was panned even by liberal voices and a Never Trumper as, respectively, "a long YouTube ad you'd skip," "cheesy videos," and a "sad telethon."
So, like much of the liberal media's DNC coverage, CNN's New Day was reduced to focusing on what they saw as a lonely point of light [sorry, H.W.]: Michelle Obama's speech.
CNN brought on Democrats to praise other Democrats. Imagine how easily impressed they are. Former Clinton speechwriter and spinmeister Paul Begala laid it on thick: "It was absolutely masterful...It was the most brilliant, I think, political performance, to camera, that we’ve seen since Ronald Reagan. And she’s not even a politician! Four years ago I said this, and I got in trouble with the former president, but Barack Obama’s one of the greatest orators in America, and he’s only the second best speaker in his own house! I mean, she’s phenomenal."
When co-host John Berman enthused over Michelle having worn a "VOTE" necklace, Camerota added "which people are now clamoring for this morning, of course."
To which John Berman responded: "I know I am."
Sure, Berman was being a bit facetious. We're not actually anticipating him turning up on the set tomorrow sporting one. But in a million years, could you imagine him saying he was clamoring, say, for one of Melania Trump's beautiful dresses?
CNN's Berman "clamoring" for a Michelle Obama "VOTE" necklace was sponsored in part by Carvana.
Here's the transcript.
CNN
New Day
8-18-20
6:08 am EDTJOHN BERMAN: So Paul, first to you. Who exactly was the target of her speech, and how would you assess how it landed?
PAUL BEGALA: Well, a convention should do two things. It should excite the base and it should reassure swing voters. So, usually that takes two speakers, right? Bernie Sanders excited the base last night. John Kasich reached out to swing voters.
Mrs. Obama did both. It was absolutely masterful. And keep this in mind, I’ve covered a million of these conventions — well, I’ve participated in nine of them and written hundreds of speeches for these conventions. You have an audience in that hall — you have 17,000 people screaming and cheering your name and lifting you, giving you that emotion.
Michelle Obama did that entire speech alone in a room to a camera. It was the most brilliant, I think, political performance, to camera, that we’ve seen since Ronald Reagan. And she’s not even a politician! Four years ago I said this, and I got in trouble with the former president, but Barack Obama’s one of the greatest orators in America, and he’s only the second best speaker in his own house! I mean, she’s phenomenal.
ALISYN CAMEROTA: She covered every base. She even went as practical as how people should vote in November, you know? She —
BERMAN: The necklace! The necklace literally said, “VOTE.” There was no subtlety to it.
CAMEROTA: Which people are now clamoring for this morning, of course.
BERMAN: I know I am.
