The Democrat Party struggle with Joe Biden's cognitive decline has caused the conservative CNN contributors to get firmer in challenging their CNN colleagues on the set. On Tuesday's CNN This Morning, Jonah Goldberg grew visibly angry with ex-Biden White House communications director Kate Bedingfield as she trotted out the Biden-he-can-do-it spin.
"I think he has a strong case to make that he is -- he is rallying the base of the party. And that's important as we move into an election where, you know, Trump's base is going to be motivated for him. You need somebody who's going to be able to turn their base out," Bedingfield said. "I agree with Molly [Ball] that things are fluid, but I think you're seeing that support solidify."
GOLDBERG: "It's a wildly irresponsible bet. And the idea that it's a -- you know, I get the whole argument, it's the base, whatever. But like, the idea that Joe Biden, who's a total creature of Washington, D.C., political elites. He was a -- you know, he's been in Washington for over 50 years as a politician -- is saying that somehow, it's him versus the elites. It's gaslighting on a Trumpian level.
BEDINGFIELD: He has been derided by the elites. I mean, look at, look at 2019. He was told, you know, he was out of touch with the base of the party. He could never be the nominee.
GOLDBERG: He was told that by people running against him.
Bedingfield said Biden has a "chip on his shoulder" about how Washington's intellectuals view him.
Goldberg grew angry enough to say Biden's presidency "means nothing" to him in terms of the next four years.
GOLDBERG: The past few years mean nothing to me, nothing to me. And it's a -- I think it's a crazy argument. You know, if financial markets -- financial firms are required by law to say past performance is not predictive of future results, that same principle applies to politics.
If you watched that George Stephanopoulos interview and were reassured that he's up to the job, then I think you're kind of in a bubble, because that was not reassuring. And when he says, and when Democrats say, this election is about democracy and the future of the country; and then he says, well, if I lose, I gave it my best shot. Who cares? That is a terrible answer. He was clearly prepped, and he still gave a terrible answer.
This spurred Bedingfield into her talking points:
BEDINGFIELD: To say the last three years mean nothing to you when you have a president who has gotten more done in a bipartisan way than anybody thought was possible; has gotten meaningful gun legislation done; has gotten an infrastructure bill.
GOLDBERG: If he had a heart attack, you wouldn't say, well, what did the last three and a half years.
BEDINGFIELD: That's -- that's like saying it doesn't -- so it doesn't matter who's president, because it doesn't matter what happens when this person is in office. That's saying that only -- the campaign is the only thing that matters. I don't think that's true. I don't think that's true. That's -- then it doesn't --
KASIE HUNT: Well, campaigns are about the future.
BEDINGFIELD: And that's fine. I'm just saying, saying the last three- and-a-half years don't matter at all.
GOLDBERG: Don't matter at all about whether or not he can do the job for the next four months or next four and half years.
BEDINGFIELD: It's a very nihilistic way to look at it.
GOLDBERG: No. Do you honestly think he can serve four and a half more years?
BEDINGFIELD: I do. I do.
GOLDBERG: I think that's lunatic. I really do. I think it's lunatic you think he can actually serve for four and a half more years.
BEDINGFIELD, smiling: You're entitled to your opinion.
HUNT: I have to say, this is a sharp, you know, version of the conversation that I know members of my family are having around dinner tables. And I think a lot of Americans are having this -- this play out right now as we speak.
PS: In the 8 am hour, Goldberg tweeted (with the video clip): "Apologies for getting a little testy this morning."
