Fox News complains that President Biden’s criticism of white supremacy will offend Trump supporters
Dan Henninger: “Why is he bringing up nativism and fear and telling lies for power and profit in the middle of an inaugural speech?”
Published
Citation From the January 20, 2021, edition of Fox News' Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden Jr. 46th President
DAN HENNINGER (GUEST): You know, if I may Martha, I'm gonna issue something of a dissent from some of the fellow feeling we've been hearing today.
Joe Biden's inaugural speech, I really thought it was two speeches.
There was a lot in there that was good about unity and reconciliation. He even quoted St. Augustine, one of my favorites. But, there was another speech in there in which he was talking about things like people telling lies for power and profit. He talked about nativism, white supremacy. I think a lot of people sitting -- I mean let's face it. Half the country, nearly half the country did vote for Donald Trump.
It was at that point President Biden talking about Donald J. Trump or is he talking about the people who voted for Trump? Cause I think a lot of them would be entitled to sit out there and say, "I'm not that person."
And if he is trying to reconcile with the country, it's one thing for him to be giving his inaugural speech about his grievances with Donald J. Trump, but a lot of people out there who supported Trump and his policies did not agree with some of those ideas.
And so they might be asking, "Why is he bringing up nativism and fear and telling lies for power and profit in the middle of an inaugural speech?"
MARTHA MACCALLUM (HOST): I -- I think it's a great point that you bring up, Dan. He talked about nativism, racism and fear. And, you know, it kind of fits in to the litany of words that we've heard about the deplorables, about clinging to guns and religion, about cults and people being -- need to be deprogrammed.
And -- and although there was a lot of outreach in that speech, there was not a line that he could have had in there that might have said, you know, "You, you know, you voted for President Trump and, you know, I hear you. I hear the things that you want, I hear the things that you care about. And I want to meet you half way."
I mean, he did say "Hear me out." There were references to it. But do you think there could have been a more forceful and more specific bonding outreach?
HENNINGER: I do. I really think it could have been more.