Earlier than we get into the small print of the opening phase of immediately’s CNN This Morning, there is a broader, extra important, level to be made.
There was not one of the catastrophization of Trump that the liberal media dished out all through the marketing campaign. No discuss existential threats to democracy, Trump as Hitler, this election being the final, and so forth.
As an alternative, the main focus was on Trump as a cultural, in addition to a political, phenomenon.
However earlier than host Kasie Hunt ventured into that, she mocked Joe Biden in a fashion that might have been made right into a Republican advert earlier than Ol’ Joe stop the race.
Because the present rolled video of Biden within the Brazilian Amazon, turning his again to the digital camera and strolling off, Hunt stated:
“President Biden prepares to step off the world stage this week, right here he was in Brazil earlier this week. The primary sitting president to go to the Amazon, seeming to [dramatic pause] wander into the jungle [shakes head]. He missed this group picture of the G20 leaders, apparently resulting from a scheduling battle.”
Ouch!
Hunt promptly segued into calling Trump’s nominees a “made-for-TV forged of characters,” and rolled video clips of a variety of them (a few of them fairly dated) making uncommon, let’s consider, statements! She additionally quoted liberal Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) quipping “we’re turning into the world’s first nuclear-armed actuality tv present.”
Hunt started the phase by saying “it is more and more clear it’s Donald Trump’s world, and we’re simply dwelling in it.”
That is a far cry from what you may need imagined an MSM host saying only a few weeks in the past. One thing alongside the strains: “We threat being plunged right into a Trumpian hellscape during which neither we as people, nor the republic itself, are prone to survive!”
And talking of Trump’s cultural affect, the present displayed a clip of a UFC fighter [with Trump in attendance] doing the Trump dance after his victory. And Hunt later noticed:
“This concept of Trump as a cultural power, proper? . . . The Trump dance particularly. We have now now seen form of throughout sports activities fields, there does appear to be a way that there have been individuals who weren’t publicly embracing Trump, who, within the wake of the election outcomes, appear keen to try this.”
Certainly. For that matter, “within the wake of the election outcomes,” we have seen two virulent Trump antagonists on one other community make the pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago!
On the finish of the phase, Hunt expressed shock that Elon Musk has turned up in Trump household pictures, with CNN analyst Mark Preston calling it “bizarro.” Nothing weird in any respect, contemplating that as one Trump member of the family has described it, Musk has achieved “uncle standing.”
This is the transcript.
CNN This Morning
11/20/24
6:00 am ETKASIE HUNT: This morning, it is more and more clear it’s Donald Trump’s world, and we’re simply dwelling in it.
Essentially the most highly effective rocket ever constructed, blasting off from Texas yesterday with its creator, Elon Musk, trying on with the President-elect of the USA, Donald Trump, sporting a hat, stated 45 and 47. Making the journey together with his billionaire buddy to soak up the launch simply days after they each attended a UFC battle at Madison Sq. Backyard, the place the winner did Trump’s signature dance after the knockout.
All of this, as President Biden prepares to step off the world stage. Right here he was in Brazil earlier this week. The primary sitting president to go to the Amazon seeming to wander into the jungle. He missed this the group picture of the G20 leaders, apparently resulting from a [pauses] scheduling battle.
He’s stepping off the stage as this made-for-TV forged of characters steps on stage for the brand new Trump administration.
DR. OZ: That is what compelled golden [?] does to your stomach fats [lights a yellow balloon which instantly goes up in flames.] Whoa!
LINDA MCMAHON: [In the ring, speaking to a fighter wearing a F-CK Fear t-shirt] You wanna keep on, you gotta play by the foundations. But it surely’s as much as you, Steve.
PETE HEGSETH: [On Fox News set] I do not suppose I’ve washed my arms for ten years. [Other hosts are shocked.] Actually? I do not, I do not actually wash myhands, ever.
ACTOR: I believe not. That is what sort of home we dwell in. It is fairly unhappy.
DONALD TRUMP: [From The Apprentice, speaking to a contestant.] The branding completely missed the mark. You have been in command of branding. Star: you are fired.
. . .
MARK PRESTON: It’s superb to have the wealthiest one in every of, , one of the crucial highly effective individual on the earth, proper subsequent to Donald Trump. After which you need to marvel: they’re buddies, proper now. However I do not know very many relationships that, that Donald Trump, , fosters and maintains.
HUNT: Nicely, it is usually arduous for two egos to—let’s be candid, male egos of this dimension—to face subsequent to one another in the identical house for a very long time, significantly with these two.
However Meagan Hays, the Democratic congressman, Jim Himes, who’s, to be clear, a critical man on the Intelligence Committee, he stated this, quote, “we’re turning into the world’s first nuclear-armed actuality tv present.”
MEGHAN HAYS: I imply, he isn’t flawed. Everybody operating for the cupboard has been been on TV. Who knew that was the pipeline to being a cupboard secretary or be certified to run main businesses in a authorities?
. . .
HUNT: Stephen, the opposite piece, a part of your piece, that stood out to me as nicely, and that I believe that a few of what we simply noticed captured a bit of little bit of on video, is this concept of Trump as a cultural power, proper? You wrote a bit of bit about that. The Trump dance particularly. We have now now seen form of throughout sports activities fields, there does appear to be a way that there have been individuals who weren’t publicly embracing Trump, who, within the wake of the election outcomes, appear keen to try this.
And that, that cultural shift stood out to me as a lot in form of considering by means of what we had immediately newswise, as anything.
. . .
There’s additionally been some conversations concerning the methods during which these two males [Trump and Musk] are alike, Mark, in ways in which I imply, let’s be candid, proper? Donald Trump has the form of profile. There’s not a ton of individuals out on the earth that he essentially might relate to, proper? Which can be on his similar degree. However these two males, each share fame. They share particularly, , fathers that each describe as, , overbearing and really outstanding within the early years of their lives.
And I imply, to Stephen’s level, in the event that they do maintain this relationship, there’s a ton at stake.
PRESTON: Look, there’s most likely a bond there, to your level, that, that we do not fairly even perceive but. That is nonetheless creating.
HUNT: I imply, he is within the household pictures!
PRESTON: Which is bizarro, which is bizarro.
