Chipping Away at Civility, CNN Analyst Tosses His Cookies Over Melania's Speech

AP featured image — President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump place their hands on their chest during a “Salute to America” event on the South Lawn of the White House, Saturday, July 4, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

An analyst for CNN needs Pepto-Bismol, and that’s not a diarrhea-of-the-mouth joke.

As it turns out, First Lady Melania Trump’s speech during Tuesday’s Republican National Convention got the juices flowin’ for CNN contributor Brian Karem.

Around 10 p.m., Brian — who also serves as White House correspondent for Playboy — took to Twitter in response to a tweet by Kathy Griffin.

Brian’s offering:

“Makes me want to vomit.”

Makes me want to vomit.

— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) August 26, 2020

So go the thoughts of a reporter potentially in the room when the President does something like this after the DNC:

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1297650942381350917

It seems to me we’ve suffered a decline less like rolling down a ramp and more like falling off a cliff.

I’m speaking of the terrible things people say of one another. And how quickly they’ve escalated.

In media. On social media.

And even in person.

We’ve lost a sense of respect, nationally. For an opposing view. For the other side.

Vitriol is the new disagreement.

Certainly, some would say the other side has it coming, no matter which side they’re on. But at the very least: We must be one country. And this single republic is headed by an executive office.

When major-media talking heads are expressing such disdain for the wife of the elected president, it’s a powerful sign of a powerful change.

Many people hated Ronald Reagan as Commander-in-Chief. But those discussing politics for a living would’ve never made such a publicly vomitous remark about Nancy.

We’ve suffered a slant toward incivility for a while, but since the advent of Trump, there’s been an astonishing drop-off.

These days, it’s par for the course — or, coarse.

As for Brian in particular, he’s no stranger to sticking it to the Right.

In 2019, The Daily Wire reported the following related to the Leader of the Free World’s social media summit:

Karem looked at a group of individuals, many of whom were Trump supporters, that had been selected to attend the White House’s Social Media Summit and said, “This is a group of people that are eager for demonic possession.”

And in July, he heckled White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany with, “Hey, Kayleigh, wear a mask!”

Back to Melania, here’s a bit of Tuesday night’s speech:

“Look at things from all perspectives…in a civil manner.”

Tall order.

But not as tall as the stack of insults toward the nation’s First Lady that have been prominently displayed.

What ill has she done? It seems all it took was marrying Donald Trump.

In May, CNN’s Don Lemon posed quite the pointed on-air question about Mrs. Trump:

“What is it about President Obama that really gets under your skin? Is it because he’s smarter than you? Better educated? Made it on his own — didn’t need daddy’s help? Wife is more accomplished Better looking?”

Also- Don Lemon here says maybe Trump hates Obama because Michelle is more accomplished than Melania. I can’t even imagine the outcry if the same had been said about Laura Bush. Cries of racism galore! I guess it’s cool to hate on immigrants when they’re named Trump 🤷🏼‍♀️ https://t.co/4qVv2FsWSg

— Allie Beth Stuckey (@conservmillen) May 4, 2020