Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by his wife Jill Biden, speaks at a primary election night campaign rally Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

As I reported earlier today, Joe Biden lost his mind while interacting with a union worker in Michigan. He managed to curse multiple times at the man, jab his finger in his face, threaten to slap the guy, and challenge him to “go outside.”

Because he’s a Democrat, the media response was muted. We didn’t see a myriad of op-eds (well, CNN did post one in support of what Biden did) chastising Biden’s temperament or inability to make a coherent point. This follows a pattern of excuse-making for or outright ignoring Joe Biden’s mental decline on the campaign trail.

But what about the Never Trumpers? Given their previous proclamations about decorum and decency, surely they took Biden to task for losing his cool and threatening to assault a voter, right?

Nah, they are either deflecting or outright endorsing what Biden did.

"Biden's lost his fastball, vote for the angry Republican who slurs his words, can't speak clearly, doesn't like to read, and loses his temper"

-or-

"Biden's lost his fastball, vote for the Democrat who just had a heart attack."

Anyone see the weaknesses there? https://t.co/W2Q67kmw4g

— David French (@DavidAFrench) March 10, 2020

Ah yes, Biden has only “lost his fastball” or something. Conversely, French is making a ridiculous attempt to whitewash how insane what the former Vice President did while making a desperate attempt to deflect to Trump. Biden didn’t just flub a word here and French knows it.

But here’s the thing. The President has never gotten in a voter’s face, yelled cuss words at them, and then challenged them to a fight. That’s something too insane for even Trump to do. Further, it shouldn’t even matter who’s previously done what. If French and others are really as principled as they say they are, they should call balls and strikes here, not rush to point at the nearest squirrel.

Does anyone doubt French and those who think like him wouldn’t be clutching every pearl they’ve got if Trump had been the one to do this? It’d have been more proof he’s “unfit” and “unhinged.” They’d have made appeals about decency and immorality. The level of virtue signaling would have been immense. But because it’s Biden, it’s a shoulder shrug along with an addendum that Trump is worse.

Of course, while French obfuscated, other Never Trumpers simply came out in full support of what Biden did.

Apparently, the Trump campaign thinks this makes @JoeBiden look bad?

I love it. This is exactly the Fighting Joe I want to see show-up and tell Trump he’s full of it. https://t.co/lGiltAUOfc

— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) March 10, 2020

Kind of amazing that anybody thinks this video makes Biden look anything other than terrific. He shushes the aide who wants to lead him away – and then engages a hostile critic face to face, fact to fact. Impressive. https://t.co/yINIKi4Ffi

— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 10, 2020

These aren’t principled people. These are grifters fishing for their next cable news appearance, just as tribal as the people they claim are so tribal. If they truly held any of the beliefs they’ve so espoused, they’d take Biden to task here, no mention of Trump required.

They won’t though, because getting rid of Trump is all these people care about. It’s become an obsession. Whatever justifications they need to make, they will make. In a way, it’s ironic, as that’s the same attitude they spent years criticizing in regards to Trump voters. Their responses to this latest Biden episode have pulled the mask back.