How can you tell a White House is far too used to receiving glowing press coverage? You simply observe their response to even mild criticism of what was objectively a dark, norm-breaking speech.

As RedState reported, Joe Biden delivered perhaps the most grotesque “national address” in modern presidential history (and they didn’t have television before that), using the official capacity of his office to denigrate tens of millions of Americans as a threat to the republic. It was astonishing to witness, and so much so that even some leftwing media figures took note and offered mild criticisms of his remarks.

PRESIDENT BIDEN:

"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundation of our Republic…" pic.twitter.com/ZbA6eNcTsp

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 2, 2022

My colleague Nick Arama highlighted one such instance from Brianna Keilar, but there were others, including from CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe. That led to an onslaught of uncontrollable crying from White House officials.

Yes, please do read the excerpts.

They defend Freedom. Equality. Democracy.

They are as "political" as Ben Franklin, saying in 1787, that the Framers had given us "a Republic, if you can keep it." https://t.co/NO445eizZC

— Ronald Klain (@WHCOS) September 1, 2022

CNN, 1796: a profoundly political and partisan speech, unbecoming a president who — in an abdication of norms and an act of cowardice — is vacating his seat of power pic.twitter.com/PKTirHAtJp

— Rob Flaherty (@RFlaherty46) September 2, 2022

Press: "Biden isn't doing enough to counter unpredecedented threats to democracy. Why aren't you meeting the moment?"

Also press: "It's so hyper partisan to defend democracy from these unprecedented threats. Who said you should meet the moment?"

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) September 2, 2022

You have to almost respect how much Ronald Klain doesn’t care about making any sense in his quest to desperately defend his boss’ disgusting speech. For one, that quote by Benjamin Franklin is not even confirmed to have actually happened. Two, if it did, Franklin was giving a cheery, witty response to someone asking what kind of government they had just negotiated. He was not giving a national address as president to paint tens of millions of his fellow Americans as dangerous threats to the republic.

Then there’s the comparison to George Washington, you know because Joe Biden is totally George Washington giving a farewell speech just years after fighting the American Revolution. It’s just absurd, and these White House officials know it’s absurd. We are approaching two years since January 6th happened. It was a three-hour riot that never had any chance of doing anything but making a mess. There was no “threat” to the republic posed by it, and that’s backed up by Biden himself, who has repeatedly said you need F-15s to fight the government.

Lastly, there’s Andrew Bates, perhaps the most pathetic member of the White House comms team. His tweet is revealing in that it supposes a symbiotic relationship between Biden and the press, expectant that the two would work together, hand in hand. But what Bates misses is that MSNBC commentary is not necessarily where others in the press might stand on such a speech. Yes, Joy Reid has been calling for Biden to basically round up Republicans and throw them in camps. Maybe don’t listen to Joy Reid, Andrew?

It is comical to see how conditioned these White House mouthpieces are to receive tongue baths from the media. Keilar’s criticism wasn’t even about the content, but about the aesthetics of using Marines for the hideous display. Even that sent Bates and his cohorts into fits of rage. What laughable babies they are.