MSNBC host melts down over Biden being asked about his rhetoric, shouts real threat is 'right-wing' extremism
MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace became visibly upset over "right-wing domestic violent extremism" on Monday while discussing President Biden's interview in the wake of the assassination attempt against former President Trump.
Biden admitted it was a mistake to talk to donors about putting Trump "in a bullseye" several days before the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
"It was a mistake to use the word … I meant focus on him: Focus on what he's doing, focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate," Biden told NBC's Lester Holt during an interview at the White House.
During a roundtable discussion at live coverage of the Republican National Convention, Wallace became visibly frustrated regarding the way Biden had answered the question. Wallace, one of the faces of MSNBC's political coverage, is an ex-Republican, rabid Biden supporter who detests Trump.
"There was one way to answer that question, and it was, ‘Lester, should I use the word bullseye or crosshair? No, but the FBI director that Donald Trump selected, his name is Christopher Wray, and he testified under oath before Congress that the greatest threat to this country is no longer foreign terrorism. It's domestic violent extremism,'" Wallace said, growing angrier as she spoke.
"Inside that threat, the biggest bucket by far is right-wing domestic violent extremism, so go talk to them," she snapped while pointing her finger.
Left-wing New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay told Wallace she was right. The show is not known for debate but rather a recurring lineup of "reporters and friends" who are generally in lockstep with its left-wing host.
Wallace wasn't the only MSNBC anchor to have issues with her colleague's interview. MSNBC's Joe Scarborough took a shot at Holt on "Morning Joe" Tuesday, saying he had demonstrated a "phony moral relativism" by removing the context of Trump's own controversial rhetoric from his questioning.
MIKE JOHNSON CALLS FOR PARTIES TO TURN DOWN RHETORIC AFTER TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Biden, speaking to the nation on Sunday night, called for Americans to "lower the temperature in our politics" and "remember, while we may disagree, we are not enemies."
He struck a more defiant tone during his Monday interview with Holt, recalling some of Trump's more strident remarks and insisting that Trump is engaging in rhetoric that could "incite somebody."
"When a president says things like he says, do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?" Biden said.
"I have not engaged in that rhetoric," he insisted. "Now, my opponent is engaged in that rhetoric. He talks about it'd be a bloodbath if he loses, talking about how he's forgiven - actually, I guess, suspend the sentences of all those who were arrested and sentenced to go to jail because of what happened in the Capitol."
Fox News' David Rutz, Brian Flood and Peter Aitken contributed to this report.