Antisemitic demonstrations, rhetoric and violence are sweeping across American cities and college campuses leaving Jewish students and citizens in fear but the Biden White House is struggling with labels.
During a press briefing on Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre grappled with the idea of calling anti-Israel protestors “extremists,” dancing around the term that typically seems to roll off the tongue when speaking of critics of the administration.
“What I can say is — what we’ve been very clear about this when it comes to antisemitism, there is no place. We have to make sure that we speak against it very loud and be very clear about that,” Jean-Pierre replied when Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked if President Joe Biden would call the nationwide protesters “extremists.”
She reached back in time, getting in a not-so-subtle jab at former President Trump when she pointed out that Biden’s decision to run for president was fueled by what he saw happen in the Charlottesville, Virginia protest in 2017.
“He saw neo-Nazis marching down the streets of Charlottesville with vile, anti-Semitic, just hatred. And he was very clear then, and he’s very clear now. He’s taken actions against this over the past two years. And he’s continued to be clear: There is no place, no place for this type of vile — and this kind of rhetoric,” Jean-Pierre said.
“We hear you guys though talk about extremists all the time,” Doocy shot back with a reality check.
“It is usually about MAGA extremists,” he noted. “So what about these protesters who are making Jewish students feel unsafe on college campuses?”
“I have been very, very clear. We are calling out any form of hate, any form of hate. It is not acceptable. It should not be acceptable here. And we are going to continue to call that out,” Biden’s spox responded, still avoiding using the term.
“And let me be very clear: This is a president that has continued to have that fight in his office, in this administration. You know, when he repealed Trump’s Muslim ban on his very first day in office. That is something that this president did,” she added.
Jean-Pierre continued by rolling out examples of Biden’s responses to incidents of discrimination, antisemitism, and Islamophobia.
When Doocy questioned whether the president viewed the college students as just being politically engaged or if “the next generation is doomed,” Jean-Pierre again deflected.
“Here’s the thing. There’s no place for hate in America,” she said, going on to say students should not be in fear on campus and antisemitic rhetoric must be “condemned.” But she still refused to call out anyone as “extremists.”
The double standard was loud and clear on social media:
Kinda surprised they haven’t tried to make “Mega MAGA Hamas” a thing yet.
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) October 30, 2023
While the White House is rightfully condemning anti-Semitism, they won’t say pro-Hamas protestors are “extremists.” They reserve that descriptor for Republicans.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) October 30, 2023
I’m so glad they are always so VERY CLEAR
— Non Prophet (@Not_Ur_Prophet) October 30, 2023
The woman never answers the question which is put to her. She just launches on a policy pronouncement or a prop-up of the Biden regime. When she does state a “fact” it is most often a false “fact”. She is a perfect front-man for the Biden administration. She does what she’s told.
— Helenna D Varns (@Ewniqual) October 30, 2023
Absolutely NOT the answer to the question posed by the reporter. 🥦
— Phoeli𝕏 (@sunmynd) October 30, 2023
