The fact that members of President Joe Biden’s administration knew nothing of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization is now a “weapon” that Republicans will purportedly use against the president.
That’s according to leftist media outlet Politico which declared in a headline of a report published Tuesday, “As Austin controversy widens, Republicans find a new weapon against Biden.”
Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last Monday after he experienced pain following an elective medical procedure on Dec. 22. He remained in the intensive care unit for four days without Biden or Congress being informed. The fallout from the shocking news has continued to reverberate but, for Politico, it’s all about how Republicans “just found more ammunition” to use against Biden in an election year.
The focus on GOP lawmakers being outraged over the Pentagon chief going MIA for a few days seemed to suggest that Democrats are not similarly alarmed.
Politico claimed Republicans are “incensed” over the situation with Austin.
“Now, with the 2024 presidential campaign ramping up and primary voting just weeks away, Republicans are using the episode to target Biden’s pressure points, painting the 81-year-old former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chair as unserious about national security and dangerously unaware of what’s happening right under his nose,” the online newspaper noted.
Republicans pounce!
— Stan Gualtieri (@Stan_Gualtieri) January 9, 2024
The outlet further claimed that the “bombardment” is “largely playing out in conservative media.”
In addition, “Republicans have hammered the Pentagon chief and Biden,” according to Politico which noted there are also calls for Austin to be fired and for Congress to launch an investigation.
“But they’re also using the incident to frame the Biden administration as off its game as war rages in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas,” the outlet claimed, going on to use examples of criticism from former President Trump, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas.
The left’s repeated failure to look in the mirror or to, at the very least, have some self-awareness, was seen again in Politico’s audacious claim that “Biden and his team have portrayed themselves as the adults in the room after the chaos and high turnover of the Trump administration.”
“But the disorganization at the Pentagon has undermined that narrative,” the outlet lamented.
Near the end of the piece, the report declared, “Even Democrats are upset over the dustup and want more information,” qualifying that by saying many Dems have “batted down the most aggressive GOP calls for Austin’s ouster.”
The outlet’s “blatant bias” was called out, and then some, on social media as X users tore into the narrative.
Yall cant stop with framing every left wing failure or controversy as “conservatives pounce” can you. It is so easy to recognize and fix this blatant bias yet you steadfastly refuse.
— Tiberius Davis (@tiberius_davis) January 9, 2024
Yes, gross incompetence should be used as a weapon against Biden. https://t.co/XP6eaWno0u
— RBe (@RBPundit) January 9, 2024
Those pesky republicans weaponising things like competence and accountability
— bedpost (@Cmin914725641) January 10, 2024
Any time it’s Democrats in the wrong, the headlines from the MSM are “Republicans pounce”. Keep carrying that water.
— Corporal America 1776 (@Cor_America1776) January 10, 2024
The simple question is, How is it that with the war in UKRAINE, Gaza, Yemen, border invasion, NorthKorea that the Commander in Chief doesn’t even talk to his Secretary of Defense for a minimum of 4 days? That is almost inconceivable.
— CBouds (@bouds_c) January 9, 2024
As always, when the Democrats screw up, Politico focuses on the GOP noticing they Democrats screwed up.
— Paul (@pjb438) January 10, 2024
Politico: “Largely playing out in Conservative media.” Because non-conservative AKA Progressive media considers it damaging to Biden and his caretaker Admin
— wee packet (@WPacket) January 9, 2024
Maybe the problem is with the administration, not with the Republicans noticing.
— Dave Kleikamp (@ShaggyKC) January 9, 2024
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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