We talked yesterday about the harassment Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is facing from progressive activists. Protestors have went as far as filming and confronting the senator in the restroom to get their point across.
President Biden was asked about the ongoing issue that both Democratic Senators Sinema and Manchin are facing from the public. Instead of initiating leadership to address the harassment, Biden shrugs it off.
“I don’t think its appropriate tactics, but it happens to everybody…it’s part of the process.”
Then he quickly moves on to the next question.
Tony Katz says that harassment is not part of the process.
“You don’t think it’s appropriate, but it happens? No, it doesn’t happen-it shouldn’t happen. That’s what you’re supposed to say.”
Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says the protestors’ behavior was “inappropriate and unacceptable.” However, she adds a big “but” to her answer.
“As [Sinema] said, and I would reiterate from here, the protection of the freedom to protest, to speak out and to criticize is fundamental to our democracy. The president believes that. Maybe he shorthanded it, but he wanted to make that clear this morning.”
Katz says if this situation happened to anyone playing for Biden’s team the response from the media would be drastically different.
“If this was a Democrat that was considered acceptable, the press would be yelling and screaming. If this was Republicans or Conservatives who followed a Democratic woman Senator into a bathroom it would be non-stop news coverage.”
