After three days, the Republican National Convention has had no shortage of powerful moments and speeches. From the opening night when Donald Trump walked out into the arena with his ear bandaged from a would-be assassin's bullet to Virginia Senate candidate Hung Cao's powerful story about his family escaping Communism in Vietnam to Sarah Huckabee Sanders' emotional testimony about the human side of Trump that not many people get to see, the RNC has had a strong lineup of speakers.
But there is no question that the most moving moments at the convention have come not from politicians, but from everyday Americans. There was Anne Funder, a mother who lost her son to a fentanyl overdose, William Pekrul, a 98-year-old World War II veteran, Shabbos Kestenbaum, who is suing Harvard University for antisemitism, and -- perhaps the most emotional moment we have ever seen at a political convention, the Gold Star families coming out on stage to pay tribute to the 13 servicemembers killed in Joe Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.
You can read our Twitchy coverage of that moment in the link above, but here are two clips from our sister site at Townhall:
The parents of Marine Corps Corporal Hunter Lopez read the names of all 13 men and women who were killed in the attack on Abbey Gate in Afghanistan:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 18, 2024
"[Biden] has never said their names out loud...so Alicia and I are hear to say the names of all 13 service members who lost their… pic.twitter.com/1TE3JtqmEW
Mother-in-Law of Sgt. Nicole Leeann Gee, who was killed in the attack on Abbey Gate:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 18, 2024
"While Joe Biden has refused to recognize their sacrifice...Donald Trump knew all of our children's names. He knew their stories." pic.twitter.com/6loatdaNSy
Even the cynical news media was moved.
REPORT: @ABC News' @TerryMoran Does A Fantastic Job Explaining The Affect The Gold Star Families Had On The @RNC Attendees. Truly Heartwarming,Heartbreaking, & Moving All At The Same Time. pic.twitter.com/7aYR2Ex81Q
— John Basham (@JohnBasham) July 18, 2024
Well ... some of the cynical news media was moved anyway.
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As Twitchy also reported in our coverage of this moment, over on MSNBC, they couldn't be bothered to show even a second of these families' speeches and tributes.
Instead, Rachel Maddow cut away from this segment of the evening to share a few chuckles with DNC Chair Jaime Harrison.
MSDNC cut away from the RNC convention just as Gold Star families of the 13 heroes killed in Biden's botched Afghanistan withdrawal were speaking of Biden's abject failure to lead.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 18, 2024
Instead, they had DNC Chair Jaime Harrison on — cracking jokes.
These people are SICK. pic.twitter.com/8Rkhfy95xJ
Watching this, you can actually see -- but not hear, of course -- these devastated families standing up for their fallen children in the background while Maddow laughs it up in the foreground.
I cannot think of a more damning indictment of the media than that single visual.
We cover the media a lot here at Twitchy and I, personally, have written often about how our fallen servicemembers represent the best of us and the best of this nation. They deserve our gratitude and our respect.
We already know that President Biden has slapped these soldiers and sailors -- and their families -- in the face, refusing to even acknowledge that he lost any servicemembers during his term, refusing to say their names, and looking at his watch when they arrived home in caskets at Abbey Gate. Their families deserved to be invited to a ceremony at the White House or to be honored at a State of the Union address. Instead, he has ignored them.
It's not just a dereliction of duty as Commander in Chief (though it certainly is that), it is a lack of basic human decency.
And, because the moment on the stage last night reflected badly on Biden, Maddow decided that she would abandon all decency and humanity as well, in favor of sharing some giggles with a political operative.
Rachel @Maddow you are shameful..to cut away from the RNC convention just as the Gold Star families of the 13 heroes killed in Biden's botched Afghan withdrawal! @MSNBC sinks lower then we thought possible! https://t.co/gLtLCtZnAV
— Pet Politico (@PetPolitico) July 18, 2024
The media has no floor, no bar they will not slither under. And last night, Maddow proved it for the world to see.
As the gold star families of the 13 soldiers who lost their lives during the Afghanistan withdrawal are on stage sharing their painful experiences and honoring them, @MSNBC (MSDNC) is refusing to air it. #RepublicanNationalConvention pic.twitter.com/kFLUh7uSom
— Hail Lobster (@haillobster12) July 18, 2024
That image should haunt everyone at MSNBC for the rest of their lives, but we all know it won't. They have no shame.
Look, politics is hardball. I get that. And the leftist media are not reporters, but political agents. I get that too. But is just some basic humanity and respect too much to ask? Apparently, it is.
Once upon a time in America, we had an expression: 'Politics stops at the water's edge.'
The idea has existed for a long time, but the phrase was popularized in 1948 during the Truman administration when Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg said it in support of the Vandenberg Resolution that opened the path to the North Atlantic Treaty and NATO.
Almost eighty years later, we can debate the efficacy of NATO in a post-Cold War world. That's fine. We shouldn't debate that Vandenberg was doing what he thought was right for America, regardless of party or presidential politics.
Last night, those Gold Star families did not take the stage to argue for sweeping foreign policies. They weren't there to discuss treaties or wars or anything controversial.
They just wanted their fallen sons and daughters to be remembered, to be honored for giving their last full measure of devotion to the country they loved. Yes, some of them were angry (along with much of the audience). They deserve that too, since the current administration and their media lapdogs have neither remembered nor honored them.
The administration has disgraced itself in its treatment of these families. Last night, MSNBC and Maddow disgraced themselves too, proving to their dishonor and shame, that there is no edge to the water as far as they are concerned.
Well, you can cut away all you want, Rachel Maddow, but you can't pretend these men and women are not heroes:
- Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo
- Sgt. Nicole L. Gee
- Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover
- Cpl. Hunter Lopez
- Cpl. Daegan W. Page
- Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez
- Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza
- Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz
- Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum
- Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola
- Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui
- Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak
- Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss
America will remember them and America will honor them, even if you refuse to.
