'Take out 'Biden' and insert 'Trump'': CNN 'analysis' spins hard for Joe Biden's unconstitutional eviction moratorium power grab

Yesterday, Joe Biden announced an extension to the eviction moratorium, despite the fact that the Supreme Court had already ruled the moratorium unconstitutional. Biden made the announcement fully aware of the Supreme Court’s ruling, but he figured he might as well go for it because hey, at least it would buy tenants some time before it got struck down again.

.@POTUS on targeted eviction moratorium: "The courts already ruled on the present eviction moratorium… I asked the CDC to go back and consider other options that may be available. You're going to hear from them what those other options are." https://t.co/83m7FGsBUd pic.twitter.com/swQZCnOQaR

— The Hill (@thehill) August 3, 2021

Biden says most constitutional scholars say his new eviction moratorium won't hold up in court, but a few did, and the legal challenges will at least give time for emergency rental assistance to get out to tenants

— Kevin Liptak (@Kevinliptakcnn) August 3, 2021

We feel like we really need to emphasize that Biden knew that this move wasn’t legally sound. Because CNN doesn’t seem to be clear on that:

President Biden shows he's ready to make drastic moves in the Covid-19 fight — even if he's not sure they're legal | Analysis https://t.co/mCii9gqgtd

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) August 4, 2021

“Even if he’s not sure they’re legal”? He’s very sure they’re not legal, CNN. What kind of a headline is that?

It’s actually exactly the kind of headline you’d slap on an “analysis” as shamelessly intellectually dishonest as Stephen Collinson’s.

Collinson writes:

Even President Joe Biden doesn’t know whether his new federal eviction moratorium for renters is legal and sustainable. But crushing humanitarian and political pressure left him no choice but to take a chance on an emergency move.

To head off mass evictions, the White House came up with a classic Washington fudge — not unfamiliar in an era of Capitol Hill gridlock — in which presidents, especially Democrats, have improvised with executive power to shield constituencies from consequences of a malfunctioning political system.

Classic Washington Fudge! Classic Biden!

The President told reporters on Tuesday that he had sought advice from constitutional scholars and still didn’t have a complete picture about the chances of the new moratorium passing muster in the courts.

“I can’t tell you. I don’t know. There are a few scholars who say it will and others who say it’s not likely to,” the President said.

“But at a minimum, by the time it gets litigated, it will probably give some additional time while we’re getting that $45 billion out to people who are in fact behind in the rent and don’t have the money.”

Collinson keeps insisting that Joe Biden’s not sure about the legality of the moratorium extension, but Collinson’s own reporting on Biden’s remarks and actions totally undercuts that.

We’re accustomed to pathetic so-called analyses by Stephen Collinson, but this one may take the cake.

Amazing. https://t.co/O3ybXBjfML

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 4, 2021

Stunning, brave. https://t.co/hDDuQsmahg

— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) August 4, 2021

Bear in mind that Mary Katharine Ham regularly appears on CNN, but she knows BS when she sees it and isn’t afraid to call CNN for it. And they deserve to get called out for this.

He's sure, the Supreme Court just told him, he doesn't care

— Andre (@Dre_LilMountain) August 4, 2021

He knows they’re illegal. He doesn’t care.

— ⚡️Erick Brockway⚡️ (@erickbrockway) August 4, 2021

Neither does CNN, evidently.

Exactly how far did you have to stick your head up your a** to get this framing?

— Yankee Jenn (@northcountryjen) August 4, 2021

This is…not a good take, to say the least.

— Abcdef1234 (@1234_abcdef1234) August 4, 2021

It’s a terrible take, actually. Utter garbage.

Imagine for a moment there was someone with a R next to their name and this headline. 🚨 🚨 🚨

— Only in Pictures (@delanonoco) August 4, 2021

Take out “Biden” and insert “Trump”.

Sound good?

— Ed (@dumbluck2010) August 4, 2021

lmao the “analysis” was very different when certain other presidents were seen as violating the constitution https://t.co/iMOghLK98Q

— Logan Dobson (@LoganDobson) August 4, 2021

It certainly was:

@CNN for Biden // @CNN for Trump pic.twitter.com/YbPvXKNwiO

— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) August 4, 2021

CNN doesn’t hide their hypocrisy. They embrace it.

Biden knowingly breaking the law is heroic. Trump doing things they don’t like? An assault on democracy. https://t.co/xcHqVXvt3U pic.twitter.com/vhePbmJ3fR

— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) August 4, 2021

Facts First™.