Coverage of the presidency changed quickly when Biden was declared winner of the 2020 election in November. Members of the press touted Biden’s “delightfully boring” administration, obsessed over the return of pets to the White House and pondered about his socks, among other fluff pieces.
Inauguration Day proved no different, with the media openly praising the new president and giving Americans a continued taste of what the next four years will likely look like. (RELATED: Here’s The Type Of Media Coverage You Can Expect For The Next 4 Years)
At CNN, correspondents had a lot to say about Biden. CNN White House correspondent Kate Bennett made sure to tell viewers that Biden was wearing Ralph Lauren while White House correspondent John Harwood made several comparisons to former President Donald Trump’s time in office.
Trump, Harwood wrote, represents “lies,” “ignorance,” “amorality,” “cruelty” and “corruption.” Biden, on the other hand, received glowing reviews, with Harwood writing that he represents “truth,” “knowledge,” “decency,” “empathy” and “public service.”
Trump—>Biden
lies—>truth
ignorance—>knowledge
amorality—>decency
cruelty—> empathy
corruption—>public service— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) January 20, 2021
Walking up to your new house like pic.twitter.com/fu4tPBPakl
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 20, 2021
“There’s an air of cleansing about today,” CNN anchor and chief national correspondent John King declared.
Fox 11 News anchor Elex Michaelson had a weather comparison for his Twitter followers regarding Biden’s inauguration, tweeting that “it started to rain” after Trump was sworn in and “the clouds cleared & the sun came out” moments after Biden’s inauguration.
“Not sure if this is a sign or just a coincidence … but …,” Michaelson wondered.
Asawin Suebsaeng, a reporter for The Daily Beast, wrote that “Biden now serves in two (2) historic White House’s. First time, he was the first vp for the first Black president. Second time, he is the first USA president to take over after a racist dipshit gameshow host.” (RELATED: Joe Scarborough Says Trump-Centric Coverage Gave Biden ‘Cover’)
Suebsaeng later walked back his comments and said that they were made in jest, intended “to make fun, in part, of people on cable tv calling this a historic new presidency.”
Meanwhile, The Washington Post’s national political reporter Matt Viser noted that Biden and his son Beau Biden “used to watch an eagle soar by the dock.” The reporter wrote that when Biden “steps to a lectern, he will be greeted by a presidential seal” – this, according to Viser, is “a reminder both of what he has accomplished and what he has lost.”
The hard-hitting journalism continued over on MSNBC, where hosts, anchors and guests spent considerable time warming up to Biden and his new administration. Host Joy Reid said that Biden is “truly deeply religious” and has “incredible compassion,” adding that “this is new America.”
Anchor Brian Williams declared that “the United States is back and under new management” after heaping praise onto Biden’s speech, and Rachel Maddow said that there was a “surge of energy” went through those present when Vice President Kamala Harris was sworn in, according to Newsbusters.
Al Roker, a weatherman and host for NBC’s “TODAY Show,” called Biden over as the president was walking by on Inauguration Day. The president gave him a fist bump and Roker turned back to the camera to exclaim, “Got a fist bump, there you go!”
WATCH:
NBC’s Al Roker is thrilled after President Biden gives him a fist bump:
“Got a fist bump, there you go!”pic.twitter.com/5pgSeZicUB
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 20, 2021
Overall, Wednesday’s inauguration was an openly happy day for many media members. Given recent coverage, however – like when CNN’s David Chalian declared that lights on the National Mall’s reflecting pool were like “extensions of Joe Biden’s arms embracing America” on Tuesday – this may come as no surprise.
“They might ask him how much he’s changed during these 100 days, whether he’s more deeply fallen in love with America, what it means to restore America’s support among elites,” NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck told Fox News when asked about the media’s coverage in a post-Trump presidency. “But most of all, take whatever softballs one might consider for Biden and amplify it by at least ten for those that Vice President Harris will receive.”
“ABC, CNN, and PBS, to name a few, should have an ongoing competition to see who will be the administration’s biggest suck-up,” Houck predicted.