Culture

David Chalian, CNN analyst, roasted for saying National Mall lights like 'Biden's arms embracing' us



CNN political director David Chalian faced a social media roasting Tuesday night after he fawned over President-elect Joe Biden and the imagery surrounding his upcoming inauguration.

“Those lights that are just shooting out from the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool — it’s like almost extensions of Joe Biden’s arms embracing America,” Mr. Chalian told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. “It was a moment where the new president came to town, and sort of convened the country in this moment of remembrance, outstretching his arms.”

Mr. Chalian made his comments on the eve of Mr. Biden’s inauguration, after the incoming president and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris both spoke at the Lincoln Memorial for a COVID-19 memorial service before the Presidential Inaugural Committee lit 400 lights surrounding the Reflecting Pool.

President Trump also gave a virtual farewell address to the nation, describing himself as the “only true outsider ever to win the presidency.” The president’s reluctant departure comes just one week after he was impeached by the House a second time amid accusations he incited the Capitol riot earlier this month.

Mr. Chalian said “you couldn’t get a stronger contrast” between the two moments.

“Contrast that with that video you just saw of a disgraced president on his way out at his lowest point in his presidency, at the very end here, by himself, fighting for his political movement to live on, and not even necessarily promising that he’s going to be leading that movement,” Mr. Chalian said. “I just think that sort of isolated moment of Donald Trump inside the White House vs. Joe Biden on the National Mall with an embrace of the country in this dark time, on the eve of his becoming the 46th president, you couldn’t get a stronger contrast.”

Mr. Blitzer agreed, saying, “It was amazing, when you think about it, for those of us who have covered all of this over these past several years.”

Mr. Chalian was mocked by conservatives for the commentary.

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