Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) is going to need to clean up her cleanup attempt.
During a Thursday morning appearance on CNN’s New Day, the New York congresswoman was grilled by anchor Brianna Keilar on her recent claim that she believes that President Joe Biden would not run again for the White House. Those eyebrow-raising remarks came during a Tuesday night Democratic primary debate pitting her against fellow veteran lawmaker Jerry Nadler.
“I don’t believe he’s running for re-election,” Maloney said when asked during the debate if Biden should run for a second term, a question that has been asked of Democratic lawmakers with increasing frequency.
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After attempting to backtrack on Wednesday, noting that she would support Biden “if he decides to run,” Maloney tried to explain her debate comments on Thursday while simultaneously heaping slavish praise upon the president. The results were absolutely cringeworthy.
“Well, first of all, I think we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to President Biden,” Maloney first said when pressed by Keilar. “He saved the country by running against former President Trump and he defeated him.”
After saying it was just her “personal belief” that Biden wouldn’t seek re-election and that “we’re all entitled to have our own information and our own beliefs,” Maloney then attempted to thread the needle by again saying she’d “support him if he runs for president.”
Then she went full sycophant—all while still saying she doubts he runs in 2024.
“Mr. President, I apologize. I want you to run,” she declared. “I happen to think you won’t be running, but when you run or if you run, I will be there 100 percent.”
She continued: “You have deserved it. You are a great president, and thank you for everything you’ve done for my state and all the states and all the cities in America. Thank you, Mr. President!”
In her trademark deadpan fashion, Keilar reacted: “We’ll see if he hears that. I bet he probably will.”
