'The Five' react to Jen Psaki defending Biden tweet on Kyle Rittenhouse
'The Five' panel discuss the Rittenhouse interview on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight,' including his message to President Joe Biden for casting him as a white supremacist
Jesse Watters slammed the mainstream media and President Biden for their comments about Kyle Rittenhouse, saying media used to focus on demonizing politicians but have now turned their focus on everyday Americans.
"The mainstream media has now moved from demonizing politicians to demonizing regular people," Watters said. "I have never seen anybody look so different than what they're portrayed on in the media."
Kyle Rittenhouse, center, enters the courtroom with his attorneys Mark Richards, left, and Corey Chirafisi for a meeting called by Judge Bruce Schroeder at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Police departments across the country said they were ensuring the right to peaceful protests following his not guilty verdict Friday. (Sean Krajacic/The Kenosha News)
He cited Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who guarded their St. Louis home with guns as left-wing protesters broke into their gated community, as being demonized for doing so.
Patricia McCloskey and her husband Mark McCloskey draw their firearms on protesters as they enter their neighbourhood during a protest against St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson, in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. June 28, 2020. Picture taken on June 28, 2020. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant (REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant)
Another example Watters raised was then-Covington Catholic High School student Nick Sandmann, who won an undisclosed settlement payout from CNN over coverage that portrayed him as the aggressor after he was confronted by a Native American elder. "It was like a car crash you can't look away from, you are not able to look away. My eyes were glued to the TV watching my character get torn apart," Sandmann said on Fox News Friday.
"[The media] go[es] after the McCloskeys, they go after the Nick Sandmanns. They go after Kyle Rittenhouse. They go after parents for speaking out, and the American people have seen that – they're repulsed by it," Jesse Watters continued.
JESSE WATTERS ON TRIAL OF KYLE RITTENHOUSE: THE LEFT IS CONDITIONING THE COUNTRY TO BOW TO THE MOB
Rittenhouse hinted on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Monday that lawyers may be looking into a possible defamation case. During the interview, Rittenhouse accused Biden of acting with "malice" and defaming him.
"Mr. President, if I could say one thing to you, I would urge you to go back and watch the trial and understand the facts before you make a statement," Rittenhouse said.
A man on a bike rides past a city truck on fire outside the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., during protests following the police shooting of Black man Jacob Blake August 23, 2020. Picture taken August 23, 2020. Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY via REUTERS MANDATORY CREDIT ( Mike De Sisti/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via USA TODAY via REUTERS MANDATORY CREDIT)
Then-candidate Biden had tweeted out a video condemning White supremacy that featured an image of Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Biden later said, "Allegedly [Rittenhouse is] part of a militia coming out in the state of Illinois."
"Joe might have to pony up some dough here because that was libelous," Watters said.
Brian Kilmeade said the messaging from the White House indicates an apology is not on the horizon. "The apology is not coming, and [Psaki] tried to qualify [Rittenhouse] using the term White supremacy, which [Biden] also tweeted; I'm sure [the president] didn't tweet himself, but on his account [it was] tweeted out about White supremacy. He's got to stop."
The White House press secretary said, "[Biden] has obviously condemned the hatred and division and violence we've seen around the country by groups like the Proud Boys and groups that that individual (Rittenhouse) has posed in photos with."
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Psaki was referring to a series of pictures from January 2021 in which Rittenhouse is wearing a T-shirt that reads "Free as F---" while apparently posing with Proud Boys.
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"I don't know if Kyle knew who is in the photo," Watters said. "People come up to me all the time. They ask for photos. I just think they have great taste. I don't ask them about their resumé."
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