KEY POINTS

  • Joe Biden was slammed for his attack on MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump
  • Biden stood against a backdrop lit up in red and blue, presenting a sobering view 
  • GOPers and left-leaning media outlets criticized the backdrop by calling it 'satanic'

President Joe Biden admonished Republicans and former president Donald Trump during his recent prime-time address Thursday. Biden's comments come a week after he criticized MAGA Republicans for "semi-fascism" at a kickoff rally in Maryland.

The speech is being lambasted by left-leaning media outlets, with critics particularly denouncing the red backdrop the president stood against.

"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundation of our republic," he said in the speech at Philadephia's Independence Hall.

Independence Hall, the birthplace of the United States, was lit in red and blue as Joe and Jill Biden emerged on the stage before the president made his way to the lectern for his speech.

The deep red lighting of the building coupled with the president's strongly-worded speech appeared sobering when viewed on the screen.

Biden's opposers couldn't help but mention the visual narrative during his speech. Political commentator Monica Crowley described the imagery as "Satanic" and called the president's speech "garbage."

"The imagery there was almost Satanic with that blood-red lighting and the two marines behind him it was just insane," Crowley said in a conversation with a conservative-favored media outlet. "This was a garbage speech by garbage President and the fact that he gave this disgusting, dangerous speech at Independence Hall is a sacrilege."

Several videos from the speech went viral on Twitter, as expected. However, a video played on CNN became the highlight on the social media platform as it appeared that the network added a filter to make the background less extreme.

"Watch the moment CNN slowly adjusts the camera settings when the blood-red lighting behind Dark Brandon is looking a little too authoritarian. By the end, the stripes on the American flag are pinkish-purple," a tweet read.

Biden's attack on MAGA Republicans and Donald Trump was also met with some pushback by a heckler who sounded a bullhorn siren during his speech, along with yelling obscenities and chanting "Let's Go, Brandon."

Evidently, the constant disruption reached the president's ears as he briefly paused and addressed the opposition's heckling saying, "Good manners is nothing they've ever suffered from."

Congresswoman Lauren Boebert posted a series of tweets against Biden's "divisive" speech, one of which said, "You know who doesn't have manners? Antifa, BLM, and the thugs that targeted SCOTUS Justices at their homes."

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also tweeted, "They chose this imagery. It's unreal. Joe Biden is Hitler. #NaziJoe has to go," along with a call to impeach the president.

The backdrop combined with the president's rebuking statements has once again fueled Dark Brandon memes on the internet.

"Dark Brandon continues his repugnant anti-MAGA crusade, with an ominous blood red & Marines backdrop. The message is clear: If you voted for Trump, YOU are the ENEMY. The Big Dem State will come for you. This is how actual fascists speak #bidenspeech" read a tweet.

"Dark Brandon's speech didn't just call for defending democracy, it's also helping fix the drought issues the west is experiencing... remember to collect your local MAGA tears," another tweet said.

"You can't get any more Dark Brandon than this backdrop," a Twitter user wrote.

"Something satanic and evil going on here," said another tweet.

In a media briefing Thursday afternoon, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered questions if Biden's speech was going to be political.

"No, it's not a political speech. This is an opportunity, again, for the president to directly have a conversation with the — with the — the American people," she said, affirming that the president will call upon Americans to participate in the country's democracy in his speech.

However, the speech was undeniably political. The presence of two Marines standing behind Biden with the Marine band at the occasion also raised many eyebrows.

"Whatever you think of this speech the military is supposed to be apolitical. Positioning Marines in uniform behind President Biden for a political speech flies in the face of that. It's wrong when Democrats do it. It's wrong when Republicans do it," CNN's Brianna Keilar wrote.

In response, a Twitter user commented, "Exactly, as a vet, I find it puzzling that anyone finds this unusual. Guarding the president or being a sentinel does not mean a soldier is being political, it's just literally their job."

Mirroring his colleague's views, CNN's Jeff Zeleny wrote, "There's nothing unusual or wrong with a President delivering a political speech — it's inherent in the job description — but doing it against a backdrop of two Marines standing at attention and the Marine Band is a break with White House traditions."

Read the full transcript of the president's speech here.

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