Many conservatives are screaming foul after Biden warned about “MAGA Republicans" threatening democracy, and used the backdrop of Independence Hall, bathed in ominous red lights, to do it. The sight of two uniformed Marines did not go unnoticed, too.
Bob Maginnis, who is senior fellow for national security at the Family Research Council, says Biden’s controversial speech was political theater since the two Marines were pictured and the Marine Band played.
“And, oh, by the way,” Maginnis adds, “that same week [Biden] used them at a Democratic campaign stop also in the Keystone State."
The use of the Marines garnered a surprising op-ed at CNN.com, where anchor Brianni Keilar questioned their presence in a speech that was already controversial for its tone and accusations. Keilar acknowledged she got “ratioed” on social media for suggesting they should not have been staged behind Biden, but she did not back down from pointing out Democrats accused Donald Trump of doing the same thing with those in uniform.
Biden's hate-filled speech, which came just 12 weeks before the midterm elections, was blasted for its over-the-top warning that Republicans are a "threat to the country." The president in previous days has also called his political opponents "semi-fascists."
Maginnis tells AFN he believes using the Marines violates the Hatch Act and for that those at the Pentagon who approved it should be court-martialed.
“Those that gave orders to the Marines to do that ought to be dismissed summarily,” he insists. “They are clearly issuing an illegal order for the Marines to appear with the president in a political speech."
