CNNers Knock ‘Jarring’ Pelosi Impeachment Signing Ceremony, Pens: ‘Off-Message’ from Somber Tone
Speaker Nancy Pelosi signed the two articles of impeachment at a signing ceremony today which included pens that were handed out to the House impeachment managers. Minutes later on CNN, Dana Bash and Nia-Malika Henderson criticized the ceremony and said it had a dissonant tone.
Bash said, “We are used to seeing signing ceremonies, handing out pens at moments of celebration, when a president is signing is legislation, when even sometimes… when the House sends over a landmark piece of legislation. It was unusual to see that kind of ceremony and handing out the pens and smiling for a picture in this kind of situation where the House Speaker has bent over backwards to say publicly and privately this is somber, this is not a time for celebration.”
Henderson agreed it was “jarring” and “off-message,” saying, “You heard Nancy Pelosi say that this is a sad and tragic day, and then there she is holding up the pen and having photographs taken with those pens, so it is a little off-message for somebody who has tried to set a very serious tone and here she is posing for the photographs with the pen.”
And if you’ve been on Twitter thus far, you’ve already seen that there’s already much talk about the pens:
2. I just don’t see how a signing ceremony, which is normally reserved for a bill people want to brag about, is the way to go for this? Pelosi has said this a sad/solemn moment for the country
— Yashar Ali ? (@yashar) January 15, 2020
So many pens that Pelosi will sign to officially transmit the articles of impeachment and sign resolution appointing House managers. Why so many? They will be given away to members like House managers as a symbol of today. pic.twitter.com/URHGGGGp7K
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) January 15, 2020
Lots of GOP staffers pretending pens aren’t given out for literally every signing of any kind in congress and the white house
— joe perticone (@JoePerticone) January 15, 2020
They claim it's a somber, serious occasion they're heartbroken over… and then they pass out impeachment-signing pens with special cases. Folks. You can't make it up. https://t.co/jl9VKD8cUc
— Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) January 15, 2020
You can watch above, via CNN.
