President Joe Biden’s former White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield has appeared on CNN and called on Democrats to “turn their fire on Donald Trump.”
Bedingfield, who is now a CNN contributor, made the comments during a panel discussion on this week’s Republican National Convention.
She made the remarks this week, just days after President Donald Trump narrowly avoided death when a would-be assassin shot him in the ear during a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
During CNN’s “America’s Choice 2024,” hosted by Anderson Cooper, Bedingfield said during a live broadcast:
“[Biden] has said many, many times after having been questioned many times about this that he’s not stepping down and that he’s going to be the nominee.”
“So at some point, Democrats have to decide that they want to try to win this election and turn their fire on Donald Trump,” she stated.
Former Trump White House official Alyssa Farah Griffin, who was also on the panel with Bedingfield, appeared to notice the Freudian slip and glanced into the camera after the comment.
Bedingfield then stopped as she realized she said the quiet part out loud.
“I shouldn’t have said ‘turn their fire’,” she said.
“I apologize, that was not the phrase that I meant.
“They need to turn their focus on Donald Trump.”
However, rather than showing concern, some of the other panelists laughed at the “joke.”
WATCH:
Former top Biden staffer and current CNN contributor Kate Bedingfield just said Democrats need to "turn their fire on Donald Trump" — days after a deranged lunatic shot him in a failed assassination attempt.
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) July 16, 2024
Democrats just can't help themselves. pic.twitter.com/aXFTWnUChu
Responding to Bedingfield’s comments in a post on X, Trump’s campaign said:
“Democrats just can’t help themselves.”
The remarks from Bedingfield provoked an immediate backlash on social media.
Bedingfield responded by trying to walk back the comments with another apology on X.
“I immediately caught myself and apologized – it was intended as a turn of phrase to mean focus on him, but I agree it’s absolutely inappropriate in this moment.”
I immediately caught myself and apologized – it was intended as a turn of phrase to mean focus on him, but I agree it’s absolutely inappropriate in this moment.
— Kate Bedingfield (@KBeds) July 16, 2024
However, many argued that the Democrats’ anti-Trump rhetoric and calls for violence are never appropriate.
Not only in this moment.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) July 16, 2024
You're a disgusting piece of human trash.
— Mike Engleman🇺🇲 (@RealHickory) July 16, 2024
"I'm sorry I accidentally told everyone what I really think"🧐
— Andrew (@finallyRoo) July 16, 2024
