CNN’s Tapper Mocks Trump’s ‘Character Counts’ Proclamation: From the Man Spreading ‘Vile and Deranged Lies’ About Biden, Obama

CNN’s Jake Tapper ridiculed Donald Trump’s behavior over the news that the president is declaring the start of a National Character Counts Week.

As Tapper closed out State of the Union on Sunday, he looked at the White House proclamation saying “every opportunity to show consideration for another person is also an opportunity to build habits of kindness and strengthen our character…Throughout this week, we recommit to being more kind, loving, understanding, and virtuous.” Tapper called this an “interesting message for this president, especially when you compare his words to his deeds.”

Tapper then brought up a part of the proclamation where Trump is quoted saying “we see this exemplified every day by the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who risk their lives to defend the cherished blessings of liberty we hold dear.”

“Yes,” Tapper said. “Such a true statement from a man who just days ago spread vile and deranged lies that Obama and Biden may have had SEAL Team 6 killed to cover up the fact that they didn’t really kill Bin Laden.”

Tapper was referring to the moment at NBC’s Town Hall when Trump defended his promotion of a QAnon conspiracy theory claiming Bin Laden isn’t dead, only a body double. The CNN anchor also brought up how Robert O’Neill, a Trump supporting former member of the SEAL team, is also swatting down the bogus claim.

From there, Tapper noted that the proclamation celebrates the value of personal responsibility, and yet, Trump continues to hold campaign rallies and flout public safety guidelines in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It is a matter of fact that Americans have contracted the virus at his rallies,” Tapper said, “but he needs to hear the roar of the crowd.”

Tapper concluded by addressing the actual words of the proclamation, acknowledging that “so much of [it]…is so right.”

We must resolve, he said, to build lives and communities grounded in moral clarity in order to strengthen ourselves, our families, our communities and our nation. He’s right. We do. Character does count. Character counts not only this week, but also the next week and the one after that, which happens to contain Election Day. Character counts, thanks for the reminder Mr. President.

Watch above, via CNN.