Chuck Todd: ‘Lincoln’s Election Was More Accepted in 1860’ Than Biden’s In 2020

NBC and MSNBC anchor Chuck Todd said Thursday that Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860 “was more accepted” than was President Joe Biden’s in 2020 – even though, while Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” about the latter inspired the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the former led to southern states seceding and a Civil War where hundreds of thousands of people were killed.

On Katy Tur Reports on MSNBC, panelist Andrea Mitchell praised Biden’s speech commemorating the one-year anniversary of Jan. 6 as “the speech he had to give.”

“And I think by rising above specific legislative disagreements, he makes what they call partisan, the critics, nonpartisan,” Mitchell said. “The election, the peaceful transfer of power, something that since the Civil War, we have never worried about, we have never had a disagreement about, actually, since the Founders.”

“Lincoln’s election was more accepted,” said Todd, who was also a panelist on the show.

“Exactly,” interjected Mitchell.

“In 1860,” finished Todd.

“I was just thinking about that,” said Mitchell. “Even the Civil War, we did not disagree with the passing of power.”

While the vote in 1860 may have been accepted, following Lincoln’s election as the 16th U.S. president, 11 states seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States of America in 1861. This was followed by the Civil War, which was from 1861 to 1865 and where approximately 750,000 people died.

Despite there being a riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, just one life was lost during the tragedy. Ashli Babbitt was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer as she attempted to break into the Speaker’s Lobby. Six others – three rioters and three police officers – lost their lives in the aftermath in connection with the attack.

During his speech, Biden slammed Trump for his alleged inaction as the attack was unfolding.

“What did we not see? We didn’t see a former president who had just rallied the mob to attack, sitting in the private dining room off the Oval Office in the White House watching it all on television and doing nothing for hours as police were assaulted, lives at risk, the nation’s Capitol under siege,” he said. “This wasn’t a group of tourists, this was an armed insurrection. They weren’t looking to uphold the will of the people, they were looking to deny the will of the people.”

Watch above, via MSNBC.