CNN’s Scott Jennings Says Gold Star Families’ Appearance At RNC Convention Was ‘Devastating’ To Joe Biden

CNN senior political commentator Scott Jennings said Thursday that the families of the thirteen service members killed in Afghanistan appearing at the Republican National Convention were devastating for President Joe Biden.

The convention played a heart-wrenching video of the families speaking for their family members who died in the August 26, 2021, terrorist attack at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Jennings said the families’ powerful standing ovation and the president’s refusal to acknowledge them are politically devastating ahead of the 2024 election.

“I have never seen something that devastating and impactful on a convention stage,” Jennings said. “It was, the atmosphere in this arena, people were emotional, angry, heartbroken for these families. And it was the most searing indictment of Joe Biden I can imagine. When this happened by the way in August 2021, this was the original sin of Joe Biden’s job approval dropping. When the withdrawal happened, he went underwater and he’s never come back.”

Jennings said it is evident to the American public that Biden “failed as commander-in-chief” on behalf of these families. He highlighted how this powerful moment will “linger on” in political history for a long time.

“I’ve not seen anything at a convention that would linger on the way that will over 25 years ago at one of these things,” Jennings continued.

Jennings called on Biden to resign over the gold star families’ appearances and hide from public life for a substantial amount of time during a Wednesday night panel.

“If I were Joe Biden and I saw that tonight, I would resign my office, go outside, dig a hole, get in it and not come out for awhile because this is ridiculous,” he told the evening panel.

The families have previously said they felt abandoned by Biden and called on the administration to admit its mistakes and honor the fallen. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said she had “nothing to share” on how the president planned to commemorate the service members’ deaths during an August 29, 2022, briefing.

Carol Briseno, the mother of Marine Cpl. Sanchez, told the Daily Caller in August 2023 that she was “frustrated” because Biden never said the thirteen names around the two-year anniversary of the botched withdrawal. Darin Hoover, the father of Marine Staff Sgt. Hoover, said the president “never acknowledged our kids.”

The president also falsely claimed during the June 27 debate that no Americans died overseas during his time in office.