CNN's Dana Bash defends Biden's 'semi-fascism' jab against GOP: He was only talking about 'Trump supporters'

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CNN anchor Dana Bash says Biden's 'semi-fascism' comment was only about 'Trump supporters'

CNN anchor Dana Bash offered a defense for President Biden amid backlash of his "semi-fascism" jab against Republicans, saying he was only referring to "Trump supporters."

CNN anchor Dana Bash went to bat for President Biden, who has been widely criticized over his "semi-fascism" jab against Republicans.

On Monday's "New Day," Bash came on-air to recap her "State of the Union" interview on Sunday with Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who denounced Biden's comments as "horribly insulting."

Following a clip of their exchange, Bash told "New Day" hosts John Berman and Brianna Keilar how she pressed Sununu over whether he sees "any element" of the GOP that can be described as "semi-fascist," and he conceded there are elements of "fascism and White supremacy in America."

"But he then went back to the notion that he felt that President Biden was painting all of the party that way, which, to be fair, again, we weren't in that meeting, we weren't in the fundraiser, but the way it read was that Biden was specifically talking about Trump supporters," Bash said. 

MSNBC, CNN, DEMOCRATS LARGELY DEFEND BIDEN'S SEMI-FASCISM' COMMENT, SLAM TRUMP REPUBLICANS

CNN’s Dana Bash offered a defense for President Biden's "semi-fascism" jab against Republicans. (CNN)

At a private fundraiser last week, Biden reiterated his "extreme MAGA" attacks on the right ahead of a rally appearance. 

"What we’re seeing now is either the beginning or the death knell of an extreme MAGA philosophy," Biden told donors. "It’s not just Trump, it’s the entire philosophy that underpins the — I’m going to say something, it’s like semi-fascism."

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Critics on the right have bashed the president's comments, comparing them to Hillary Clinton's infamous "basket of deplorables" knock against Trump supporters during the 2016 election. 

Bash was far from the only one to defend the president. CNN national politics reporter Eva McKend suggested Biden was attempting to "bring in" some Republicans to the fold with his words.

President Biden is facing intense backlash from the right for his "semi-fascism" comment but has received plenty of support from the left. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"It almost seemed like he was trying to call in some Republicans by delineating between MAGA Republicans and mainstream Republicans and try to bring them into the fold," McKend said.

MSNBC host Joe Scarborough complained that Biden's comments did not go far enough. 

"I must say, actually, for the most extreme, saying ‘semi-fascist’ leads me only to the question—what’s semi about that?" Scarborough said. "It’s full on fascism."

DNC CHAIR JAIME HARRISON SAYS BIDEN BEING ‘CONSISTENT’ AFTER PRESIDENT CALLS MAGA ‘SEMI-FASCISM’

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chair Jaime Harrison on Sunday said that Biden was being "consistent" when calling the MAGA philosophy linked to former President Donald Trump "semi-fascism" despite Biden’s own past calls for lowering the temperature on harsh rhetoric.

Biden's critics revived former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's "basket of deplorables" comment from 2016 following the president's "semi-fascism" remark against Republicans. (Mike Smith/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

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Earlier this year, President Biden rolled out a catchphrase trying to negatively characterize the GOP as "ultra-MAGA, referring to former President Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan. 

Fox News' Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.