After four years of magazine covers disparaging former President Donald Trump, Time magazine has offered up extremely glowing covers of President Joe Biden. The most recent cover of Time magazine features a flattering illustration of President Biden, which many online commenters ridiculed for being “sycophantic.”
Last year, Time was roasted for making Joe Biden and Kamala Harris the magazine’s “Person of the Year.” Last November, Time celebrated Biden’s presidential victory by calling him a “dragon slayer,” saying that his election represented a “time to heal.”
Time continued its highly favorable coverage of President Biden with a new cover that was so over-the-top praiseworthy that it was widely mocked online.
President Biden will meet up with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 16 in Geneva, Switzerland. Ahead of the summit, Time’s latest edition features an illustration of Biden wearing his signature aviator sunglasses, which have the reflection of Putin in the lenses. Biden seemingly appears to be champing at the bit to engage with his Russian counterpart. The headline on the cover says, “Taking on Putin.”
The image of the 78-year-old Biden makes him appear years younger with zero wrinkles and taut skin.
Biden takes on Putin https://t.co/8o1tsTV7LD https://t.co/TQGYoSYDF6
— TIME (@TIME)1623410217.0
Several Twitter reactions put a spotlight on Biden waiving sanctions against the company that is building the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia into Germany. The pipeline would enable Russia to bypass Ukraine and freely flow natural gas into Europe. Previously, the Trump administration attempted to hinder the development of the pipeline so that Europe would purchase gas from the United States.
Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell reacted by saying, “Giving him a pipeline of leverage into Europe is NOT taking him on. It’s giving in.”
Cliff Sims, a former senior adviser to the DNI, said, “Yea, Putin is quivering in his boots after Biden handed him his number one geopolitical infrastructure project on a platter so he can work with the Germans on climate change. What a joke.”
Washington Examiner writer Jerry Dunleavy wrote, “Biden takes on [the Republicans, Democrats, Eastern European allies, Ukrainians, etc. who opposed the corrupt Kremlin-backed Nord Stream 2 pipeline which every honest person knows is a malign influence operation which will ultimately benefit] Putin.”
“If by taking Putin on you mean allowing him to build his massive pipeline while shutting ours down,” one Twitter user wrote.
National Review’s Kyle Smith tweeted, “DNC press releases aren’t this sycophantic.”
An online commenter asked, “What in the hell kind of fan fiction comic book is this cover?”
One person stated, “TIME has to use photoshop to show Biden younger than Putin. Is this ‘takes on?'”
Multiple Twitter users joked that “Biden can’t even take on stairs, let alone Putin,” referencing the time President Biden stumbled down the stairs leading up to Air Force One.
Young America’s Foundation lampooned the laudatory press coverage of the Democratic president, “tHe MeDiA dOeSn’T PiCk SiDeS.”
Real Clear Politics co-founder Tom Bevan showed the stark difference between Time magazine’s gushing cover of Biden and a cover of Trump’s face blended with Putin’s.
Compared to this. https://t.co/YMedGUkJeL
— Tom Bevan (@Tom Bevan)1623413488.0