It happens frequently that members of the press get corrected on their narratives, but it becomes a rarer treat to watch live when the takedown occurs. On CNN Chris Cuomo wanted to scorch the state of Georgia over its primary voting held on Tuesday, extending the talking point of voter suppression that has led to failed candidate Stacey Abrams to become a media darling and – in bizarre fashion – considered as a Vice Presidential running mate.
Cuomo brought on Georgia’s Statewide Voting Implementation Manager, Gabriel Sterling on to either confirm his views or to lambaste over the problems. One problem — Sterling was not ready to play along.
As Cuomo kept reverting to his preordained talking points Sterling swatted them away with the ease of facts.
Gabriel Sterling, Georgia's statewide voting implementation manager, addresses problems in the state's primary today after voters waited hours in line in the Atlanta area and across the state and leaders called for a probe into the delays https://t.co/Qy0Zi9AMcq pic.twitter.com/fA5xa5J3EI
— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) June 10, 2020
After a preamble, where he sets the table with already disproven tales of voter ”disenfranchisement” in 2018, Cuomo mentions problems seen in Tuesday’s primary. This involved long lines in some areas, people limited from voting efficiently, and numerous closed polling locations. This is all attributed to a dastardly statewide conspiracy to cause problems within Democratic strongholds in the state.
As Sterling points out adroitly, and Cuomo himself alludes to early, the COVID outbreak created numerous problems. Schools used as polling locations are closed, and churches and other similar locations have opted out. Elections are run on the county level and those officials needed to secure alternate locations, but failed to supply enough. In brief terms, the problems arising in Democrat districts are traceable back to the Democrats who run those counties.
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Another challenge – longer lines were frequently a result of local distancing ordinances. Sterling noted how one location had 15 machines but only 4 people at a time were permitted, another reason to have more voting options available.
After declaring "This is the only type of widespread voter fraud we will ever see," and crying racism against Georgia, @ChrisCuomo got completely DESTROYED by state election official @GabrielSterling on the facts of what happened today. pic.twitter.com/ohBoTSsWZY
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 10, 2020
As Sterling outlined–
“In Fulton County, specifically, they lost 40 locations and collapsed many of those locations into mega-precincts, which saw a lot of these amazingly long lines. “We said, this is not a good idea. You need to find other, alternative locations. And those kinds of polling closures, the things we’re discussing, are literally county decisions. They are made at the county level, and the state has zero ability to tell them not to do that.”
Cuomo was left scrambling and you get the sense of desperation.
You’re a LIAR. This is about the shitty voting machines YOU INSTALLED that did not work. #resign #racist.
— Cheyenne (@icantbreathe65) June 10, 2020
This is the damned do/don’t scenario. As Cuomo attempted to draw up, he said these problems were evident in 2018, but Sterling corrected him by saying that these were all new voting machines, so the old problems cannot be blamed. Okay, move the goalposts and declare the new machines are now the problem. That’s convenient.
A sign of how off-balance Cuomo became is his summation.
By the end of the interview, @ChrisCuomo, who's catchphrase is "let's get after it," had his tail between his legs. After claiming GA was a racist hotbed of voter suppression, he claimed: "I’m not looking to ascribe animus, I'm just saying it looks bad." pic.twitter.com/5in6E3q6Mw
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) June 10, 2020
That is where the white flag gets waved. When he is left saying, ”It just looks bad” without being able to assess blame, then you know his preshow notes have been rendered into confetti.
Being able to watch him get rocked back on his heels is a calm little enjoyment. Savor it.
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