Here’s something we’ve honestly never seen before, and we’re not even sure how to feel about it — someone is not only defending CNN’s Chris Cillizza and arguing that he does his job well; he’s suggesting we all lay off of Cillizza because he does his job well.
That’s not going to happen, but hey, at least Cillizza has one fan.
Dear Internet: Stop Bullying Chris Cillizza for Doing His Job Well (Column by @colbyhall) https://t.co/tFCPpxTFR9 pic.twitter.com/v6xjyDdw7c
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) January 8, 2019
Colby Hall uses as an example the spat Monday between Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cillizza after he tweeted that the freshman representative had a “slippery slope” on facts and didn’t seem to care, being more concerned with being “morally correct.” Ocasio-Cortez fired back and accused Cillizza of taking her quote out of context.
Weren’t we all supposed to have a fit when a politician — say, the president — called CNN “fake news?” But here’s the young socialist superstar accusing Cillizza of taking her quote out of context on purpose to make her look bad.
It’s really difficult to pick sides in this battle, so we won’t. But it’s our job to dunk on Cillizza. We have a responsibility to uphold.
His job is to be an idiot douche bag?
— J.G. Petruna (@jgpetruna) January 8, 2019
HAHAHAHAHA *stops to breathe* AHAHAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/9wGbDz6pvT
— Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) January 8, 2019
I thought this was going to be a satirical article. But no. It’s serious
— Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) January 8, 2019
— Joey Bofa (@Johnny_UT) January 8, 2019
We promise to stop bullying him when he starts doing his job well
— Juggalocialism (@UweBollocks) January 8, 2019
His inflated salary could pay for a lot of out of work journalists who actually add value. So no, I won't stop. Nerd.
— Ben Lyon (@byrdturgler) January 8, 2019
Can we still bully him for doing his job poorly? Because that's most of what we're looking at here
— Tom Flamson (@TJFlamson) January 8, 2019
did you read the column?
— Colby Hall (@colbyhall) January 8, 2019
Yeah I read the column. From what I gather, whoever wrote it believes crayons are a breakfast cereal. The way that sycophantic drivel flows from his fingertips in defense of a fellow headass seems almost effortless. Probably because there wasn't much effort put into the article.
— ? the king of veggies ? (@Vegarch) January 8, 2019
Did Chris Cillizza write this
— ali (@alijandrox) January 8, 2019
"Stop calling us out when we do a terrible job at things."
— Ryan 「20DuelTeen」 (@DearestZeus) January 8, 2019
Didn't know who he was, but I'm definitely going to start bullying him now
— keewa (@keewa) January 8, 2019
The only possible way Chris Cillizza is doing his job well is if he is supposed to be playing the heel.
— Mr. Guillotine ? (@SarcasticPirate) January 8, 2019
He’s not even a good heel. He’s just bad at what he does.
— Clutch414 (@Clutch414) January 8, 2019
What in the fresh hell is this shit ?
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 8, 2019
Read the article. Click the link.
— Colby Hall (@colbyhall) January 8, 2019
I did. You owe me back three minutes of my life and I say again what in the fresh hell is this.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 8, 2019
I think the point of contention here is the use of the word “well.”
— ye shall soon be initiated into certain facts (@mcmjolnir) January 8, 2019
Please tell me this is satire.
— Robert Schrader (@leavyrdailyhell) January 8, 2019
Wow, this article has zero actual reasons not to dunk on a bad take guy for his bad takes.
— Andrew Pearson (@Vorpality) January 8, 2019
We seem to have some disagreement over what his job is then
— The House of E (@EvilCEOE) January 8, 2019
what is his job? because it's not tying a tie properly.
— The Bringer of Jollity (@davidabenner) January 8, 2019
"It is his job to oversimplify complicated stories for the average cable news viewer." Anyone see the problem with this sentence as a defense? Bueller? https://t.co/TFjBOClkMj via @mediaite
— Just Karl (@justkarl) January 8, 2019
Notably absent from this article about his skill providing "clear-eyed commentary" or insights is a single example. The only example of what he does well is generate pageviews.
Is he worse than anyone else on CNN? No. But they are horrible too! and not paid 8 figures
— This Website is Scott Free (@mmaclennan7) January 8, 2019
It seems to me that literally anyone who both follows politics and completes a sentence can generate hate-clicks by talking about how "Lil Bob Corker" is a funnier insult than "Cryin' Chuck Schumer" for far less than 10 million dollars.
— This Website is Scott Free (@mmaclennan7) January 8, 2019
Sweet ratio. pic.twitter.com/GAjGxLxMxu
— Victory or Death (@IncognitoMeems) January 8, 2019
Nice of his mom to write this.
— ?? ⛄️ (@thedirte) January 8, 2019
He's supposed to be a journalist. He is dragged rightfully for having bad opinions and shit takes. Just because he gets clicks does not give him a free pass for that. That goes for the rest of the modern media landscape as well. His takes are bad and he should feel bad.
— Steve (@StevesaNiceBoy) January 8, 2019
The perfect substance free defense of a substance free reporter.
Now go wash your hands.— Downpuppy (@Downpuppy) January 8, 2019
The early numbers on the ratio are encouraging.
I'm dubbing this the "Cillizza Squared" ratio.
— Matt the Brat is very legal and very cool ? (@Karna6e) January 8, 2019
Cillizza is absolute proof that the notion of American meritocracy is a comical myth.
— Chaco (@Chaco_Chicken) January 8, 2019
Is this ratio performance art?
— Noah Frank (@NoahFrankWTOP) January 8, 2019
Did you read it?
— Colby Hall (@colbyhall) January 8, 2019
I did. I disagree with this contention, as well as your overall premise. People hate him because he's entirely unequipped to provide useful analysis of the gravity of politics in 2018, yet is gifted one of the biggest platforms with which to do so pic.twitter.com/GUxcZ5G25e
— Noah Frank (@NoahFrankWTOP) January 8, 2019
His job is to offer oversimplified analysis on complicated subjects for the average cable news viewer. He’s not a journalist.
— Colby Hall (@colbyhall) January 8, 2019
He doesn't do that well. His simplification does nobody any actual service. He doesn't boil down issues to why they matter, he makes them into horceracy, sports-like scenarios where he undersells the seriousness of vital issues
— Noah Frank (@NoahFrankWTOP) January 8, 2019
Imagine if his salary went to paying one or more of the many laid off journalists who actually create something of value
— animal from online (@loggedonanimal) January 8, 2019
this seems to be working out great for you
— Conor ? (@ConBluth) January 8, 2019
From the article, "…but we live in a time where the banal observation still needs mentioning".
You might, I definitely don't. I can get those takes from the guys propping up my local bar. Holding a journalist to higher standards in not bullying.
— Nick Johnson (@Nick_x7) January 8, 2019
This milquetoast "defense" boils down to "don't hate the player, hate the game."
But that's a defeatist apology for cowards. We change the game, in part, by stopping people from playing it. If Chris experiences consequences for his actions, maybe the game will start to change!
— Spider Lullaby (@Jacobonaut) January 8, 2019
Some of the weakest, lamest, least incisive work anywhere. “Well” and a reference to Chris Cillizza’s work are oxymoronic
— Joe Tauriello (@Joe_Tauriello) January 8, 2019
Can’t tell without reading this bit of click bait nonsense whether it’s meant to be ironic or just another bit of privileged wanker solidarity.
Actually don’t care enough to figure it out.
— Jack Dorsey is a Nazi sympathiser (@Last_SK_Pirate) January 8, 2019
"The views expressed in this article are those of just the author."
Indeed
— Craig (@craigupinhere) January 8, 2019
And only the author.
"Highly visible exemplar of terrible punditry never shuts up or learns to improve, but let's go easy on him"
— michael (@NonfatMike) January 8, 2019
This was supposed to be a supportive piece but not even his enemies could have written a more damning indictment of the man
— free real estate (@leentorens) January 8, 2019
Objection: Statement requires facts not in evidence.
— (((Mad Bastard))) (@MadBastard_v2) January 8, 2019
Cillizza has a job?
— SnowPDX (@Snowpdx) January 8, 2019
Related:
Here we go! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez vs. Chris Cillizza is 'the Twitter spat you've all been waiting for' https://t.co/YBNVP25jak
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) January 7, 2019
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