Back in December, The Atlantic published a special Donald Trump "meltdown" issue that featured 24 essays about the dangers of a second Trump term. CNN's Jake Tapper immediately invited Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg and a handful of contributors to join him on "The Lead." Tapper is not a Trump fan, as he won't waste his time with election deniers — even though he's had Stacey Abrams on as a guest dozens of times.
As you know, Trump swept the Iowa caucuses Monday night and was declared the winner soon after 8:30. Trump gave a victory speech, but CNN cut away after 10 minutes, with Tapper announcing that Trump was just repeating his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
CNN cut away from Trump's victory speech in Iowa after about 10 minutes. "Under my voice, you hear him repeating his anti-immigrant rhetoric," @jaketapper noted pic.twitter.com/toDB8SiSpo
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 16, 2024
Censorship. Democracy just died a bit, Weebles.
— JWF (@JammieWF) January 16, 2024
Was this Tapper's call or the producers'?
MSNBC host @maddow says NBC and other mainstream news networks have decided not to show Trump’s victory speech. CNN had him on briefly but then cut away and replaced him with @jaketapper who says “caucus goers believe the lie.” pic.twitter.com/dnUHEB1wqH
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) January 16, 2024
How is this objective reporting? It’s like state propaganda.
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) January 16, 2024
I cut away from CNN ten years ago. Not going back.
— Spikels 🏴☠️ (@Spikels) January 16, 2024
Because CNN isn't news. It is a Democrat/leftist/propaganda outlet.
— Bonk (@BonkPolitics) January 16, 2024
CNN: So brave. So courageous.
— Jake13th 🏴☠️ (@JakeThirteenth) January 16, 2024
So, in other words, MSNBC and CNN are openly hiding news from the people? Big shocker. pic.twitter.com/A3ejShJ9ip
— DEL (@delinthecity_) January 16, 2024
Recommended
Nothing Americans like more than being censored. Can't imagine how this strategy will backfire on the legacy media already suffering from a huge ratings decline.
— Kaiser Bill (@WaivedSAP) January 16, 2024
You will watch what we tell you.
— Luke Smith (@littlebirdyEnza) January 16, 2024
What happened to @jaketapper? Used to be a moderate; I enjoyed him at ABC. Now he’s a revolutionary red hack same as the others
— Silver Surfer (@LM_Entry) January 16, 2024
“Anti-illegal immigration” would be a more accurate headline.
— Moral Authority Complex (@EhOHSeeLogic) January 16, 2024
If CNN was in the business of telling the truth.
CNN is so dead, 🤡
— Claudia Estrada (@beba_estrada8) January 16, 2024
Like, this by CNN is not good.
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 16, 2024
1. Clearly Trump's comments are newsworthy as the likely GOP nominee.
2. Done in a sanctimonious way that will further polarize the network's audience
3. Likely helps Trump anyway for voters not to hear unpopular arguments.https://t.co/vRwMRSS0Hd
Hot take, but they’re not doing it because actually consequentialist reasons that it’ll make him less likely to win - they’re doing it for status from their in-group. So, yes, it’s incredibly elitist.
— Daniel Eth (yes, Eth is my actual last name) (@daniel_271828) January 16, 2024
They can't help themselves.
— Paul Escandon (@zinemagilea) January 16, 2024
You touched upon something here: it’s the sanctimony that turns many off. Looking down on people is not a way to win them over. Shocking.
— PhillyGenX (@PhillyGenx) January 16, 2024
The push against "both sidesing" has only made the networks appear more partisan. The result is that Republican voters' trust in the media is basically zero and therefore the media has no means of actually holding Trump accountable.
— Wendigo (@wendigo143) January 16, 2024
CNN is unwatchable. The elitism is nauseating.
— x - Eileen (@CatDogPerson) January 16, 2024
That was so nice of Tapper to cut away from Trump's "anti-immigrant rhetoric" so voters didn't have to hear it.
It's weird: CNN needs Trump to be the nominee to have a reason to exist, and yet Tapper will do anything he can to keep Trump off the air.
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