Jake Tapper calls out Chris Cuomo during NYT interview

CNN’s Jake Tapper was interviewed by the NYT’s Kara Swisher to promote his new novel, “The Devil May Dance,” but in this tweet promoting the interview he left out one of the important subjects he talked to her about for some reason:

Chatted with @karaswisher for her podcast about the future of the news media, lying politicians, and my novel. Check it out if you get a chance — (photo entirely unrelated) https://t.co/yDvaxD7U5Y pic.twitter.com/1rj9TYAsOg

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 27, 2021

You know, it’s kind of big news when one of CNN’s biggest names calls out one of their other big names, don’t you think?

.⁦@jaketapper⁩ on ⁦@ChrisCuomo⁩ debacle on Sway: “I cannot imagine a world in which anybody in journalism thinks that that was appropriate. So I agree with that.” https://t.co/Dg5czSKeW7

— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) May 27, 2021

Swisher, to her credit, knows this is big media news and tweeted out the highlights:

“And he said, Chris, in his apology that he delivered on air, said that he put us in a bad spot. And I would also agree with that.”

— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) May 27, 2021

She even shared a Washington Post write-up of the interview that focused on this aspect of it:

Opinion | Jake Tapper backs criticism of colleague Chris Cuomo – The Washington Post https://t.co/pLPVwIWckk

— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) May 28, 2021

Kara Swisher
All right. My last question about CNN, obviously, is going to be a Chris Cuomo question. And listen, let me just say, I know this is not your responsibility. I’m not responsible for everything New York Times reporters do, most of whom I don’t even know, right? That kind of thing. But let me just put it out. The CNN anchor recused himself from covering sexual harassment allegations against his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Now it’s been reported that Chris had been actively engaging with his brother’s staff on strategy calls about how the governor should handle these allegations. He told him to hang tough, essentially, et cetera. CNN has come out to say that Chris Cuomo’s participation was, quote, “inappropriate.” I completely agree with that. I was shocked I would have to say, I think it’s beyond inappropriate. But the anchor offered an on air apology to his colleagues. Is that enough for you? Is his apology enough and does it affect you?

Jake Tapper
Such a complicated issue. And obviously this is my company and my home and my workplace. And so, that said, I cannot imagine a world in which anybody in journalism thinks that that was appropriate. So I agree with that. And he said, Chris, in his apology that he delivered on air, said that he put us in a bad spot. And I would also agree with that. And then just as a last point I would say that I work very hard to be fair and to be ethical and to not cross lines. And I certainly understand the love that Chris has for his brother, and I have a brother and I get it. But that was not a fun day.

Kara Swisher
Yeah. Does it affect your work?

Jake Tapper
It doesn’t affect my work. Their work is not my work and my work is not their work. And yes, we all reflect on each other. But the only thing I have a role in, the only thing I have any control in, because I’m not management, right? I’m not the CNN Bureau Chief of DC, I don’t have a say in anything other than what airs on my show.

And it’s about time someone at CNN publicly took Cuomo to task.

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