For a while now, after Chris Licht was named the new president of CNN in February, 2022, it’s been clear that the news channel has been shifting to the right. Although it was sort of, kind of clear what they were thinking – they didn’t want to be a “liberal” news organization, and didn’t want to be a “conservative” one either, and being in the middle wasn’t working, but felt that meant getting rid of any personnel who were too liberal, though not seemingly anyone too conservative, since apparently that would upset conservatives more than liberals who, being liberal, are less rigid – thought it wasn’t clear why CNN thought this was good thinking and would work. After all, firing some people but moving to the right is another matter entirely, and that would lose some viewers. And not only would they not be moving far enough to the right to appeal to today’s extreme right, but it seems that CNN hasn’t figured out that Republicans hate CNN even more than more-liberal MSNBC for some reason.
So, I get it. Sort of, kind of. But the other day, CNN announced something near-inexplicable. They’re going to be hosting a Town Hall with Trump next month. “Inexplicable” is the politest word I can think of. After all, Trump is not the Republican nominee, just one of several announced candidates. Certainly he’s the favorite, far-and-away, but the first Republican primary is still eight months away. The GOP convention is a year away. I can only imagine how angry the other Republican candidates are. What Trump is, though, is a private citizen. Yes, he’s a former president, though one who was defeated and twice impeached. He also is under indictment. And under investigation in four other cases – including trying to overthrow the U.S. government and democracy. And a defendant in a fifth. And, by the time of the CNN Town Hall, could be found guilty in a civil case for rape and defamation. So, yeah, let’s invite Trump to have a Town Hall and give him the one thing he seems to want more than anything else in the world (other than money) – attention and a national platform to spout more of his 31,000+ lies, hate, white supremacy, and racist, anti-Semitic fascism. I don’t know what CNN is thinking. I suspect they think maybe they’ll get some Fox “News” viewers to tune in to watch. And maybe they will. But they’re not going to stick around because, as noted, they hate CNN. Meanwhile, CNN will lose some liberal (and maybe even moderate) viewers during the Town Hall – and there’s a reasonable chance that many of them will stay away. If Trump becomes the Republican nominee for president, then, yes, I can see CNN giving him a Town Hall at that point. And I can see them also giving the Democratic nominee for president, who I assume will be President Biden, a Town Hall, as well. But now?? My one hope is that, being a live event, taking questions from the audience, CNN allows a true, fair mix of questions – including those about January 6, refusing to return classified documents when asked, the Manhattan indictment and, if found guilty, the rape verdict. Being CNN, though, I don’t know if they’ll edit the questions first. Of course, being CNN, there’s a whole lot I don’t know. Starting with – what on earth are they thinking?? But yeah, CNN, let’s give the fascist, private citizen who tried to overthrow the government and democracy and is on trial for rape a national platform because we might get some fascist viewers who don’t usually watch us to tune in. Never mind all the people who refuse to watch and not tune back in for a long time.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. Feedspot Badge of Honor
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