In a captivating turn of events, former President Donald Trump has challenged the leftist media establishment and put forth a proposition that has taken the network by surprise.
Surprisingly, Trump has suggested that CNN, a network infamous for its liberal bias, should host him for another town hall event. This bold move comes alongside criticism of one of the network’s political analysts, Alyssa Farah Griffin, a self-proclaimed conservative who previously served in the Trump administration and is currently a co-host of ABC’s “The View.”
It seems Trump’s last appearance on CNN proved to be a rating sensation, drawing in an impressive audience of 3.3 million viewers, a significant increase for a network whose viewership has been on the decline. Trump made no secret of this success in a post on Truth Social on May 20. He boasted, “Wow!… One of their biggest ratings nights in years, & they are begging for mercy. CNN, let’s do another one?”
Seizing the opportunity, Trump proposed a repeat of the town hall event. His post carried a sharp critique of Farah Griffin.
He taunted, “Word is that they are revolting at the ‘View’ and CNN, and want Farrah [sic] OUT!… She tried to delete out her words, but we got them ALL…this ‘stuff’ shows what a phony she is. MUCH MORE TO COME!”
What followed was a throwback to Farah Griffin’s praise for Trump. Trump shared a video of her lauding him as a “remarkable man” and a “strong leader for our nation.” His post aimed to highlight the hypocrisy, given her subsequent distancing from him post the Capitol attack in January 2021.
Following up, Trump posted, “Backbencher in the Trump Administration, Alyssa Farah, like so many other sleazebags, had only glowing reviews of the Trump Administration until long after she left. A loser then, and a loser now! More to follow.”
Despite her previous admiration for Trump, Farah Griffin quickly distanced herself from him following the January 6, 2021 Capitol incident. Now, she straddles the line between liberal and conservative ideologies, both as a co-host on ABC’s “The View” and as a contributor on CNN. In a stark departure from her earlier support, she defended CNN’s decision to host the town hall by criticizing Trump, stating, “America got to see who he is last night: a ranting, raving lunatic, who sided with Vladimir Putin.”
The reaction to CNN’s decision to host Trump was predictably harsh amongst the liberal left. Many saw this as a betrayal, providing a platform for the former President ahead of the potential 2024 presidential race.
New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted a scathing review, saying: “CNN should be ashamed of themselves…They have lost total control of this ‘town hall’ to again be manipulated into platforming election disinformation…Instead they put a sexual abuse victim in harm’s way for views.”
In a surprising show of balanced journalism, David Zaslav, CEO for Warner Bros Discovery, which owns CNN, defended the network’s decision during his appearance on the CNBC show “Squawk Box”. When co-host Joe Kernan asked about Trump’s appearance on CNN, Zaslav responded affirmatively: “Yeah, he should be…We have a divided government. Right? We need to hear both voices.”
In a landscape where the liberal media is known to marginalize conservative voices, Trump’s potential return to CNN could be a powerful blow to the established narrative. As the former President continues to express his views with characteristic boldness, we may witness the early tremors of a seismic shift towards a more balanced approach to journalism.
Source: Conservativebrief