CNN: House GOP 'Inmates Are Running the Asylum,' Holding the Economy 'to Ransom'

September 20th, 2013 6:10 PM

Throughout Friday morning's coverage of the House vote on the continuing resolution (CR), CNN repeatedly slapped Republicans for supposedly risking a government shutdown to defund Obamacare.

A CNN chyron even stated that they were voting on a "shutdown," though that is inaccurate since the bill voted on would still fund the government, just not Obamacare. Below is the worst of CNN's contempt for House Republicans who voted to defund Obamacare. [Video below the break. Audio here.]

"The Inmates Are Running the Asylum"

"Even for Speaker Boehner, who is a consummate dealmaker, what we have got now is a situation where the inmates are running the asylum. That the leadership realizes that they are running towards a cliff that they realize is politically damaging, economically damaging, there is very little upside. But if they don't give in to the demands of the 50 or so House radicals pushing this direction, they're afraid they may lose their positions."
– CNN contributor John Avlon on Friday's New Day

Congress Like Bad Parents Who Let Kids Starve

"But it's like mommy and daddy are fighting over whether or not to buy a new car or a new couch and they decide, you know what, we can't figure it out so let's not feed the kids until we do. That's what it sounds like to the American people."
New Day co-host Chris Cuomo to former House Speaker Newt Gingrich during the 8 a.m. ET hour.

Will Speaker Gingrich, "The Ghost of Shutdowns Past," Warn Speaker Boehner?

"So, we all know the expression those who don't learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. Are you calling up John Boehner whom you know very well? Are you acting as the ghost of shutdown's past, rattling your chains and saying don't do it, John?"
– Cuomo to Gingrich in the New Day interview. Gingrich was House Speaker during the government shutdown in 1995-96.

Americans Will Blame Tea Party for "Messing With Our Economy"

 "I must say that many Americans will look to the Tea Party and blame the Tea Party once again for kind of like messing with our economy in a time that the economy's fragile and we shouldn't be messing with it in this way."
– CNN anchor Carol Costello during the 10 a.m. ET hour of Newsroom.

Continuing Resolution a "Poison Pill"

"With only ten days until a possible government shutdown, lawmakers in the House, as you can see, just minutes away from approving the money to keep it running. But the measure also strips all the money from Obamacare. It's a poison pill that not only makes for a House divided, but a Republican Party divided."
– Costello before the House vote on the continuing resolution that would fund the government but defund Obamacare.

Obamacare Unpopular Because the Administration Hasn't Sold It Well Enough

"So you see just your poll up there. The public is worried about Obamacare. And I would argue, by the way, that's because they haven't done a really good job in the administration of telling and educating the American public about what it will do for you and I bet you are going to see more of that in the next week."
– CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger during the 11 a.m. ET hour of Newsroom.

House GOP Holding the Economy "to Ransom"

"It's a frustration for most Americans that their government is essentially – and their economy is being held to ransom over this."
Around the World co-host Michael Holmes to Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) after the House voted to defund Obamacare.