Apparently, CNN can tell the truth about the media’s liberal bias. But seemingly only past one o’clock in the morning Eastern time (and thus when most people weren’t watching), this was when CNN host Chris Cuomo admitted that the media elevated and ‘polished the apple’ of certain Democratic candidates.
Continuing CNN’s post-Democratic primary debate analysis in the wee hours of Thursday morning, Cuomo looked at his panel and declared: “[former Congressman Beto O’Rourke] had been having his apple polished by the media for some time.”
Cuomo took things further with an apparent shot at O’Rourke’s failed Senate campaign. “He got a lot of artificial help, let's call it, in that race. He didn't organically design his own fundraising base. He got help.” Wow, that must sting. And to make matters worse, he reupped this train of thought in the 2:00 a.m. Eastern hour.
“With the media polishing his apple. I mean, people pick favorites in this business. He needed to come tonight and show I was a favorite for a reason early on, and he didn't do that,” he continued.
Seemingly trying walk back the comments for her host, CNN political analyst and Guardian reporter Sabrina Siddiqui agreed that O’Rourke “was really held up by the media as an example of someone who is a rising star in the party.”
However, she also suggested it “very much stemming from his almost defeat of Ted Cruz in the Texas Senate race.” It should be also be noted that, during that campaign, O'Rourke got the royal Obama treatment during the race.
But a short time later, Atlantic White House correspondent Elaina Plott piled onto Cuomo’s shocking admission by throwing South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg into the mix.
“I think O’Rourke and Buttigieg are similar, at least, in my opinion in this way. They have a really shiny nice veneer, but the media kind of perpetuates narratives that it wants to be true,” she acknowledged. “So you had Vogue recently calling Pete Buttigieg the sexy guy who is also a policy wonk. I don't remember at any point reading a really definitive piece on Pete Buttigieg’s policy.”
“He actually said the opposite. He said I'm not going with policy details right now. I'm going with feel and introducing myself,” Cuomo added, further poking holes in Vogue’s assertions.
Umm…This is CNN?
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN’s DNC Debate Post Analysis
June 27, 2019
1:1718 a.m. EasternCHRIS CUOMO: I think Castro also made a calculated bet that paid off two ways. Beto O’Rourke had to step up. And please, as is always the case on my show, feel free to disagree, because sometimes I just say things to be provocative.
But Beto had been having his apple polished by the media for some time. He could raise a lot of money. Preston, you know this better than anybody. The Democrats threw all their resources at him to try to beat Cruz. He got a lot of artificial help, let's call it, in that race. He didn't organically design his own fundraising base. He got help.
MARK PRESTON: Well, he got helped by those who wanted to help him. He was not -- he was not a darling of the Democratic Party, that's for sure. They didn't even want him to run initially, Chris.
(…)
CUOMO: With the media polishing his apple. I mean, people pick favorites in this business. He needed to come tonight and show I was a favorite for a reason early on, and he didn't do that.
SABRINA SIDDIQUI: I certainly think that he was really held up by the media as an example of someone who is a rising star in the party very much stemming from his almost defeat of Ted Cruz in the Texas senate race, really overperforming in a very conservative state that has slowly, slowly been trending blue. And now you've seen him struggle and not really take off in what is a very crowded field.
(…)
ELAINA PLOTT: I totally agree with you. And it's not even just Castro wanting to say how far are you willing to go on this issue, but how much do you actually know about this issue?
I think O’Rourke and Buttigieg are similar, at least, in my opinion in this way. They have a really shiny nice veneer, but the media kind of perpetuates narratives that it wants to be true. So you had Vogue recently calling Pete Buttigieg the sexy guy who is also a policy wonk. I don't remember at any point reading a really definitive piece on Pete Buttigieg’s policy.
CUOMO: He actually said the opposite. He said I'm not going with policy details right now. I'm going with feel and introducing myself.
(…)
