The network that famously touts itself as the arbiter over “fake news” stepped in it yet again, Wednesday. CNN’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Michelle Kosinski retweeted a North Korean parody account, touting the fake government account “trolling” Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Apparently CNN’s Jim Acosta and the New York Times also fell for the same parody account in 2015 and 2016 respectively, which leads one to wonder just how much vetting any of these reporters do before trusting a source. It’s incredibly obvious to realize the account is satire from just one quick glance at other tweets it’s put out. So maybe CNN shouldn’t be so affronted by President Trump’s moniker of “fake news.”
After realizing she had fallen for a fake story, Kosinski did apologize on Twitter in follow-up tweets.
Oooooooops. I-- spoke too soon!
— Michelle Kosinski (@MichLKosinski) February 7, 2018
Curses!!!! (shaking fist in air violently)
— Michelle Kosinski (@MichLKosinski) February 7, 2018
This isn’t the first time Kosinski has embarrassed herself by spreading fake news. Back in 2005 when she worked for NBC, she famously rowed around a flooded street in a canoe for a Today show segment, but people walking in the background revealed the water was only a few inches deep.
Kosinski’s network CNN, is of course infamous for reporting debunked stories and inventing narratives over the years. In the Trump era, multiple CNN journalists have been forced out after writing false stories, and the network frequently engages in speculation and hearsay, from just about everything related to the Russia investigation, to questioning whether the longstanding White House doctor was lying about Trump’s “excellent” bill of health given during a press conference.
