Someone get him some tissues! CNN senior media reporter Oliver Darcy threw a hissy fit on-air Thursday afternoon over the news that a Fox News journalist, and not a CNN hack, was chosen to moderate the first 2020 presidential debate on September 29.
On CNN Newsroom, Darcy shared the network’s frustration with host Brianna Keilar over Fox being “rewarded” for "pushing propaganda," while real journalists at CNN have to "endure venomous attacks because of their insistence on telling the truth!”
After conceding Wallace was a good journalist, Darcy went on to rage this decision was still a "slap in the face:"
[T]his is a lot bigger than Chris Wallace, right? You have to keep in mind that the network he works for has pushed propaganda, has pushed disinformation, has trafficked in lies. Their star hosts have made discrediting other news organizations and journalists a core tenant of their programs. You have hosts on the network, who are literally advising the president. So, when Chris Wallace is awarded the first debate by the commission on presidential debates, which is this nonpartisan group that selects the debates and operates them, when he’s awarded this, it’s really a slap in the face to some extent to these other news organizations, the other journalists who haven’t bent the knee for this White House, and who have endured venomous attacks because of their insistence on telling the truth no matter how costly it is. So again, when Chris Wallace, Chris Wallace is a great journalist, but when he gets awarded this spot and when Fox News is effectively bolstered by this commission on presidential debates by giving them the first debate it you know--really doesn’t sit well with a lot of people who are wondering why they’re being rewarded when they’ve caved and peddled the president’s lies on so many occasions.
Are you kidding me? CNN spins conspiracy theories about the president on a near-daily basis, like Russiagate, the Post Office hoax, and insisting President Trump is falsely calling "mostly peaceful" protests, "riots."
Darcy spent more time fuming at Fox in the latest Reliable Sources newsletter he co-wrote with equally-bitter Brian Stelter:
“Rewarding Fox News with the first debate feels like a slap in the face to all the news organizations with high ethical and journalistic standards that have stood up for truthful and honest reporting — despite the venomous attacks — in the Trump era.”
As long as CNN continues to engage in condescension and demand conformity across the news business, they'll remain in the cellar and lose legitimacy in the eyes of the American people. Perhaps they should change their tune and respect the ability for Americans to think for themselves instead of demean them.
So get to work, Oliver!
CNN advertisers NyQuil and Pampers sponsored Darcy’s childish meltdown, which feels appropriate. You can contact their advertisers by going to the Conservatives Fight Back page.
Read the transcript below:
CNN Newsroom
9/3/2020
BRIANNA KEILAR: The presidential debates are set and Fox News's Chris Wallace will monitor the first between president trump and Joe Biden. The debate commission giving the September 29th face-off to Fox despite propaganda, dishonesty and the fact that some Fox hosts advise President Trump. C-SPAN’s Steve Scully and NBC's Kristen Welker will moderate debates two and three. CNN’s senior media reporter Oliver Darcy is joining me.
And you know, Oliver, on one hand, you have a lot of Fox News hosts who have been accused of pushing false information, which is dangerous during this pandemic, then on the other hand, you have Chris Wallace, who has certainly challenged the president on a number of issues. I know those are interviews that I have appreciated as he's done them. What do you make of this selection?
OLIVER DARCY: Well, like you said, Chris Wallace is a talented journalist. He’s asked the president tough questions on interviews and he’s done a really good job in the past moderating debates. But that said, This is a lot bigger than Chris Wallace, right?
You have to keep in mind that the network he works for has pushed propaganda, has pushed disinformation, has trafficked in lies. Their star hosts have made discrediting other news organizations and journalists a core tenant of their programs. You have hosts on the network, who are literally advising the president. So, when Chris Wallace is awarded the first debate by the commission on presidential debates, which is this nonpartisan group that selects the debates and operates them, when he’s awarded this, it’s really a slap in the face to some extent to these other news organizations, the other journalists who haven’t bent the knee for this White House, and who have endured venomous attacks because of their insistence on telling the truth no matter how costly it is. So again, when Chris Wallace, Chris Wallace is a great journalist, but when he gets awarded this spot and when Fox News is effectively bolstered by this commission on presidential debates by giving them the first debate it you know--really doesn’t sit well with a lot of people who are wondering why they’re being rewarded when they’ve caved and peddled the president’s lies on so many occasions.
