Near the end of Wednesday’s State of America on CNN International, the show published a head-scratching graphic that placed Republican Congressman Joe Barton (Tex.) alongside other political figures who, unlike Barton, have been accused of sexual misconduct.
To make the show even more deranged, CNN political commentator Angela Rye ripped into “white, liberal women” for supposedly forcing House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to call for Democratic Congressman John Conyers (Mich.) to resign, denying him the “due process” Rye he might deserve.
Host Kate Bolduan was holding serve with Rye and three other panelists when the show put on-screen a graphic entitled “Accusations of Sexual Impropriety on Capitol Hill.”
Not surprisingly, it included alleged child sex predator and Alabama Republican senatorial candidate Roy Moore, but also two Democrats with the first being Congressman John Conyers (Mich.) for his sexual misconduct claims. The other was Senator Al Franken (Minn.) on the same day that more women came forward alleging that Franken had groped them.
However, CNNi’s liberal bias reared its head when the graphic included Barton, who announced on Thursday that he would not seek reelection after a lewd, naked picture of him had gone public thanks, in part, to a woman he had been having an affair with.
In other words, many have stated that Barton’s case wasn’t one of sexual assault or misconduct but revenge porn, which is illegal in 38 states and Washington D.C.
With that in mind, Barton should be nowhere near the other three men, but this show didn’t let their own networks “Facts First” motto get in the way of advancing their narrative.
As for Rye, she showcased her past role as executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus by blaming Pelosi’s change of heart on Conyers from Sunday to Thursday on white women (specifically, “liberal” ones):
I think that Nancy Pelosi made a commitment to members of the Congressional Black Caucus that she would not call for Congressman Conyers’s resignation before due process was allowed to take place and that would have been the ethics investigation that is, frankly, just getting underway. Because of that pressure, she said one thing on air and now she’s being faced with the pressure of white, liberal women, for the most part, who had told her that she needs to say something different. So, you see her flailing. I’m being as candid with you as I can.
Rye complained that “it’s deeply unfortunate that this particular call for Congressman Conyers’s resignation not only took place today, but took place today after he’s been admitted to the hospital” and thus supposedly robbed him of due process (which she failed to note was something that the women weren’t exactly given either).
“I don’t understand of the life of me, Kate, why groping women, whether you’re Donald Trump or you’re Al Franken, is acceptable and an apology is sufficient or a mere denial is sufficient. But when it comes to John Conyers, the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, the very committee that’s supposed to set up the ways in which we interact with our law enforcement system, with our judicial system, he’s supposed to resign from the committee and he’s supposed to resign his seat,” Rye added.
Rye finished her comments by reiterating that calls for Conyers to resign without an (elongated) Ethics Committee investigation are “not fair” and “not what this country is supposed to be about.”
“It’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. That’s not what we’re experiencing and I think it’s unfortunate and I feel badly for the accusers, but I still think we have a system for a reason,” she bemoaned. If one looked up tribalism in the dictionary, you’d find this as she almost certainly doesn’t feel this way about Roy Moore.
Former Romney adviser and Hoover Institution fellow Lanhee Chen put this double standard in perspective, responding moments later:
[T]he unfortunate part about this, Kate, is we seem to have entered into a tribalist phase of American politics where people’s answers depend on their political party....This behavior is unacceptable and I think the danger we’re getting into is trying to litigate, was it worse that he groped or that he approached – you know — teenage girls. In any situation, these are awful allegations...I don’t think it matters whether it’s Al Franken or Roy Moore or John Conyers, all of these individuals ought to step aside.
Here’s the relevant transcript from CNN International’s State of America with Kate Bolduan pm November 30:
CNN International’s State of America with Kate Bolduan
November 30, 2017ANGELA RYE: I think that Nancy Pelosi made a commitment to members of the Congressional Black Caucus that she would not call for Congressman Conyers’s resignation before due process was allowed to take place and that would have been the ethics investigation that is, frankly, just getting underway. Because of that pressure, she said one thing on air and now she’s being faced with the pressure of white, liberal women, for the most part, who had told her that she needs to say something different. So, you see her flailing. I’m being as candid with you as I can. I think it’s deeply unfortunate that this particular call for Congressman Conyers’s resignation not only took place today, but took place today after he’s been admitted to the hospital. I don’t understand of the life of me, Kate, why groping women, whether you’re Donald Trump or you’re Al Franken, is acceptable and an apology is sufficient or a mere denial is sufficient. But when it comes to John Conyers, the ranking member on the Judiciary Committee, the very committee that’s supposed to set up the ways in which we interact with our law enforcement system, with our judicial system, he’s supposed to resign from the committee and he’s supposed to resign his seat. There may be other reasons why Mr. Conyers needs to resign but, to me, not allowing due process to take place — not allowing an investigation to take place, is not fair. That’s not what this country is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. That’s not what we’re experiencing and I think it’s unfortunate and I feel badly for the accusers, but I still think we have a system for a reason.
KATE BOLDUAN: Lanhee, what do you think about this? Because Al Franken, another person came out today against Democrat Al Franken and there’s been no — I haven’t heard more conversation about resignations for him. What do you think of the — what do you think of this moment that’s happening right now on the Hill?
LANHEE CHEN: Yeah, you know, the unfortunate part about this, Kate, is we seem to have entered into a tribalist phase of American politics where people’s answers depend on their political party. These are not partisan issues. All of these accusations are serious and the imply activity that’s reprehensible, regardless of whether it’s a Republican or Democrat. This behavior is unacceptable and I think the danger we’re getting into is trying to litigate, was it worse that he groped or that he approached – you know — teenage girls. In any situation, these are awful allegations and the accusers should have the opportunity to come forward and tell their stories and there should be a response to that. I don’t think it matters whether it’s Al Franken or Roy Moore or John Conyers, all of these individuals ought to step aside.
