CNN suffered another media meltdown on Thursday as political analyst Brian Karem absolutely freaked out over the potential release of a congressional memo on surveillance abuses. According to Karem, this was an example of “mad” “mafia boss” Donald Trump getting ready to end democracy.
Appearing on CNN Newsroom, the executive editor for Sentinel newspapers (and Playboy correspondent) freaked: “This is a tipping point for our democracy. Are we going to be a democracy after today or is this going to be demagoguery and despotism?” Just getting warmed up, Karem derided the “power play” of releasing the memo and bashed Trump: “A demagogue pushing back against the democratic process!”
Still not done, he concluded, “This is a mafia boss gone mad!” How did host Brooke Baldwin react to this bizarre diatribe? She snickered and then moved on to another guest. Not exactly an example of CNN’s vaunted commitment to “Facts First.”
Later, Karem berated: “This is an administration that does not enjoy, nor respect the rule of law.”
Karem tried to get cute, seething at the Trump White House: “This is an administration that hasn't had a solo press conference in a year.” This comment is at least technically accurate. MSNBC in December incorrectly declared the President hasn’t had a press conference since February of 2017. Of course he’s had several. Karem qualified the attack with the word “solo.”
But, then, Karem is the same guy who confidently — and wrongly— informed America that Trump was wrong when he said “In God We Trust” is the U.S. motto. In fact, it is the motto.
A partial transcript is below and can be read by clicking on "expand."
CNN Newsroom
2/1/18
2:46pm ETBROOKE BALDWIN: And Brian, just staring with you, again you heard my point, right? It's like Speaker Ryan says, “No, no, no this doesn't effect the Mueller investigation,” when what we're hearing from the President is “Oh, yes, yes, yes this should discredit it.”
BRIAN KAREM (CNN political analyst): And you're hearing that from the FBI. That is the most disingenuous piece of verbiage I've heard yet today. This is a tipping point for our democracy. Are we going to be a democracy after today or is this going to be demagoguery and despotism? The simple fact of the matter is he talks about transparency and this is an administration that hasn't had a solo press conference in a year or press briefing in the last week and a half. They don't talk to the press.
We have to go on the south lawn to try and get in touch with the President and shout questions at him. That’s disingenuous. And by the way, if you're going to be transparent, then you release the Democratic version of it as well. You release all of it if you're going to be transparent. This isn't transparency. This is obfuscation. This is disingenuous This is simply and nothing else but a power play. A demagogue pushing back against the democratic process and you've got the FBI and you may say a lot of things about the FBI and I’ve covered them for 30 years, but corrupt? No. I'm sorry. They do their job and they do their job very well. And if the head of the FBI that you appointed is telling you not to do this, you don't do it. But he doesn't care. This is a mafia boss gone mad.
BALDWIN [chuckles]: Amanda, what are you thinking?
...
KAREM: The more important thing is again, don't listen what Amanda was talking about earlier. High wind in the trees. This is all obfuscation to keep the real issue at hand away. This is an administration that does not enjoy, nor respect the rule of law. This is an administration that wants to run as a despot and this is an administration that doesn't care about the democratic process or the FBI or the Department of Justice. You’re either on the President’s team or you’re off the team.
