If CNN has a line on hyperbolic rhetoric about former President Donald Trump, law enforcement analyst and former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone almost crossed it on Tuesday’s CNN Tonight when he compared Trump’s new indictment related to the aftermath of the 2020 Election to the death of Osama bin Laden. Even liberal host Laura Coates was shocked by the comparison.
After Coates asked Fanone his thoughts, he recalled that, “When I first learned about the indictment, I had a long conversation with a friend of mine, Ryan Reilly, and I told him how proud I felt to be an American at that moment. Much in the way that I did when I learned that our military had killed Osama bin Laden. I just felt incredibly proud.”
Amid some crosstalk, a confused Coates sought clarification, “These two seem comfortable to you?... I'm sorry, I don't want to cut you off, but why that comparison in particular?... In what way?”
Doubling down, Fanone declared, “Osama bin Laden was a terrorist who committed a horrific act against American people and against our republic. And I believe that Donald Trump is a terrorist who committed horrific acts against the American people.”
Coates followed up by wondering if such talk could make it more difficult for people to seek his desired outcome, “You can imagine that is a very eyebrow-raising statement, to say the least, the notion of Osama bin Laden in comparison to Donald Trump. It likely speaks to just how deeply you have been concerned and have felt about all of this. But are you concerned that statements like that or the rhetoric surrounding what his role has been is going to cloud people's view of this indictment as a fair process?”
Fanone didn’t care, “I think that the only person or people whose view matters with regards to this indictment are the jurors who will eventually be sat and listen to the facts and ultimately make a judgment as to whether or not Donald Trump is guilty of the charges that Jack Smith and the Department of Justice have brought forward. Other than that, what I say -- what I say or what Republican lawmakers say is just, you know, shit to take up time on cable news.”
Coates scoffed and sarcastically replied, “Well, I do appreciate the way you want to spend my evening,” before asking “but I do want to hear what you understand and what you think about this truly, Michael, because when you think about what we were all watching on January 6 and seeing the events unfold, this indictment talks more than just what happened on that day.”
Fanone would responded by reiterating that he is happy to see Trump indicted. Meanwhile, his entire reason for being a CNN talking head appears to be to say profane things on air and make outrageous comparisons.
This segment was sponsored by Sling TV.
Here is a transcript for the August 2 show:
CNN Tonight
8/2/2023
11:38 PM ET
LAURA COATES: One of the people trying to hold that line is CNN law enforcement analyst and former D.C. Metropolitan police officer Michael Fanone. Michael Fanone, I'm so glad that you're here tonight. I've been wondering what you have been thinking about all this. What is going through your head tonight after this indictment came down?
MICHAEL FANONE: When I first learned about the indictment, I had a long conversation with a friend of mine, Ryan Reilly, and I told him how proud I felt to be an American at that moment. Much in the way that I did when I learned that our military had killed Osama bin Laden. I just felt incredibly proud.
COATES: These two seem comfortable to you?
FANONE: Incredibly proud to have been –
COATES: I'm sorry, I don't want to cut you off, but why that comparison in particular?
FANONE: I believe they're comparable.
COATES: In what way?
FANONE: Absolutely. Osama bin Laden was a terrorist who committed a horrific act against American people and against our republic. And I believe that Donald Trump is a terrorist who committed horrific acts against the American people.
COATES: You can imagine that is a very eyebrow-raising statement, to say the least, the notion of Osama bin Laden in comparison to Donald Trump. It likely speaks to just how deeply you have been concerned and have felt about all of this. But are you concerned that statements like that or the rhetoric surrounding what his role has been is going to cloud people's view of this indictment as a fair process?
FANONE: I think that the only person or people whose view matters with regards to this indictment are the jurors who will eventually be sat and listen to the facts and ultimately make a judgment as to whether or not Donald Trump is guilty of the charges that Jack Smith and the Department of Justice have brought forward.
COATES: The DOJ, as you know –
FANONE: Other than that, what I say -- what I say or what Republican lawmakers say is just, you know, shit to take up time on cable news.
COATES: Well, I do appreciate the way you want to spend my evening, but I do want to hear what you understand and what you think about this truly, Michael, because when you think about what we were all watching on January 6 and seeing the events unfold, this indictment talks more than just what happened on that day.
