In terms of cable news, I have always cut CNN a little slack for presenting legitimate opposing views – although it leans left and further left as the election nears. Just as I credit FOX News for presenting opposing viewpoints – although it leans right. MSNBC is nothing but a 24/7 propaganda platform for the radical left in the Democratic Party.
One of the CNN personalities who is consistent with the left lean is the host of “The Lead”, Jake Tapper. He is not a reporter, but a constant advocate for Democrat left-wing candidates and policies – an editorialist at best.
That bias was on full display in his recent interview with vice presidential candidate Senator J. D. Vance. It was not an interview, but a verbal spat.
Tapper was determined to carry out the interview as a spokesperson for Harris and Democrats by myopically focusing, presenting and defending their current attack themes on Trump. It was all about the baseless fascist accusations by retired General John Kelly and others.
Tapper made the point that an unprecedented number of former Trump officials had come out against Trump. Fair point … BUT once Tapper made it, and Vance answered, the CNN host continued to bicker with Vance, repeating the same accusations over and over land getting more heated at the time,
On several occasions. Vance tried to get Tapper to take up other issues in the campaign – including the economy, immigration and foreign policy. But Tapper would have none of it. He was determined to use up all the airtime to advance the Harris campaign narrative about Trump.
But there is more.
Following the Vance interview, Tapper had tapped former Wyoming congresswoman and conservative apostate Liz Cheney to carry on the attack on Trump and Vance. Tapper’s first question to Cheney was to respond to the Vance interview. The rest of the Cheney interview was Tapper lobbing soft ball questions.
Those two interviews were not exercises in journalism, but what a political hack would do. The entire show was essentially a negative campaign ad for Harris – produced and performed by Jake Tapper.
As a footnote … my criticism of Tapper does not suggest that I was impressed with Vance’s performance. I have never considered him a skillful public communicator – and he lived up to my assessment in the CNN interview. He could have slam-dunked Tapper, but he did not.
So, there ‘tis.