Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper Rattled to Core by What Audience Did During CNN Town Hall
Many Republicans were beginning to feel that perhaps former President Donald Trump’s time had passed.
However, that worry evaporated after he got the best of host Kaitlan Collins during a CNN town hall from New Hampshire on Wednesday.
It was surprising that Trump would engage at all with these fake-news foes, but between having the audience enraptured and the leftists apoplectic, it’s clear this was another expert move on his part.
Immediately after the television program wrapped up — some pointing out a full 20 minutes before its scheduled close — hosts Anderson Cooper and Jake Tapper were attempting to do the hit job that Collins couldn’t pull off.
“It was an interesting night. Mr. Trump’s first lie was told just seconds into the night with his false, familiar claim that the 2020 election was, quote, ‘a rigged election,'” Tapper griped.
“And the falsehoods kept coming, fast and furious, about the January 6 insurrection, about the threat to Vice President Pence, about Pence’s ability to overturn the election, about COVID, about the economy, and more,” Tapper kept going, himself sounding “fast and furious.”
“He called a black law enforcement officer a thug,” Tapper claimed, referring to Trump’s assessment of Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd, who killed unarmed Jan. 6 protester Ashli Babbitt.
“He said people here in Washington, D.C., and Chinatown don’t speak English. He attacked Kaitlan as a ‘nasty woman’ because she was trying to get him to answer a question,” Tapper went on.
“Perhaps most chillingly, the day after a nine-person jury of his peers in New York found him liable for sexual battery and defamation and ordered him to pay writer E. Jean Carroll $5 million, he made fun of her account, of her sexual assault, and many in the audience laughed,” Tapper pointed out indignantly about the questionable verdict from a flimsy case.
“And applauded,” Cooper added gravely.
The CNN hosts made it clear that they weren’t just upset by what Trump said, but also by how the audience received him.
Conservative commentator, Benny Johnson tweeted a clip of the exchange with the humorous caption, “WATCH: Jake Tapper holds back tears as he complains about Donald Trump destroying CNN on Live TV.
WATCH: Jake Tapper holds back tears as he complains about Donald Trump destroying CNN on Live TV pic.twitter.com/PhMk1Soyed
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) May 11, 2023
Some, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, decided to go after CNN for allowing Trump the opportunity to mop the floor with Collins in the first place.
“CNN should be ashamed of themselves,” the New York Democrat and radical “Squad” member ranted on Twitter.
“They have lost total control of this ‘town hall’ to again be manipulated into platforming election disinformation, defenses of Jan 6th, and a public attack on a sexual abuse victim,” Ocasio-Cortez went on.
“The audience is cheering him on and laughing at the host,” she added.
“This falls squarely on CNN. Everyone here saw exactly what was going to happen. Instead they put a sexual abuse victim in harm’s way for views,” Ocasio-Cortez claimed in the thread.
“This was a choice to platform lies about the election & Jan 6th w/ no plan but to have their moderator interrupted without consequence.”
This falls squarely on CNN. Everyone here saw exactly what was going to happen. Instead they put a sexual abuse victim in harm’s way for views. This was a choice to platform lies about the election & Jan 6th w/ no plan but to have their moderator interrupted without consequence.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 11, 2023
Mediaite Editor-in-Chief Aidan McLaughlin exposed the wailing and gnashing of teeth happening behind the scenes at the network.
“CNN journalist texts: ‘That was sickening,'” McLaughlin tweeted.
“Shame on us.”
CNN journalist texts: “That was sickening”
“Shame on us”
— Aidan McLaughlin (@aidnmclaughlin) May 11, 2023
Of course, those who are not a rabid anti-Trump leftist were able to thoroughly enjoy the evening.
Trump’s take-no-prisoners attitude and willingness to defend himself — and, by extension, his voters — reminded us of why we voted for him in the first place, mean tweets and all.
😂😂😂😂😂I can’t stop laughing. https://t.co/cTbLjC5kzo
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) May 11, 2023
This is the most hilarious 2 minutes I’ve seen from a politician since he was in office pic.twitter.com/VG0GwERKVU
— Liberty Lockdown w/ Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) May 11, 2023
This CNN town hall event is a stand up comedy show.
CNN looks terrible.pic.twitter.com/yjUZv8s2V4
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 11, 2023
Despite this typically candidate-friendly format, Trump knew he was walking into hostile territory and came ready to defend himself accordingly.
The audience was along for the ride as Trump reminded them why his name is on flags flying from the back of pickup trucks, why he can still pack them in at his rallies, why his supporters organized endless caravans and boat parades, and why he has survived every attack thrown at him from the left.
This event just might be the thing that catapults the odds-on frontrunner to a decisive win as the 2024 GOP presidential candidate, and all that comes after will be thanks to CNN.
Cry harder, Cooper and Tapper.
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