Backlash As CNN Defends Trump’s Town Hall

• Insists on voters’ right to hear ex-President

For its decision to host embattled former United States (US) President, Donald Trump in a Town Hall setting on Wednesday night, CNN (Cable News Network) has continued to receive knocks in the media space.

Criticizing CNN for agreeing to host the Town Hall, many commentators cited the contentious nature of the conversation and the audience’s positive reaction to Trump’s lies as confirmation of the network’s poor judgement.

“CNN should be ashamed of themselves,” Progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on Twitter. She further added that; “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. The audience is cheering him on and laughing at the host.”

But stoutly defending its decision, CNN argued that voters deserved the opportunity to hear from Trump, already seen as the frontrunner in Republican presidential primary.

“Our job, despite his unique circumstances, is to do what we do best,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

“Ask tough questions, follow up and hold him accountable to give voters the information they need to sort through their choices. That is our role and our responsibility.”

On his part, US President, Joe Biden appeared to have watched the Town Hall, as he sent out a fundraising request once the event ended.

“It’s simple, folks,” Biden said on Twitter. “Do you want four more years of that?”

Clearly showing that the Leopard does not change it’s spots, the 45th American President was his usual caustic self, calling a Black police officer a “thug”; and making racist comments about Chinatown in Washington.

He also described host Kaitlan Collins as a “nasty person”; made fun of a woman he sexually abused as a “whack job”; and refused to say whether he wants Russia or Ukraine to win the ongoing war.

Interestingly, when what many have described as an ‘ordeal’ was over, the ghosts of 2016 were everywhere and the grim expressions in the CNN studio said it all with Host Jake Tapper admitting; “We don’t have enough time to fact check every lie he told.” – With The Guardian report