It may be cliché to point to CNN as the premiere example of a failed news organization, but there isn’t a better example of what happens to media when the emotions and political proclivities of its staff override journalistic integrity.
And there isn’t a better recent example than this exchange between CNN anchor Kate Bolduan and Republican House Rep. Cory Mills of Florida. Mills was brought on to discuss how the Secret Service handled security at Donald Trump’s July 13 rally at Butler, Pennsylvania. We can all see the result—20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at the president, nearly putting a bullet in his brain while the crowd screamed in panic.
We’re now seeing video on social media with people claiming to have seen Crooks maneuvering to get on top of a nearby roof with a clear line of sight, begging police to do something about it, to no avail. Well, Rep. Mills is a former Army sniper and he’s displeased with the Secret Service, to put it mildly.
During the interview he listed numerous apparent failures, most obviously the fact that Crooks was able to get on top of the building roof with no one stopping him, and no agents stationed on that roof. Mills called it an “obvious” spot for a shooter to go for. He said he was left scratching his head about the Service’s decision-making process.
“I’m having a very difficult time not leaning myself toward . . .this was intentional as opposed to fecklessness.”
That’s when CNN anchor Bolduan began to lose it. Visibly agitated, she interrupted Mills and said with obvious emotion in her voice that he was “leaning toward” being a conspiracy theorist:
She interrupts him repeatedly like a scolding schoolteacher, clearly trying to get him to stop speculating about even the possibility that some of the security failures might have been intentional. Despite Mills trying to explain to her that he is pointing out why an investigation is necessary, Bolduan is clearly upset and alarmed that she cannot force him to stop speaking.
“Is it not dangerous? Is it not reckless to even be throwing around the word intentional?” she said, repeatedly moving her hand toward him in a “shush” gesture. You can see her clenching her jaw and sighing while squirming in her chair. “Mommy” was clearly upset. At one point, she even said, “I’m so uncomfortable right now.”
Are you feeling confident in your ability as an American to hear the news and information you need?
Twitter/X users were, in the main, not impressed with Bolduan.
Several users obviously wanted to hear more from the expert, Rep. Mills, and less from what some called the “blonde woman on CNN.”
It brings to mind the line from Don Henley’s famous song “Dirty Laundry”: “Bubble-headed bleach blonde comes on at five.”
How you rate CNN on this one? Tell us in the comments.
