David Zaslav, CEO of CNN’s parent company, recently defended the network’s decision to host a live town hall with former President Donald J. Trump, saying the event was “important for America.” I was.
It did, but probably not for the reasons Mr. Zaslav intended.
In his first appearance on CNN since 2016, Trump unleashed a salvo of deceit in an encouraging and sometimes bewildering Wednesday night broadcast.
Trump has repeatedly falsely claimed that the 2020 election was rigged. He called E. Jean Carroll her “dirty job” and attacked her with her misogynistic language. He defended the January 6th Capitol riot.
Collins has remained calm despite Trump’s confusion, intercepting, mediating, and correcting the former president’s lies, and denouncing Trump’s lies. He often responded by addressing her. Some in her live audience applauded when Trump finally got the hang of it and mocked Collins as a “asshole.”
It was a preview of what American journalism can expect in the 2024 election campaign with Trump. Despite his ubiquity in politics, Trump has rarely appeared on mainstream television outside of Fox News since his resignation.
If the 2016 campaign showed that many Americans couldn’t agree on a common fact, the Babel-like nature of New Hampshire City Hall on Wednesday meant that voters now occupy a whole different world. suggests. Trump repeated his web of conspiracy about the stolen election and the “beautiful day” of the Capitol riots, words likely to confuse half the audience and resonate as gospel with the rest of the audience.
“President, the election was not rigged,” Ms. Collins once said. “You can’t keep saying that all night.” (He kept saying it.)
Collins, a rising star of CNN and being considered for the network’s 9 p.m. She’s been covering Trump for years, knows his idiosyncrasies, and didn’t flinch when he tried to bully her.
Mr Collins asked briefly, “Do you want Ukraine to win this war?” (He didn’t give a straight answer.) She pointed out, “You didn’t say yes or no,” and insisted that he would not sign a federal ban on abortion. put pressure on. (Again, Trump won’t say.)
Still, Collins could only do what she could as the only journalist on stage. It quickly became clear that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents were deeply skeptical of her efforts to curb Trump. The town hall format, which drew many cheers when the former president teased Ms. Collins, made it all the more difficult for her to carry out her duties. (CNN said it gathered an audience in consultation with community groups, faith-based organizations, local Republicans, and the Student Union of St. Anselm and Her College.)
As the broadcast ended, after Mr. Trump briefly shook hands with Mr. Collins and uttered “Well done,” the camera cut to an unusually subdued panel of CNN analysts.
“We don’t have enough time to fact-check all the lies he’s told,” anchor Jake Tupper said. Some of his CNN critics were pointing out the same thing before and after Wednesday’s broadcast. So Trump would be reckless to allow millions of people to speak live during prime time.
It is well established that Mr. Trump has a penchant for spreading falsehoods. Even Fox News, which has provided the former president with a friendly forum with conservative stars like Sean Hannity and Mark Levin, hasn’t brought Trump back to life for months.
He is also the de facto leader of the Republican Party. That means his remarks are inherently newsworthy for voters on the front lines of the new presidential election. In a statement late Wednesday, CNN said its city hall reflected the network’s “roles and responsibilities: getting answers and holding those in power accountable.”
Producers and journalists from other major TV networks watched CNN Wednesday with curiosity, skepticism and a touch of dread.
If Trump remains the leading Republican nominee, he will soon be on the Republican airwaves.
