CNN fawned over Michelle Obama's Democratic National Convention speech while overlooking a misleading claim that even the Associated Press felt compelled to fact-check.
CNN bills itself as a network dedicated to “facts” and fact-checks President Trump and members of his administration at every turn. However, a review of the network’s transcripts showed no mention of a misleading moment in the first hour following Obama’s speech.
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“Michelle Obama assailed President Donald Trump on Monday for ripping migrant children from their parents and throwing them into cages, picking up on a frequent and distorted point made widely by Democrats,” the AP reported. “What she did not say is that the very same ‘cages’ were built and used in her husband’s administration, for the same purpose of holding migrant kids temporarily.”
CNN praised Michelle Obama's Monday night speech while overlooking a misleading claim. (Democratic National Convention via AP)
CNN, which has at times cut into Trump remarks to immediately push back on false statements, had an hour to point out the misleading statement, but instead spent the time breathlessly complimenting Obama.
Wolf Blitzer called the pre-taped 18-minute speech a “truly extraordinary moment in American political history,” and Jake Tapper made sure viewers were aware of his admiration for Obama immediately following her remarks.
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“Before I get to any of the content, we should just acknowledge that the former first lady is one of the most effective speakers in American politics today,” Tapper said.
Dana Bash then praised Obama for going “for the jugular” on Trump by using rhetoric that could hurt his feelings.
“She knew where to hit him where it hurts. Talking about the fact that he lost the national popular vote by nearly 3 million votes. We know that that is something that bothers the president almost as much as anything,” Bash said. “She didn't just go after him, but she went after him in a way that she really knew would bug him.”
“Yeah. I mean, you could really hear the frustration in her voice, you could see it in her face, and I think that's what made this so powerful,” CNN political correspondent Abby Phillips eventually chimed in.
Media Research Center news analyst Nicholas Fondacaro wrote that CNN personalities “were glorifying Obama’s bleak vision of America because that was the narrative they’ve been feeding their viewers for years now,” and they need to capitalize on the programming strategy leading up to the election.
But the fawning over Obama was just beginning as Anderson Cooper curated the love fest.
“This was not a speech in political terms. This was a moral speech, a speech from the standpoint of a mother, of a concerned citizen, and it felt that way,” CNN’s senior political commentator David Axelrod said. “She speaks with a moral authority few in politics can summon.”
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CNN reporter Nia-Malika Henderson then added, “She's also this kind of pop culture figure who also kind of comes across as your favorite next-door neighbor,” before colleague Gloria Borger emphasized that viewers “could see and hear the sadness in her voice.”
CNN chief national correspondent John King said the Biden campaign would be “idiots” if Obama’s speech was not turned into an ad “within minutes.” CNN’s Van Jones was up next and certainly didn’t offer an opposing view of the speech, saying he was “blown away” by Obama.
“It was an extraordinary speech. I mean, she's beautiful. I mean, it was so beautiful. And you know, she wasn't just putting the president down, she was trying to pick the country up. She was speaking like a lot of moms across this country. You know, the heartbreak was there, the hope was there,” Jones said. “So you're seeing one of the most effective communicators in American life putting it all on the table.”
CNN pundits Andrew Yang and Jennifer Granholm also praised Obama before the liberal network finally turned to political commentator Scott Jennings, who was greatly outnumbered serving as the conservative voice. But instead of finding a flaw with Obama’s speech, he essentially said she’s so amazing that it will make Biden look bad by comparison.
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“She is extremely compelling. The big problem for Michelle Obama or with her is that she will outshine Joe Biden by a like a million foot-candles or however it is you measure bright lights because there is no way he gets anywhere near her. She is a real talent, Democrats like her, they care about her, and they are actually enthusiastic about her,” Jennings said.
CNN wrapped up its post-speech analysis and tossed coverage to opinion hosts Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon without ever acknowledging Obama’s misleading claim.
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