With Republicans struggling to spin Donald Trump’s pardon of 1,500 rioters who attacked the Capitol, CNN anchor Jim Acosta had a remarkable exchange with GOP Representative Tim Burchett over the insurrection. Acosta refused to let the MAGA lawmaker evade how horrific January 6 really was, and pinned him down on whether Trump was justified in pardoning people who savagely attacked cops. Why isn’t there more media questioning of Republicans like this? Would it make a difference if there were? We chatted with Matt Gertz of Media Matters about why the right-wing media propaganda apparatus may be winning the long war over January 6, and how the media’s failure to meet the moment is helping to make it happen. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.
PODCAST
CNN Anchor Wrecks Trump Defender in Brutal On-Air Shaming Over Jan. 6
As CNN’s Jim Acosta crucifies a MAGA lawmaker over Trump’s January 6 pardons, a press critic reflects on why we don’t see more of this—and how this failing has enabled pro-Trump propaganda to succeed.
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CNN’s Jim Acosta in Washington, D.C., on November 16, 2018
