HEY, REMEMBER WHEN CNN SAID THEY DIDN’T COVER STATE SENATORS? Or, Two CNNs In One!
The Tennessee state Republican Party condemned a member of its own Monday after state Sen. Stacey Campfield compared Obamacare sign-ups to Nazi “train rides.”
“While Stacey Campfield routinely makes remarks that are over the top, today’s comments are ignorant and repugnant,” Tennessee GOP Chairman Chris Devaney said in a statement.
—“State lawmaker likens Obamacare sign-ups to Nazi ‘train rides,'” CNN, this past Monday.
California State senator (and, until last week, candidate for secretary of state) Leland Yee was well-known as an anti-gun activist. Then, last week, he was indicted for, yes, conspiring to smuggle guns and rocket launchers between mobsters and terrorists in exchange for massive bribes.
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CNN, home (also until last week) of Piers Morgan, whom Yee had praised for his anti-gun activism, didn’t report the story at all. When prodded by viewers, the network snarked that it doesn’t do state senators. Which is odd, because searching the name of my own state senator, Stacey Campfield, turns up a page of results, involving criticisms of him for saying something “extreme”. Meanwhile, CNN found time to bash Wisconsin state senator and supporter of Gov. Scott Walker, Randy Hopper over marital problems.
But there’s a difference. They’re Republicans. When Republicans do things that embarrass their party, the national media are happy to take note, even if they’re mere state senators. But when Democrats like Yee get busted for actual felonies, and pretty dramatic ones at that, the press suddenly isn’t interested.
—“The media hate Republicans,” Glenn Reynolds’ USA Today column, April 1st, 2014.
On the other hand, perhaps the real story is that CNN is actually capable of reporting on news that doesn’t involve Flight #370, so they got that going for them at least.
Related: Also from this past monday, “CNN Anchor Don Lemon Endorses Nation of Islam.”