How CNN views Trump voters
Weekly Example of Media Bias — Posted on January 29, 2020
On Jan. 25, Don Lemon laughed heartily/hysterically as CNN contributors, Rick Wilson (Republican strategist and anti-Trumper) and Wajahat Ali (who is also a New York Times op-ed writer), mocked Trump supporters as unintelligent rubes who couldn’t read or spell and were ignorant of geography. Watch the clip below:
Following blowback on social media over their portrayal of Trump supporters as ignorant, uneducated hicks, Mr. Lemon made the following comment at the conclusion of his Feb. 28 show:
“And one final note that I have for you because this is personally important to me to address this. Anyone, ask anyone who knows me, they’ll tell you, I don’t believe in belittling people, belittling anyone for who they are, what they believe, or where they are from. During an interview on Saturday night, one of my guests said something that made me laugh and while in the moment, I found that joke humorous. And I didn’t catch everything that was said. Just to make this perfectly clear, I was laughing at the joke and not at any group of people.”
Watch the clip:
Questions
1. What do you think? Did CNN jounalist Don Lemon display bias against Trump supporters in this clip? Explain your answer.
2. What do you think of Mr. Lemon's comment following blowback to the original show? (Sincere, believable, not believable...?) Explain your answer.
3. Are you a Bernie Sanders supporter? Is Elizabeth Warren your candidate? Who would you vote for? If a TV journalist had mocked your candidate's supporters in this manner, would you consider it biased? Explain your answer.