A watershed moment.

May 12, 2023

[No audio version for this edition.]

         I have a family commitment this evening that precludes me from devoting the time necessary to produce a full newsletter. I include a few observations about the last twenty-four hours and will return on Friday with a pre-weekend newsletter.

          With the benefit of twenty-four hours of reflection, it has become clear that the CNN town hall was a watershed event that clarified fundamental truths about the sorry state of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, and CNN. Let’s take a few steps back and consider the major themes that emerged from the town hall.

What did we learn from CNN’s town hall?

          Trump is still the greatest threat to American democracy since the Civil War. It is shocking and surprising every time we learn anew that Trump is the greatest threat to American democracy. Trump reminded us on Wednesday that he is unrepentant and more dangerous than ever because he is wounded, desperate, and cornered. He is rooting against democracy and in favor of insurrectionists. I recommend Charlie Syke’s superb essay in The Bulwark, The Moment That You Knew. Parental guidance: The article includes some partially deleted expletives that are appropriate under the circumstances.

          Trump is still rooting for Russia. Trump refused to tell Kaitlan Collins whether he hoped Russia or Ukraine would prevail in Russia’s war against the Ukrainian people—which of course means that he is rooting for Russia. See The Independent, ‘Putin’s puppet’ Trump refuses to say if Ukraine should win the war against Russia.

          Trump attacked sexual assault victims, Black Americans, and law enforcement officials. The media, Democrats, and Republicans have dropped the ball in condemning Trump for attacking sexual assault victims, Black Americans, and a valiant law enforcement officer who defended the lives of members of Congress. Although media outlets are reporting on those comments, they are not condemning Trump for making those statements. And no media outlet is reporting on Trump’s comparison of protests over the death of George Floyd and the assault on the Capitol. That comparison is an outrage and an insult to hundreds of thousands of Americans who protested peacefully but the media has ignored the comments.

          CNN has not apologized for allowing its program to serve as a platform for defamatory, misogynistic, and racist statements. Rather than apologize for the ugly statements made by Trump during CNN’s programming, CNN’s executives have issued a self-congratulatory statement claiming that the network fulfilled its “role and responsibility to get answers and hold the powerful to account.” CNN management is clueless. See WaPo, CNN leadership under fire after ‘disastrous’ Trump town hall. (“The more profound impact, however, may be the damage done to the reputation of the network that has long promoted itself as “the most trusted name in news.” It also raised questions about the future prospects of chief executive Chris Licht, who replaced Trump-friend-turned critic Jeff Zucker last year and is charged with striking a more neutral tone at a cable channel.”

          Sadly, Anderson Cooper lowered himself to defend CNN’s complicity by claiming “Trump may be president in two years” and cautioning that Americans should “not live in silos” by “refusing to listen to the other side.” Giving Trump ninety minutes of free airtime to hold a rally with a hand-picked GOP audience has nothing to do with “living in silos” or “refusing to listen to the other side.” Shame on Anderson Cooper for lending his credibility to a post-facto effort to recharacterize what CNN intended to do on Wednesday evening—to legitimize Trump to Independent voters. Anderson Cooper’s comments are included in this video segment: Anderson Cooper: If Trump's lies remain unchecked, they'll continue and spread.

CNN’s journalists were embarrassed by what they saw. See Business Insider, CNN Insiders Were Horrified by the Network's Trump Town Hall 'Disaster'. One CNN commentator published an op-ed on CNN’s platform criticizing the network for the debacle. See Oliver Darcy on CNN, Analysis: CNN faces harsh criticism after Trump unleashed a firehose of lies during its live town hall.

Trump incriminated himself multiple times. Trump provided incriminating and contradictory statements that will increase his legal jeopardy in the criminal investigations of his role in (a) the January 6^th insurrection; (b) the effort to interfere in Georgia’s 2020 presidential vote; (c) the attempted coup and fake electors’ plot; and (d) his theft of defense secrets.

Trump defamed E. Jean Carroll. Trump repeated the defamatory comments that were the subject of E. Jean Carroll’s successful lawsuit against Trump. E. Jean Carroll can file a new lawsuit based on the republication of the defamatory statements during the CNN town hall. See The Hill, E. Jean Carroll’s attorney says she may sue Trump again over CNN town hall comments. Carroll’s attorneys are likely considering whether CNN should be a defendant in a new defamation suit because it gave Trump a forum to publish defamatory statements.

Concluding Thoughts.

          My Managing Editor is telling me to “wrap it up” so I am “on time” picking up my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughters at LAX! Let me close by recommending two terrific essays that should give Democrats renewed confidence about their prospects for 2024.

Michael Hiltzik of the LA Times discusses the question of Biden’s age in his essay, In praise of gerontocracy, experience, wisdom.

          Mike Lux and Celinda Lake have published a memo to “Interested Parties,” titled, Democrats Could Win a Trifecta in 2024 (mikeluxmedia.com). Thanks for Jessica Craven for recommending this wonderful article. Check it out!

          Talk to you tomorrow!