CNN Faces Calls for Boycott Over Including Trump in Town Hall

[jgo]

Source: Newsweek

CNN is facing widespread pushback after announcing its presidential town hall in New Hampshire next week will feature former President Donald Trump.

The network announced Monday that the event, which will take place May 10 at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, and moderated by CNN This Morning anchor Kaitlan Collins. Trump will be funneled questions from Republican and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP primary election, where New Hampshire is set to be one of four early voting states for the Republican National Committee.

According to CNN, this will be the first time Trump has appeared on the network since his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has enjoyed a favorable lead in many early hypothetical GOP matchups for the 2024 election despite facing a list of legal troubles that has the potential to cloud his reelection bid.

CNN's announcement sparked criticism on social media, with phrases like "#BoycottCNN" trending over Twitter Monday evening. Several users argued that giving Trump a live platform could be ill-considered given the former president's history of lying during 2020 election events about issues like mail-in voting and COVID-19.



Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/cnn-faces-calls-boycott-over-including-trump-town-hall-1797711

[EYESORE 9001]

1. Mess with us & we'll spread the rumor that you're woke AF

Only half-kidding.

[Firestorm49]

2. An article in DU yesterday included a link to respond to CNN. I rudely did so. Join me.

[BigmanPigman]

17. I did and they even thanked me. How kind.

Now change your programming, DAMN IT!

[JT45242]

23. I did as well...

Went on for a long time that they should fact check in real time and call them lies.

Then went back n to say they went from being the most respected cable news outlet to OAN-lite.

Also said that accused rapists under indictment should not be given free ad time. Just ask Fox stockholders how letting him spew the big lie is bad for the bottom line

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Trump is bed, bath, and behind coherent adult communication at this point

He will make a fool of himself, which voters deserve to know.

[intheflow]

12. This turn of phrase is so apt:

Trump is as morally bankrupt as Bed Bath and Beyond is financially bankrupt.

[gab13by13]

13. Do you think this won't be scripted?

Trump will know every question ahead of time, guaranteed.

[Moostache]

36. Knowing the questions doesn't help him

It exposes him.

He starts extolling other things mid-thought and thinks it plays well, when in fact it just highlights his malignant narcissism.
I don't want him boycotted or protested, I want him exposed and replayed and turn his own answers and sniffling tendencies against him. Just put a microphone in front of him and goad him with questions that give him ample rope to hang himself with...

[Karadeniz]

38. They will funnel him questions from Republicans.... WHAT A CLOWN SHOW!!!! NOT FREEDOM OF

SPEECH! People in New Hampshire need to storm where it's occurring. Let Trump experience what he did to Congress... minus the violence.

[underpants]

4. It'll get big ratings.

And that’s all they care about.

[bluestarone]

6. I'm thinking you are right! BUT

I do hope you're wrong.

[RKP5637]

7. Which translates to $$$$$'s to CNN. Outrageous. Lies and hatred sell well. n/t

[Rebl2]

24. Hope you

are wrong. Quit watching CNN several years ago.

[JohnSJ]

5. The viewers would be the repukes, magas, etc., and politicos, and maybe that is

what CNN wants

[RKP5637]

8. I think the new CEO of CNN is into RW crap, so I've heard. n/t

[JohnSJ]

16. That is the talk here

[RKP5637]

29. It seems this is where they were discussing the future of CNN.

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/3634717-changes-spark-chatter-of-cnn-is-shift-from-left-to-right/

[JohnSJ]

31. Thanks

[samnsara]

9. i wanna see it. theres nothing better than a town hall to show how much or how little

..a candidate knows and how they respond to the real public and not a reporter.

he cant yell at the audience and if he does hes toast. so....bring it on!

[Tree Lady]

59. They will pick the people and easy

questions, the entire thing will be a set up and ad for Trump.

I bet no democrats will be allowed any questions at all.

[LudwigPastorius]

64. "President Trump,...

would you say that you are one of the greatest presidents in history, or the greatest president in history?"

[ArizonaLib]

10. They can't say he has not appeared on their network in so many years

if his image has been shown on it several times a day. His name is mentioned constantly in nearly every political block and clips of him are on often. They have had trouble finding eye balls and clumsily make welcoming gimmicks to Fox audiences. So much for any more pretense of a news organization.

[Bayard]

11. CNN has gone to the Dark Side

[everyonematters]

14. If this is primary voters I would assume that not all of them would be supporters of Trump.

This could be the first time that he is asked critical questions about his actions concerning Jan 6th. He could be asked the same questions that the select committee could ask him, such as," please explain your action when the capital was being attacked and you did noting for two and half hours." I am going to watch this. Someting explosive could come out of this.

Trump is delusional enough to say something that would be self-incriminating.

[moonscape]

40. Yes. Jack Smith will be watching.

[Fullduplexxx]

15. Trump will be funneled questions from Republican and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024

Trump will be funneled questions from Republican and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP primary

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. He's the overwhelming favourite for the GOP primary

Doing a town hall without him would be pointless - there's no guarantee he'll pick the runner-up as his VP candidate, and who cares who his VP nom will be, anyway?

They could say "we won't cover the Republican primary, since that means giving publicity to Trump before he wins it". But that will get them just as much shit for "not even covering one of the 2 main parties". The problem is that GOP voters have lost their minds, and are determined to have a candidate that reflects that.

Though, since the 2nd favourite, DeSantis, hasn't officially declared, that would give them a good reason for saying "it's too early".

[machoneman]

19. If Ms. Collins pushes back, this could be fun. Nawh, won't happen at all. He'll blather more...

...b.s. than a real bull and not get called out even once!

[Submariner]

20. Collins came over from Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller rag

she'll attract some more maga crowd to the sewage-fest.

[LymphocyteLover]

63. Yes, she's very problematic

[patricia92243]

21. Didn't they learn anything? They helped elect him, and he turned

on them and other MSM. He would muzzle them and no telling what else if he should be Prez.

He is dangerous and CNN is crazy.

[SouthernDem4ever]

54. Absolutely.

He spent 5 years calling them fake news. How stupid of them to have him appear on their network.

[AllaN01Bear]

22. thank god i wont be watching on youtube and tv. bleh.

[musclecar6]

25. John Malone

Is apparently the owner of CNN now who is reputedly a right wing person. Do you think that has anything to do with Trump getting a Townhall and all the other stuff they’ve come up with lately ? Ostensibly CNN wanted to move things more to the center. With a right wing billionaire owning the company, their idea of the center is obviously anything but the center. Surprise Surprise.

CNN is just a slightly polished up version of FOX now.

[MontanaMama]

26. Haven't watched CNN for years

and don’t plan to start now. The MSM hasn’t learned one thing about the airtime they gave that orange mess during the last two elections.

[judesedit]

28. x1,000,000,000

[dchill]

33. They learned that there's bux to be made...

... hurting the country.

[onetexan]

48. Ditto

[judesedit]

27. Don't you mean, lying about everything?

[Bobstandard]

30. Another scripted reality show!

Full of bombast, lying, faked emotions, and heartbreak!

[dchill]

32. I'LL never see it.

[lollygag]

34. Buckle up

Looks like he'll be the nominee (if not in prison) and my guess is he'll be on similar events with other networks. The key is the moderator pushing back.

[ShazzieB]

35. Town hall, schmown hall.

Trump will be funneled questions from Republican and undeclared voters who plan to vote in the 2024 GOP primary election...

But no Democrats need apply, obviously. Funny, I thought a town hall was supposed to include the whole town.

The more I think about it, the more ridiculous this is, especially this far out from the primary. I really hope the pressure CNN is getting will convince them this is a very bad idea.

I just have one question, though: how is boycotting a cable TV network supposed to work? If you boycott a business, the idea is that they will notice a drop in the number of customers and the amount of money coming in. Those of us with cable are paying for CNN through our cable providers, and CNN receives that income regardless of how many people actually watch their shows. I don't watch CNN anyway, just like I don't watch Fox Lies, and they both still get paid.

[ExWhoDoesntCare]

42. You can boycott their advertisers

And if you're really serious about sending a message, cut your cable and tell your cable company why. Tell them you don't appreciate paying to be lied to or for having treason piped into your home.

If enough people did the second one, those networks would clean up their acts in a hurry.

Well, except for how people who cut their cable tend not to come back. Too many options out there to watch most of the content online.

[Silent Type]

37. Think the last three paragraphs from the article are correct. trump will not fare well.

"If Trump is the GOP nominee, he will likely get several more live coverage opportunities in the next election cycle, and as independent journalist Brian Krassenstein wrote on Twitter, news organizations are tasked "to show Americans both sides of the picture."

""To attack a news organization for questioning a former president, who wants to be president again, in a town hall setting, is simply insane in my opinion," Krassenstein said. "Americans are smart enough to listen to his answers and make their own decision. They don't need news organizations deciding what they should or should not see."

""Information is never bad," he continued. "If Trump lies, CNN can call him out. Everything doesn't have to involve outrage and boycotts.""

[Hortensis]

43. THIS news organization gave tRump over a BILLION DOLLARS in free

advertising in 2016, including hours of "air" time all day every day he wanted it. Not just free, but mostly unfiltered tRump and biased toward him and against Democrats.

This is the same CNN news organization deciding what those who watch them WILL see. For the same reasons. Differences will be in what they can get away with, how to put it over, as what they had a big part in kicking off in 2016 continues.

[Silent Type]

47. Personally, I'd put trump on 24/7. He's his worst enemy.

[Eliot Rosewater]

49. Thank YOU

CNN appears to VERY MUCH want Trump to be the candidate and to be on his side every step of the way.


They would never do this and nor would dumbshit if the fix wasn't in as to sculpting the questions a certain way, etc.

[Hortensis]

51. This suggests to me C-suite types and those they ally with

believe tRump will be the Republican nominee, whether they want him or not, and they have to start setting him up to win the GE -- and with his coattails as a strong central figure, elect others to get control of congress and the state houses.

After all, RW powers managed to elect the renegade RW voters' bizarre choice before, and they have to be encouraged by how VERY well they managed to do with him in power.

Guessing they're not worried for their own survival.

[Old Okie]

39. CNN

Well, I for one have stopped watching CNN just as I stopped watching CBS after they hired Mulvaney. CEO's of both appear to be right wing and eagerly seeking Fox viewers. Fine for them but I am not watching anymore. Only watched the morning shows but even Morning Joe is getting hard to watch and the guy on Squawk is a hardcore Reaganite.

[ECL213]

41. Certainly, a drinking game to be had...

Drink every time Il Douche says:

Some form of big lie.
Witch hunt.
Government censor/censorship.
Hunter Biden.
Something about our unsecured borders.
Anything that was the "best ever".

[yagotme]

57. Alcohol poisoning. It's a thing.

[TreasonousBastard]

44. I would gladly watch this if the host had a kill switch for...

Slob father's mike. Someone has to shut him up every so often.

And fuck first amendment rights. He has no right to try to own the airwaves.

[kimbutgar]

45. CNN just loves propping up that orange maggot windbag

Does Chris Licht want to lose his job. I didn’t watch the MTG on 60 minutes and haven’t wanted to watch it since. Now I will never watch CNN unless it cancels this town hall.

Shame on CNN!

[tiredtoo]

46. CNN is losing viewers

I stopped when they announced they were going to move a bit to the right. Monday's episode is an attempt to pick up some delusional cult members after tucker got fired.

[Quanto Magnus]

50. If they are letting tRump back on CNN

Then this statement: CNN strongly denies such a change is taking place, saying it is entirely focused on objective journalism.

is a complete lie.

[Roc2020]

52. I only watch CNN

for breaking news. And having access to the BBC CNN isn't even my first choice anymore. Only CNN International makes money.

[jgo]

53. I generally watch France 24

on streaming - it is free and no commercials, and in English. They generally do a good job, especially the round-table discussions.

[Roc2020]

66. I watch them at times myself

[GenThePerservering]

55. I'm hoping that Dump just gets enough rope

to hang himself.

[ripcord]

56. Good thing we don't have a Fairness Doctrine

Networks would be required to give him equal time.

[Joinfortmill]

58. Wonder what CNN founder, Ted Turner, thinks about all this. He once said...

"We won't be signing off until the world ends."

[LetMyPeopleVote]

60. if CNN was around during the Civil War

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[NoodleyAppendage]

61. Blame John Malone, the faux news-lite loving billionaire

CNN has been in a right-wing groveling death spiral since billionaire John Malone expressed his desire to turn the network into Faux News-lite.

J

[LymphocyteLover]

62. Problem is there's no way the moderator or the audience will hold this criminal rapist to account

so it will only help him fuzzy up everything.

No one ever takes the time and effort to nail him down on anything and show what a liar he is to his face.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

65. Trump is not a normal candidate for President. @CNN is trying to normalize him

Link to tweet