CNN has declared the nickname “Fredo” is an “ethnic slur” in defense of anchor Chris Cuomo, who exploded at a stranger teasing him with that name, but several guests on the network have used this same term to attack the Trump family without any pushback—even on Cuomo’s own primetime show.
A video of Cuomo surfaced Monday evening, showing the CNN anchor going on an unhinged rant after a man referred to him as “Fredo.” Cuomo threatened to throw the man down the stairs and compared the use of the nickname – which was popularized by Breitbart News’s John Nolte – to the “N-word”:
CNN spokesman Matt Dornic backed Cuomo as the clip generated mockery, particularly its “N-word” comparison, declaring for the network that this nickname is, in fact, an “ethnic slur.”
Chris Cuomo defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup. We completely support him.
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) August 13, 2019
However, there are several CNN segments where contributors and guests used this same nickname — and no evidence that CNN found their commentary offensive.
A clip has resurfaced showing Cuomo himself unresponsive while network contributor Ana Navarro used the nickname “Fredo” regarding Donald Trump Jr. This particular soundbite was promoted on the official social media account for his show Cuomo Prime Time.
.@ananavarro slams Don Jr. for likening border wall to zoo fence: He's an "entitled, rich, spoiled little brat whose only call to fame is being his daddy's son."
"[D]addy kept Fredo back home…Who cares what [he] says. I don't want to talk about that entitled little brat." pic.twitter.com/zpTtp8ZfAd— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) January 10, 2019
Trump, for his part, played into the fact that he receives endless “Fredo” taunts from the left, telling Cuomo that the nickname “just means you’re the dumb brother.”
He continued by pointing out the Navarro clip from January: “Does CNN’s head of PR still think ‘Fredo’ is an ethnic slur after watching this? Because if it’s the N word for Italians like @ChrisCuomo says, I don’t understand why Chris seems so at ease with someone saying it here,” Trump tweeted Monday night.
“An excuse just as fake as his news,” he added:
Does CNN’s head of PR still think “Fredo” is an ethnic slur after watching this? Because if it’s the N word for Italians like @ChrisCuomo says, I don’t understand why Chris seems so at ease with someone saying it here. An excuse just as fake as his news. #FredoCuomo https://t.co/8G8yuY80CK pic.twitter.com/1gwVyDVCob
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 13, 2019
In addition to Navarro, Never Trumper Rick Wilson called Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) the “the Fredo of the Republican party” during an appearance on CNN earlier this year:
Here's Rick Wilson calling Rep. Nunes "the Fredo of the Republican party" on CNN back in March. pic.twitter.com/Ao4fkH9Ike
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) August 13, 2019
Devin Nunes was referred to as “Fredo” on CNN in March. CNN’s David Gregory compared @DonaldJTrumpJr to “Fredo” in February. And in January, CNN’s Ana Navarro referred to @DonaldJTrumpJr as “Fredo”…to Cuomo on his own show. https://t.co/jXCUfFkYvs
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) August 13, 2019
CNN has not responded to Breitbart News’s request for comment. Dornic sent out one additional potshot–not quite clear in its meaning–in response to Trump Jr:
Speaking of dumb brothers…. cc: @EricTrump
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) August 13, 2019
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