Left-wing journalists Chris Hayes and Glenn Greenwald blasted the far-left CNN for ambushing a female Trump supporter in Florida earlier this week.
On Monday, CNN’s Drew Griffin tracked down a private citizen whose worst sin might have been sharing — without knowing she was doing so — a “Russian-coordinated event” on her Facebook page. Griffin proceeded to publicly shame this woman, even though his left-wing employer gave a Russian-coordinated event more publicity than Putin could have ever hoped for.
Michael Moore was also at that rally and as of now CNN has not demanded he answer for his “unwitting” Russian collusion.
This is not the first time the last-place cable channel has attacked an innocent civilian. Over a silly video that mocked CNN, CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski openly threatened its creator, warning him that if he ever did it again CNN would “dox” him, or publish his private information so the Internet could abuse him.
Many accused CNN of doxing this woman. The anti-Trump network told the whole world her name and even chose not to blur out the address number on her house.
https://twitter.com/dru55555/status/966517805192491015
https://twitter.com/AusRichie/status/966366750232268800
Wow. I didn't even notice that. CNN had better hope nobody "visits" her. https://t.co/ciEsPyS6rJ
— 🌈A Peter Of Color (@WamsuttaLives) February 22, 2018
CNN’s history of fomenting a climate of hate against conservatives and Trump supporters is well-documented.
Regardless, abuse is exactly what this Florida woman faced after CNN broadcast the video and published her name. On her Facebook page, she was savaged by CNN viewers as a “stupid old hag,” a “traitor,” a “treasonous hillbilly,” “ugly,” and “racist trash.”
The woman was also physically threatened. “[S]tay in Florida, you come to NY and I’ll kick your Russian bot ass,” one CNN consumer promised.
Among others, and although they are men of the left, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and the Intercept’s Glenn Greenwald were disgusted and appalled by CNN’s abusive bullying of this innocent woman.
In a series of tweets, Hayes said, “I think it’s bad CNN did this and don’t approve and wouldn’t do it myself.” He added, “That is awful and they should not have done it. … Doorknocking a random citizen not accused of any wrongdoing like that is not cool.”
I think it's bad CNN did this and don't approve and wouldn't do it myself.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 21, 2018
And I truly truly pray and hope this woman is not being beseiged online and IRL
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 21, 2018
That is awful and they should not have done it. In fact the video came up in our editorial meeting and I said we are definitely not showing it. Doorknocking a random citizen not accused of any wrongdoing like that is not cool.
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 21, 2018
Greenwald was even more outraged, declaring CNN’s partisan tactics “vile,” “gross,” and ‘despicable.”
“Despicable: CNN hunts down an ordinary citizen at home … Go ask Michael Moore why he did that. Ask Joy Reid why Russian bots RT her so much.” In another tweet, he added, “One last thing that is vile about what CNN did. This reporter would *never* show up uninvited at the home of, say, Obama military or intel officials & ambush them with cameras. They’d respectfully invite them into studios & allow them to decline. So easy to confront the powerless[.]”
Despicable: CNN hunts down an ordinary citizen at home, accusing her of aiding Russia because she promoted an event on FB that Mueller says Russians organized.
Go ask Michael Moore why he did that. Ask Joy Reid why Russian bots RT her so much. Challenge power. This is bullying https://t.co/pLbRGRuS4I
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 21, 2018
CNN blasted her name all over their networks' airways & the internet, to millions of people, and now – predictably – she's being widely harassed online. What for? What's the journalistic value in exposing her identity? Do you want Fox to go to the homes of #Resistance activists? https://t.co/HBtUS82VAK
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 21, 2018
One last thing that is vile about what CNN did. This reporter would *never* show up uninvited at the home of, say, Obama military or intel officials & ambush them with cameras. They'd respectfully invite them into studios & allow them to decline. So easy to confront the powerless https://t.co/XsoIkBvogB
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 21, 2018
In CNN had ambushed a random #Resistance activist who unwittingly promoted on her FB page a Russian-organized anti-Trump event (as Michael Moore did), blasting her name everywhere, subjecting her to harassment, I wonder if opinions about CNN's behavior would be different? Hmmm. https://t.co/Qo6ZU3JqHZ
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 21, 2018
Beyond the ugly power imbalance of CNN using its huge platform to expose this woman, the premise is also gross: unknowingly promoting a Russian page or event is nefarious. Fox just trolled Michael Moore for doing *exactly* that, but at least he's prominent https://t.co/O3w90SAr5n https://t.co/WjXapjVw0n
— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) February 21, 2018
The Intercept’s Jeremy Scahill added, “CNN could have talked to her without broadcasting her image and name everywhere. It was stunt journalism that resulted in her being harassed mercilessly.”
Also, that woman is now receiving a deluge of vicious, nasty attacks and threats on her Facebook page. CNN could have talked to her without broadcasting her image and name everywhere. It was stunt journalism that resulted in her being harassed mercilessly.
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) February 21, 2018
Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, said simply, “CNN should be ashamed.”
CNN should be ashamed. This is not journalism this is abuse. https://t.co/7lNSD3WQLd
— Jimmy Wales (@jimmy_wales) February 21, 2018
The Huffington Post’s Yashar Ali wrote, “This is nuts. A woman living in her suburban home doesn’t deserve this badgering.”
This is nuts. A woman living in her suburban home doesn’t deserve this badgering. She didn’t mastermind the conspiracy and she’s not a public official or a person known to the public. https://t.co/yMCLtajx0X
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 21, 2018
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.
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