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.”
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.
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:
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:
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: