The aftermath of the first 2024 presidential debate has sparked intense criticism from the left, with many liberals targeting CNN, blaming the outlet for President Joe Biden’s decisive loss to former President Donald Trump. The debate’s outcome has led to a wave of backlash against the network, which some claim allowed Trump to dominate.
Leading the charge is political commentator Keith Olbermann, who expressed his outrage on social media. Olbermann accused CNN of abandoning its journalistic duties by not verifying Trump’s statements. “CNN’s decision to abrogate its journalistic responsibilities by not fact-checking Trump’s firehose of lies is unforgivable,” he wrote. He went so far as to suggest that CNN should “go off the air in shame, fire everybody, seal off the buildings, make sure everybody’s out, and burn the g****mned place to the ground!”
The frustration was echoed by others on the left. Actress Ellen Barkin expressed her dismay, claiming CNN had rigged the debate in favor of Trump by ignoring his legal troubles while focusing on Hunter Biden. “That was terrifying. That @CNN, a supposed centrist mainstream network, would decide to fix the deck in favor of Trump scares me,” she tweeted.
Florida activist Rebekah Jones also criticized the network, calling the lack of fact-checking “f***ing shameful.” Liberal pundit Art Candee joined the chorus, specifically naming CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash for letting Trump’s statements go unchecked.
Human rights lawyer Qasim Rashid described the situation as “journalistic malpractice,” arguing that the moderators’ refusal to fact-check Trump undermined democracy. Paid Democratic Twitter troll Majid Padellan voiced similar sentiments, questioning the purpose of the debate if Trump’s statements were not challenged.
Former congressional candidate Christopher Hale criticized CNN for allowing Trump to deliver a “fact-free infomercial” without addressing his criminal convictions and indictments. Attorney Olayemi Olurin added that while CNN failed to fact-check Trump, Biden’s lackluster performance was also to blame. “If Joe Biden were performing the way he’s supposed to in a debate, his answers would be the fact-check,” she pointed out.
The fallout from the debate has left many Democrats in a state of panic, with calls for Biden to step down or be replaced by another candidate. Despite this, some liberal pundits believe that voters will still support Biden out of distaste for Trump, regardless of the debate performance.
