In an exchange between CNN hosts Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo on Tuesday night, they stated that they would “never even put” false claims on TV.
In an exchange between CNN hosts Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo on Tuesday night, they stated that they would "never even put" false claims on TV.
Don Lemon said that the right-wing legacy media has "no real protocol" and "no real structure" and that "they can say what they want."
"They put headlines and things and write about things —" said Lemon.
"They say it's opinion," Cuomo interrupted.
"Yeah, but most people, we would never even put it on — give it the light of day..." Lemon continued.
"Thats because we have news accountability," said Cuomo. "That's the Fox farce. The whole nighttime lineup is entertainment."
"Then they shouldn't put news behind it," said Lemon, referring to the Fox News name.
Meanwhile, despite their claims that they have "news accountability" both hosts are not without their own journalistic controversies.
Chris Cuomo has arguably the larger controversy after being embroiled in his brother's actions and accusations.
In February, the younger Cuomo was barred from covering his older brother, then Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo, after their lighthearted family reunion-esque interviews failed to cover the nursing home controversy the older brother was facing.
Earlier this year, a top Cuomo aide had revealed that they underreported nursing home deaths in order to prevent former President Donald Trump from attaining a political victory.
In April, Cuomo referred to news outlets covering the special treatment that the younger brother received in New York as the "tabloids." Andrew Cuomo had reportedly ordered officials to prioritize Cuomo's family and individuals with links to his administration during the onset of the pandemic, allowing them to receive preferential treatment in the state.
Cuomo also apologized back in May for acting as an advisor for his brother as 11 women stepped forward with allegations of sexual harassment against the now former governor of New York. It is unclear whether he continued to advise his brother after the fact, but was named on a list of advisees in the New York State attorney general's report issued in August.
Don Lemon, while not involved in as as many controversies with deeper implications as his CNN counterpart, is no stranger to inserting his opinion into news and exaggerating situations, an action frowned upon by the journalistic code of ethics. He helped to spread many hoaxes such as the Covington kids and Jussie Smollett fiascos.
While they referred to the late night shows of Fox News as entertainment rather than news, both hosts shows are the left's version of these late night shows, and should be considered in the same camp.
Earlier this month, Lemon urged for the shaming of those that have not gotten vaccinated, telling Cuomo "I think we have to stop coddling people, when it comes to this and the vaccine thing. 'Oh, you can't shame them. You can't call them stupid. You can't call them silly.' Yes, they are!"
"The people who aided and abetted Trump are stupid because they believe his big lie. The people who are not getting vaccines who are believing the lies on the internet, instead of science, it's time to start shaming them what else— or leave them behind. Because they are keeping the majority of Americans behind," Lemon said.
Earlier this summer, Lemon took aim at the unvaccinated once again, telling Cuomo that they should not be able to participate in society.
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"You got to start telling people, if you don't get vaccinated, you can't come into this office or this place of business. If you don't get vaccinated, you can't come to work. If you don't get vaccinated, you can't come into this," Lemon ranted.
In May, Lemon claimed that the events at the Capitol Building on January "was nothing short of war, as I said, hand to hand combat."
"And to have people deny that is just disgusting. And the only reason they're doing that, I believe is because one, they're embarrassed, two because they don't want it marked down in history, they don't want it recorded, because of their—they're complicit," said Lemon.
"They're complicit. Because the lies that they told, and the way they were able to be coopted by the former president, to them, I'm sure it's embarrassing, and it's some form of, they're trying to reconcile it in their minds. Cognitive dissonance. But something, y'know, I'm not a psychologist, but something is off," he continued.
