In what has become a recurring theme, several CNN “journalists” have broken from their normal jobs of supposedly reporting factual stuff to instead push a lie that’s been dis-proven dozens of times over at this point. Namely, asserting that Senator Ted Cruz and other Republicans voted against aid during Sandy out of pure political spite.
As streiff covered here, Rep. Peter King got the ball rolling on this nonsense last weekend…
Ted Cruz & Texas cohorts voted vs NY/NJ aid after Sandy but I'll vote 4 Harvey aid. NY wont abandon Texas. 1 bad turn doesnt deserve another
— Rep. Pete King (@RepPeteKing) August 27, 2017
This is simply false. The relief bill for Sandy was bloated with pork so thick that nearly a fifth of it wasn’t even going to be spent in storm ravaged areas. Of the relief that was actually going to affected areas, most of that was not going to go to people that needed help but rather to bloated government programs years down the road. Senator Cruz and other Texas Representatives did the principled thing and voted against the bait and switch being shoved in their face.
Today, CNN got in on the act pushing this bit of fake news…
TX GOP Rep. Randy Weber, who opposed Sandy funding, says he hopes Congress will put politics aside to help Texas after Harvey.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 29, 2017
After running the false Sandy bill funding "pork" line https://t.co/YD34eLr6lq
— Greg Krieg (@GregJKrieg) August 29, 2017
Correct. Pork was not the problem. It was politics. https://t.co/hgqs9dE0EV
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 29, 2017
You can almost feel the know-it-all smugness through the computer screen.
What exactly is correct, Mr. Acosta? We know it’s factually true that the bill was loaded with pork. We know that Ted Cruz did not initially oppose the relief bill until after it was loaded with said pork. Secondly, why is Jim Acosta, super-cereal hard news correspondent giving commentary that’s so easily dis-proven as partisan hackery? Perhaps because he is a partisan hack and has no business parading as an unbiased correspondent? Just a thought.
Not to be outdone, CNN’s Chris Cuomo got in on the act this morning. Fair warning, this is a man who literally argued that parents are bigots for not wanting their daughters to shower with boys, so if intellectual vapidness offends you, stop reading.
In response to a Hill.com article outlaying the pork in the Sandy bill, Cuomo had this to say…
This was not true. He played politics and now that it is his state hopefully he will get better cooperation than he gave https://t.co/GiszvqGQLr
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) August 29, 2017
Cuomo, who is biologically incapable of ever admitting error, of course doubles down…
GOP Peter King says same thing. So does Wash Post. You think facts are only what you like. You are wrong. #STANDFIRM https://t.co/f9R2y4Yb59
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) August 29, 2017
Pro-tip: If you claim to be a real deal journalist and not just a dude who wears makeup on a morning show, maybe go do some research yourself? Go find out how much of the bill was pork. Go find out how much would of actually went to immediate needed aid. Ask Senator Cruz what his thought process was. I understand this is well outside of your normal routine of reading a teleprompter and frothing at the mouth at conservatives, but at least give it a shot.
Ask yourself this. If CNN were actually trying to make Trump’s fake news rants look prescient, would they be doing anything differently? CNN’s reputation at the more “moderate” cable news station is ancient history at this point.