FILE – In this Aug. 26, 2014 file photo, security guards walk past the entrance to CNN headquarters in Atlanta. The international news channel on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014 announced it will halt broadcasting in Russia due to recent changes in media legislation. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
You may remember that when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and the Democrats were holding up the virus relief bill trying to get in their pork and pet programs, that the New York Times changed its headline multiple times, seemingly deflecting blame for the blocking the fact that the Democrats were denying relief to Americans.
…and after, again? pic.twitter.com/mL3olm8pLo
— Ken Farnaso (@KLF) March 23, 2020
So when Democrats blocked more funding for the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses and preserve American jobs, we saw similar spinning today.
CNN’s initial headline was accurate, “Democrats Block GOP-Led Funding Boost For Small Business Aid Program.”
It then later evolved, less than an hour later to this: “Senate at Stalemate Over More COVID-19 Aid After Republicans And Democrats Block Competing Proposals.”
This is CNN.
10:36AM
vs.
11:15AM
Their headline at 10:36AM was the accurate one. pic.twitter.com/N89U8ZuXSM
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) April 9, 2020
Now all the GOP wanted to do was put more money into a program that Democrats had already agreed to because of the greater need for the American public. As Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) noted, without this the program might run out of money within about a week, leaving Americans up a creek without a paddle because they’ve had to adhere to government restrictions.
But Democrats wanted to add more stuff into the clean bill and hold it, and Americans up over it. So no, they weren’t comparable “competing proposals.”
Sen. Mitch McConnell asks unanimous consent for more small business coronavirus relief, Democrats blockhttps://t.co/WeZlxNoWT2 pic.twitter.com/WoniTZ7Pqy
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 9, 2020
From Daily Caller:
“We need more funding and we need it fast,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell explained. “I want to add more money to the only part of our bipartisan bill that could run out of money. My colleagues must not treat working Americans like political hostages. We must not fail them.”
CNN’s “Veep and Spox” Matt Dornic weighed in.
I understand it’s more fun for you to ignore the facts but here you go: we published a story based on the Dems blocking the GOP small biz bill. Then it was updated and headline changed when the GOP blocked the Dems’ proposal. It’s a developing story. But you know that.
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) April 9, 2020
Fact? Democrats blocked a clean bill for no reason except to try to add new things.
You guys giving these actions equal footing is the problem.
Dems blocked a bill they liked (and supported unanimously a week ago) because it didn’t have a list of items they knew *couldn’t pass* by unanimous consent.
And they complained about having to leave vacation to do it
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 9, 2020
Exactly.
So can we expect more evolving headlines? Sounds like it.
Cute. CNN, like most media outlets, has always updated its headlines on developing stories to reflect the most current content of the story.
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) April 9, 2020
I'm not being cute. I genuinely look forward to seeing this standard applied across the board equally from here on out.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 9, 2020
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