It’s rare when we give credit for CNN for doing a good and honest interview.

That’s because it seems like they rarely do one. But when they do, I like to take note of it. It’s especially noteworthy, given the constant, liberal media effort to try to disparage and diminish Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.

CNN interviewed his Democratic challenger, Nikki Fried, and gave her a chance to make a case — for herself and against DeSantis.

But, she did a horrible job, and CNN’s Poppy Harlow had to call her out on the problems in her response.

EMBARRASSING segment for @NikkiFried who says her biggest weakness is not having a national profile like @RonDeSantisFL.

No surprise considering she clearly isn’t ready for prime time.@PoppyHarlowCNN takes her to task on Dem losses in FL statewide races & being wrong on COVID. pic.twitter.com/deS0inQWWJ

— Joanna Rodriguez (@joannamrod) June 18, 2021

While Fried tried to bash DeSantis, Harlow pointed out how the “data backs him up,” that Florida’s unemployment numbers are well below the national average, “half of what they are in New York and California.” The host added that, because DeSantis worked to get things open earlier than other places, his Wuhan coronavirus per capita death rate numbers “were nowhere near the highest.”

Then Fried really stepped in it, when she referenced nursing homes. As Harlow observed, DeSantis “locked down” the nursing homes — meaning he wouldn’t let anyone with the virus near the nursing homes, realizing that seniors were most at risk, unlike Gov. Andrew Cuomo in New York and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan.

DeSantis actually put strict rules in place early on, which likely explains why Florida didn’t have more deaths, particularly given their heavy concentration of seniors. Fried tried to recover, though, saying DeSantis wasn’t giving information — which was false, too.

Her final question didn’t go very well either.

It appears that Commissioner Fried is using her state office to do this CNN hit which is entirely about partisan politics and her campaign against Governor DeSantis. This would not be an appropriate use of public office.

— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) June 18, 2021

Seven or eight minutes, where she didn’t say what she was about, or any reason why people should vote for her over a successful governor — particularly one who has performed so well in the face of the pandemic craziness.

Fried is Florida’s state agriculture commissioner, and it doesn’t look like that has made her ready to take on DeSantis. At this point, with all the media attacks, people have seen that DeSantis can handle it. Fried couldn’t even make her case in a CNN interview.

DeSantis’s press secretary also noticed another problem with Fried’s response.

It appears that Commissioner Fried is using her state office to do this CNN hit which is entirely about partisan politics and her campaign against Governor DeSantis. This would not be an appropriate use of public office.

— Christina Pushaw (@ChristinaPushaw) June 18, 2021

Fried was even reduced to begging for followers on Twitter, urging people to help her to beat Gov. DeSantis to one million followers.

This might be a long shot, but I’m literally the ONLY statewide elected Democrat in Florida. What if we could beat @GovRonDeSantis to a million followers?!?

He’s starting at 992k.
We’re starting at 171k.

Would send a huge message that Democrats aren’t giving up on Florida.

— Nikki Fried (@NikkiFried) June 16, 2021

Great job; that backfired. She helped to push him over one million, while she picked up a mere 12,000 followers, despite the plea.

She doesn’t stand a chance against DeSantis.