Brian Stelter attends the 11th annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute at the American Museum of Natural History on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

When you hear or read advice from someone who warns you against listening to and believing “propagandists”, it’s generally wise to listen to such advice. Because as a general rule, people should be turned off by propagandists who will deliberately lead them down the wrong path with false or misleading information.

But when the person delivering the message is a documented propagandist himself, the words ring hollow, and smack of a complete and total lack of self-awareness.

Such was the case with CNN’s media firefighter Brian Stelter this past weekend. Stelter, who is fresh off of another year of bad ratings and lagging behind Fox News programming during the Sunday 11 a.m. time slot, delivered a “message” warning others not to be “fooled by propagandists” that was widely off the mark, considering the source.

Here’s what Stelter said in context of claims made by the Trump administration about the reasons behind the successful U.S. military strike against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, and how the U.S. would proceed going forward:

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is saying that America is trying to restore deterrence in the region. Pompeo making the case on six different television shows today.

Now, Americans and many others around the world are instinctively suspicious and distrusting of what Iranian leaders say. Well, what about America’s leaders? President Trump squandered his credibility at the very start of his presidency, and many officials in his administration have followed him down the path of deceit.
[…]
Let’s talk about patriotism for a minute. Don’t be fooled by the propagandists. They’re going to tell you to wear blinders in the days and weeks and months ahead.

They’re already starting to do this. They’re starting to tell you just rally on the flag. But it is patriotic to ask for evidence. It is patriotic to question official accounts, to wonder if the public is being manipulated into a wider war.

Watch:

Don't be fooled by the propagandists who want us to wear blinders. It is patriotic to ask for evidence. To question official accounts. To wonder if the public is being manipulated into a wider war. It is patriotic to hold our leaders accountable. pic.twitter.com/ntA1una7lq

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 5, 2020

To say that Stelter has a credibility crisis when it comes to lecturing people about being “fooled by propagandists” and on what should and should not be considered patriotic would be an understatement:

The self awareness meter is on zero with this guy https://t.co/NDxxsPyUNR

— no aPaulogies (@myapaulogies) January 6, 2020

This is hilarious coming from the DNC “news” network.

— 🇺🇸JoAnn G🎉🥂HAPPY 2020🥂🎉DONATE TO VETS👇 (@Cactusflr01) January 6, 2020

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee had a few words for Stelter as well:

Don’t be fooled by fake news. It’s patriotic to question biased press who gives 91% negative coverage of @realDonaldTrump We need to hold left-wing propagandists accountable for the hate of us “deplorables.” Their “news” is delivered straight from the bull’s behind to the TV. https://t.co/h58RSoMJKV

— Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) January 5, 2020

Others pointed out that it’s only “patriotic” to question a President’s motivations if he’s a Republican, per media types like Stelter:

Unless POTUS is a Democrat, amirite?

— Eric H. (@ericinva) January 5, 2020

Except if it's the Obama Administration

— BO4ORD Happy New Year! (@bo4ord) January 5, 2020

This would work if you actually held all leaders accountable. Instead, you hold one party to account and (for the most part) excuse the actions of the other.

— otherbrotherdarryl (@otherbrotherda2) January 5, 2020

There is also this:

Cool, now do Biden and Ukraine…

— Margaret Ferrell (@Ruggins68) January 6, 2020

Questioning Joe Biden or any other Democrat on their foreign policy decisions and positions is the wrong kind of “patriotism” in Stelter’s – and CNN’s eyes, unfortunately.

(Hat tip: Twitchy)

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