We recently reported on how in their quest to demonize popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson as the most dangerous man in America, numerous media figures at CNN had turned to trying to paint him as a “having a soft spot” for Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Ukraine/Russia situation heats up.

Their rationale for making such a wildly inaccurate claim was that Carlson has actually had the nerve to … ask questions about the Biden administration’s justifications for trying to act as an intermediary, and for wondering whether or not the U.S. needed to involve itself in the conflict, especially as speculation was swirling as to whether or not Biden would send U.S. troops into the region.

For instance, in one segment, CNN “Newsroom” co-host Alisyn Camerota alleged Carlson “doesn’t see the difference between Vladimir Putin and the leader in Ukraine, doesn’t see the difference between an autocracy and a fledgling democracy.” After she played a clip of him raising questions, Camerota absurdly asked her guest “why do you think so many right-wing Republicans here in the U.S. have a soft spot for Putin?”

That same day, almost as if there had been a meeting of the minds at the network (scary, I know) on the issue, CNN “journalist” Jim Sciutto retweeted a liberally biased media reporter’s tweet that suggested that Carlson is being a willing stooge for Putin because state-run TV is using some of his video clips in their programming. Bizarrely, Sciutto suggested that Carlson’s commentary equated to “defending the Russian threat against Ukraine.”

On Sunday, CNN media hall monitor Brian Stelter, also the network’s top Carlson basher, had on a Daily Beast columnist to discuss why “Kremlin TV is worrying that Carlson’s pro-Putin bias has gone too far.”

Just days later, it appears that anchors at CNN have had an apparent change of heart. Watch below as “New Day” co-host Brianna Keilar rips into the Biden administration for two recent incidents involving press secretaries where reporters were basically told that questioning the administration’s foreign policy decisions on Ukraine, Russia, and the Middle East was tantamount to supporting Russian and ISIS propaganda:

Twice in one day, top Biden administration officials suggested that reporters who are asking legitimate questions are siding with enemies of America.

They're not. They're doing their jobs. #RollTheTape pic.twitter.com/WTI21J5gFq

— Brianna Keilar (@brikeilarcnn) February 4, 2022

Principled Journalist™ Jake Tapper took the same approach when sharing a Twitter thread from another reporter who was also countering the administration’s “with us or with them” tactic:

Important thread on the 'Trust everything your government says or you're a stooge of our enemies' approach the Biden administration is serving up to journalists today. Insulting to the intelligence of the public. https://t.co/gV20jgEqiF

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 3, 2022

Bravo, y’all! Well said. Except … you just undercut your network’s entire case for Carlson (and anyone else who is questioning our involvement) being an alleged “Putin puppet” because guess what? He’s asking questions, too because, as Keilar noted, reporters are “doing their jobs.”

Thanks for attending this Ted talk. See the attendant stationed near the exits to claim your (cheap) door prize as you head out. You’re welcome.

Related: Our Media Overlords Are Not Happy