CNN Shutdown Bias: Republican 'Suicide Caucus' Is 'Hurting Families'
CNN hosts, anchors, and reporters all joined in slamming Republicans for Tuesday's government shutdown, ripping Tea Party Republicans as a "suicide caucus" that was "hurting families" by shutting down the government.
On Tuesday's New Day, co-host Chris Cuomo lectured Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), "[Y]ou did shut down the government. It is hurting families, many of whom live on the margins and you know that. He added, "And I want to ask you if you think that that was wrong." Issa called him out for asking the classic "have you stopped beating your wife" trap question.
"Well, you can't accuse me of beating my wife and then turn around and tell me, isn't that true? We did not shut down the government. We offered to the Senate again and again things to keep the government fully funded," Issa retorted.
Meanwhile on the Tom Joyner Morning Show, CNN anchor Don Lemon squarely blamed Republicans for the shutdown. "I'm so mad this morning," he ranted, and added it was partly due to "the false narrative that both sides caused this shutdown. That's not true. It was caused by Republicans, mainly Tea Party Republicans."
That afternoon on The Situation Room, correspondent Brian Todd called those Republicans who wanted to defund ObamaCare in the spending debate the "suicide caucus." He reported to host Wolf Blitzer, "Wolf, the 'suicide caucus' is comprised of 80 hard-line Republicans who got the ball rolling toward a government shut down."
During Chris Cuomo's interview with Issa on New Day, Cuomo had also lectured the congressman on how to do his job. "The constitutional mandate is not to exceed to your wishes on legislation that's already passed. You know that," he told Issa, meaning that Issa's job was to fund the government which includes existing legislation.
"No, Chris, I'm not going to let you have a pass on that," Issa fact-checked Cuomo. He added later, "Chris, bless your heart, but not funding the government is part of funding it. If you have the right to fund the government, you have the right to fund the government to a lesser amount."
On Monday night's Piers Morgan Live, Morgan smiled that gun permits would be issued more slowly -- or not at all -- during a shutdown. "One of the only positives I've heard so far," Morgan told business anchor Christine Romans, "is that actually gun permits, new gun permits may be delayed as part of all this." He added that "without them realizing it, the Tea Partiers, may have literally shot themselves in the foot."
When Romans confirmed the news on gun permits, Morgan was joyful. "Excellent. Well, that's excellent good news," he chirped. "Wonder if the Tea Party renegades realise their helpful gun control move?" he tweeted.
— Matt Hadro is a News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Matt Hadro on Twitter.
