by Stephen Dietrich, Associate Publisher
CNN rigged the response of students to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre, says one student.
Colton Habb says he had questions and a speech prepared for Wednesday night’s heated townhall meeting with Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson… but decided not to speak after CNN gave him “scripted questions.”
“CNN had originally asked me to write a speech and questions and it ended up being all scripted,” Haab told local station WPLG.
“I expected to be able to ask my questions and give my opinion on my questions,” he said.
“CNN had originally asked me to write a speech and questions, and it ended up being all scripted. I don’t think that’s going get anything accomplished,” Haab said. “It’s not gonna ask the true questions that all the parents and teachers and students have.”
Haab had written up a question that suggested America arm our unemployed veterans to defend schools against potential mass shootings, but it was disallowed by the cable news network. A frustrated Haab, who wanted to share his experience, decided not to attend.
CNN has denied the allegation, and in a released statement said, “CNN did not, and does not, script any questions for town hall meetings, ever.”
It’s worth noting that CNN has been accused of tampering with town hall and debate questions in the past.
During the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, CNN was accused by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign of rigging the debate in favor of their allegedly preferred candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Then, in Feb. 2017, CNN was accused of planting debate questions in favor of Sanders against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in a debate over Obamacare.
Donna Brazile, former DNC chairwoman and CNN analyst, was exposed by WikiLeaks leaking help from inside the network to the Clinton campaign ahead of a townhall debate in that same primary.
“From time to time I get the questions in advance,” Brazile boasted to Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, the leaked email revealed.
Rigging a debate in a presidential election is an unfair and nasty move, critics say.
But scripting the reactions of the under-aged survivors of a massacre?
That’s completely unforgivable.
— Stephen Dietrich is the Associate Publisher of The Horn News