CNN has been dealing with public image problems amid a rocky leadership change last year.
More and more viewers have stopped watching. Americans are fed up with the network’s liberal slant, according to a December poll of 1,000 voters from the conservative Media Research Center.
One GOP congressman went on CNN to discuss California Republican Kevin McCarthy’s attempts to become House speaker, and he reminded the CNN host of the channel’s nickname: “The Clinton News Network.”
The congressman, Texas Republican Troy Nehls, apparently took issue with CNN’s narrative about the House’s “America First” Freedom Caucus opposing McCarthy.
“I don’t know if you’re aware of, young lady, but I am also a member of the House Freedom Caucus. So I am one of those America First patriots, and I have said to my friends, my colleagues in the Freedom Caucus that I don’t believe that this is the battle we should be waging. I think the real battle starts when we start drafting legislation and policy in the 118th Congress under a Speaker McCarthy,” Nehls told CNN’s Erin Burnett.
More than half the Freedom Caucus has voted for McCarthy throughout each of the 12 rounds of voting. Nehls himself nominated McCarthy during the ninth round.
Nehls continued, “Your viewers have to understand. There’s 35 to 40 of us in the House Freedom Caucus. If we have a simple, a small, thin margin 0f 222 Republicans, it takes 218 of us to pass any legislation. The House Freedom Caucus is more relevant than ever… Kevin McCarthy understands that, in order for him to pass anything in this 118th Congress, he’s going to need the support and the endorsement from the House Freedom Caucus.”
Burnett hit back, “I’ll assume, when you called me a young lady, it was a compliment.”
“Of course it was,” Nehls said, laughing. “This is my first time on the Clinton News Network.”
“That was a bit — in my opinion — rude, but I’m glad you’re talking to me,” Burnett said. “And I’ll treat you with the respect that you deserve.”
Watch the video here —
CNN anchor Erin Burnett takes the high road after Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) dismissively calls her "young lady" and then says it's the first time he's been on the "Clinton News Network" pic.twitter.com/uUnHFzxzco
— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) January 6, 2023
The Horn editorial team