The network used to consider being among a crowd of 20,000 people to be a superspreader event.
CNN’s "do as we say, not as we do" policy has relied a lot on their "say" part rather than doing. According to a new revelation from FEE and Jack Elbaum, the hypocrisy has come home to roost.
Without detracting from Elbaum's personal story, here's what he said about what he witnessed at a Billy Joel performance earlier this month:
"Only a few minutes after sitting down prior to the concert starting, I noticed three people I recognized to my left. These were not people I knew personally, but rather some of the most well-known names at CNN: primetime anchor Don Lemon, Sunday show host Fareed Zakaria, and the president of the network, Jeff Zucker."
Elbaum goes on to point out that by the concert’s standards CNN's trio was fine, since they’re all vaccinated. But not on the network’s own rules.
Don Lemon preached about the holiness of mask mandates back in August when it came to President Biden coming out against Governor DeSantis on the issue. But even earlier this month the CNN talking head was seen in Ron’s own state of Florida enjoying the warm, maskless freedom it had to offer.
"B*llsh*t" is the right term, Mr. Lemon. But only if you take as prescribed. Especially considering Don’s history being the face of mandates for the outlet.
What about the first layer of defense?
"It is a bad call that unfortunately will cost lives in our communities," says San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, reacting to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to lift the mask mandate and allow businesses to open at 100% capacity. "They're taking away our first layer of defense." pic.twitter.com/9cdY9mc1Oe
— Don Lemon Tonight (@DonLemonTonight) March 3, 2021
Or are things like vaccines now in doubt? "Christmas cancelled in Gibraltar - the ‘most vaccinated’ place in the world" writes the Evening Standard.
Because Fareed Zakaria hasn't been important enough to write about this year, the attention is primarily on Don Lemon. All that comes up in a Google search is CNN and Brian Stelter's ratings woes.
Another interesting point is how CNN reported on Dr. Leana Wen being fired from Planned Parenthood, but then resurrected her as the outlet's advocate for authoritarian tactics in the aftermath of the epidemic.
She favored keeping children veiled in classrooms as late as September.
