The fallout from Wednesday’s CNN Town Hall has been a mixed bag from supporters and critics. While most are applauding the efforts of the students from Stoneman Douglas to change the conversation about gun control in the nation, the main push from opponents of gun control is undermining the reporting of the media, particularly CNN. The network has faced a pair of accusations revolving around alleged scripting of answers during the town hall, forcing CNN and its personalities to go on the defensive against the false accusations.
Jake Tapper addressed one controversy that directly involved him, with a critic accusing the host and network of plotting out questions to feed to the students in the audience. The moment in question involves a student who began with a question for Dana Loesch — not present at the time — while Senator Bill Nelson stood to address her. The moment was confusing during the telecast, but it was clear what had happened. For Tapper, the criticism the moment received was dishonest:
This is so dishonest. The student said her question was for Dana. That’s why I said that. Read the transcript.
And no, nothing is scripted. But people submit questions and we go to them expecting they will ask the questions they submitted, which they’re holding. https://t.co/iCKEtZkurP
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 23, 2018
An honest person would go and read the transcript and see what the student said, post the full remarks, and apologize.
A dishonest person will attack me personally and change the subject.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 23, 2018
Here’s the transcript. Obviously the student’s question was for Dana thought originally she had a different one for Nelson. Which she ultimately asked. https://t.co/V6GYT0IE6y
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 23, 2018
This was only a taste of things to come for the CNN Town Hall as another story was swept up by Fox News, eventually making its way to the president. It involves Stoneman Douglas student and member the JROTC Colton Haab and his claims that the network attempted to feed him scripted questions. This forced Haab to pull out of the televised event, taking his story to Fox News and other online publications.
Scripted town hall? Check out part of my interview with a student who claims CNN rewrote and scripted his question. CNN pushed back against the initial claim. Take a listen #Tucker @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/8uDuH6rBIv
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 23, 2018
And from the appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show, President Trump noticed and made a comment. This added another moment to his rivalry with the network, but also led to their direct response to the accusations to both the president and Tucker Carlson:
“School shooting survivor says he quit @CNN Town Hall after refusing scripted question.” @TuckerCarlson. Just like so much of CNN, Fake News. That’s why their ratings are so bad! MSNBC may be worse.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 23, 2018
There is absolutely no truth to this story — and we can prove that. CNN did not provide or script questions for anyone in last night's town hall, nor have we ever. Those are the facts. #FactsFirst 🍎
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 23, 2018
CNN response to the claim of a "scripted question" for last night's town hall: pic.twitter.com/Mz1hMqqfkw
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 22, 2018
As would be discovered via the emails between CNN’s producers and the Haab family, the version shared with Fox News and other outlets running with the “scripted questions” storyline had been doctored from the originals. A key passage indicating the words were Haab’s were omitted from the email, showing that someone had edited the original.
According to a CNN spokesman, those two outlets had received a "doctored" version of the correspondence that made it appear as if CNN had dictated a question to 17-year-old Colton Haab.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) February 24, 2018
As part of their due diligence efforts, Fox News and HuffPost presented CNN with the exchanges. CNN alleges that one of the emails forwarded by these outlets cuts off a few words that are critical to understanding the back-and-forth.
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) February 24, 2018
Here's the email released by CNN that represents that interaction. Note the part that indicates "that he submitted": pic.twitter.com/ajHOBU1V8T
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) February 24, 2018
Now have a look at the email that CNN was asked to comment upon Friday afternoon. "that he submitted" isn't there : pic.twitter.com/pz4dr841ov
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) February 24, 2018
Haab’s family allegedly edited the emails from CNN’s producer to remove the passage in question, but even then, it is clear that nothing wrong happened on CNN’s end. One of the big indications here is that outspoke Conservative commentator Erick Erickson is speaking out in defense of CNN.
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669521334521857
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669522852896768
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669523603640321
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669525361020929
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669526287945731
https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/966669530180268032
It would seem that those against more gun regulations are willing to focus and blame everything but the actual weapons that are the focus of the current protests. If anything, the fight seems to only be beginning.