Controversy is suddenly surrounding CNN commentator Sean Duffy. The newly-hired Duffy recently resigned from Congress citing family issues. Just a couple of weeks later he popped up on CNN’s New Day. During one of his first appearances last week he pushed a false story about a DNC server in Ukraine. Anchor Alisyn Camerota noted that it was “a conspiracy theory.” But that didn’t stop CNN from having the paid pundit back on Tuesday. And again he tried to push a false narrative, this time involving an attack on Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. As the National Security Council official was about to testify on Capitol Hill, Duffy questioned his loyalty to the U.S. saying:
“It seems very clear that he is incredibly concerned about Ukrainian defense. I don’t know that he’s concerned about American policy.”
A clearly puzzled John Berman pushed back (watch above). The Twittersphere also pushed back. ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd said, “Will any of CNNs anchors speak out against their own network for hiring Sean Duffy? Clock is running.”
A short time later it began.
In another CNN segment, Jeffrey Toobin refers to Duffy’s “insanity, and frankly anti-immigrant bigotry.” pic.twitter.com/wV3QEuNByH
— Matthew Gertz (@MattGertz) October 29, 2019
Anchor Brianna Keilar, whose husband is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, also didn’t hold back.
Thank you @brikeilarcnn .. the sad thing is Sean Duffy knows better. Thank you. https://t.co/YAbSVmmZ0M
— Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) October 29, 2019
And soon after Jake Tapper followed up by calling Duffy’s words a “vile dual loyalty smear of an Army Colonel.”
On his show, @jaketapper calls out @RepSeanDuffy for pushing a "vile dual loyalty smear."
"Sean Duffy, this morning on CNN, smeared Vindman as having allegiance to Ukraine and not to the country Vindman literally fought and bled for…" pic.twitter.com/IvNOLECPLh
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) October 29, 2019
And they weren’t the only ones.
Just a reminder that Sean Duffy’s “logic” is the same as the one that forced thousands of Japanese-Americans into internment camps during WWII https://t.co/oSun1jSTfN
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) October 29, 2019
Good to hear CNN hosts denouncing ex GOP congressman Sean Duffy’s “anti immigrant bigotry” on CNN and mocking his background compared to Col. Vindman’s.
The problem is that Duffy’s a paid CNN contributor so he’s literally being paid by CNN to be bigoted on their network.
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) October 29, 2019
CNN is reportedly defending hiring Duffy. POLITICO writes:
In an interview with POLITICO, CNN vice president Rebecca Kutler said the network “is out there reporting from all over the country and from all points of view” and that “having people who support the president’s policies is part of that.”
In a piece titled, “Why Did CNN Hire a Moron Like Sean Duffy?,” The New Republican wrote:
Duffy will likely wash out like the others in the coming months, having said several ridiculous and patently untrue things already. All CNN will get out of Duffy is a series of pointless controversies. Its viewers will get even less.
They cite past Conservative commentators who came and went at CNN including Jeffrey Lord, Jason Miller, Andre Bauer, Jack Kingston and Corey Lewandowski.
