Media top headlines August 2
In media news today, Chris Cuomo gets ripped for accusing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of holding the U.S. 'hostage' to COVID, critics slam DC Mayor Muriel Bowser for violating her own mask mandate, and ABC's political director calls out the Biden admin's 'confusing' COVID messaging
CNN anchor Jake Tapper went to bat for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after she was criticized by his guest, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, during an interview.
On Sunday's "State of the Union," Collins expressed that she "fought very hard" for an outside, 9/11-style commission to look into the events of Jan. 6, something she argued would have had "far more credibility" than Pelosi's "partisan" select committee.
After noting that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., blocked the commission's approval, Tapper pushed back at Collins' "partisan" descriptor of Pelosi's committee, pointing out the inclusion of two CNN's favorites, Reps. Liz Cheney, R-Wy., and Adam Kinzinger, R-Il.
CNN'S JAKE TAPPER INSISTS HE'S ‘NOT A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT’ NOR ‘ADVOCATING FOR JOE BIDEN BE REELECTED'
"Do you have faith in them?" Tapper asked about the anti-Trump GOP lawmakers.
"I respect both of them but I do not think it was right for the speaker to decide which Republicans should be on the committee," Collins responded. "Normally, if you have a select committee, the minority leader and the speaker get to pick the members."
Tapper, who recently insisted that he's not a "liberal Democrat," then offered a full-throated defense for Pelosi.
"The reason she did that is because at least two of the members McCarthy picked to be on the committee, are election liars, one of whom, Jim Jordan, is possibly even a material witness. He spoke with Trump that day," Tapper lectured Collins.
"Well, there were many communications with President Trump that day," Collins acknowledged before she went on to accuse the former president of "helping instigate" the riot that took place on Capitol Hill.
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Tapper has been on an outspoken warpath towards Republican lawmakers he deems to be "liars" about the 2020 presidential election, going so far as banning them from his CNN programs. Though critics have pointed out that the CNN anchor has invited Democrats who've made unsubstantiated claims about previous elections including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
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