MSNBC host ignored The Lincoln Project scandals
Fox News’ 'Outnumbered' host Dagen McDowell reacts to MSNBC host Nicole Wallace ignoring the sexual harassment allegations against The Lincoln Project officials.
The Lincoln Project has quickly fallen from grace since co-founder John Weaver's inappropriate behavior with young men came to light, leading to a re-examination of how CNN and MSNBC spent 2020 propping up the anti-Trump group.
The Lincoln Project gained prominence in media circles through constant appearances on CNN and MSNBC while pundits from the liberal networks regularly fawned over the group on social media and promoted their scathing ads.
In January 2020, CNN’s Don Lemon thought Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson’s imitation of southern Trump supporters was so hysterical that he cried tears of laughter.
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CNN’s Jim Acosta and MSNBC’s Joy Reid both helped promote the Lincoln Project.
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Co-founder Steve Schmidt rejoined MSNBC as a contributor after a brief turn advising Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on a presidential candidacy that never materialized, and the network regularly turned to him when looking for a former Republican to attack Trump.
Co-founder George Conway made numerous cable news appearances and received extensive coverage for his trolling tweets, and CNN published multiple articles praising the group’s "brutal anti-Trump ads."
CNN published an opinion column in July headlined, "How the Lincoln Project's brutal anti-Trump ads could remake US politics," which gushed over the group’s campaign against Trump.
Lincoln Project co-founders Steve Schmidt, Rick Wilson, George Conway and John Weaver.
In June, CNN political analyst Julian Zelizer essentially urged other never-Trump Republicans to mirror the Lincoln Project.
"Besides producing ad campaigns, there is another way the #NeverTrump movement can take action. The Lincoln Project has shown the way by directly supporting Biden's candidacy," Zelizer wrote.
A separate CNN report from May boasted "getting under Trump's skin is an added benefit for the group."
Conservative commentator Drew Holden laid out a series of examples this week illustrating how much praise the Lincoln Project received from the mainstream media.
"Places like @CNN were happy to hype the group up without pausing to consider if they might be awful," Holden wrote to caption examples of the liberal network promoting the Lincoln Project.
Holden pointed out CNN’s liberal former White House correspondent Jim Acosta "could’ve been confused for @ProjectLincoln press secretary there for awhile [sic]," screenshotting his promotions of its vitriolic ads.
Meanwhile, Holden noted MSNBC helped the now-disgraced group become "normalized" and "didn’t bother to bring up any of their scandals even after they were fully public knowledge."
MSNBC’s Joy Reid was perhaps the "biggest fan" of the anti-Trump group, according to Holden. Reid frequently praised its work and hosted its members and co-founders on her far-left nightly show.
MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace, a disgruntled former Republican, also frequently hosted Schmidt, Wilson and other Lincoln Project members over the past year and enthusiastically praised its work. Like Reid, she ignored its parade of embarrassing headlines over the past two months.
Journalist Ryan James Girdusky initially brought attention to allegations that Weaver had harassed young boys but his reporting was largely ignored by the mainstream media that helped promote the group in the first place. After Girdusky’s initial reporting, the New York Times reported it interviewed 21 young men who accused Weaver of sending unsolicited and sexually provocative messages – launching the scandal into the mainstream.
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On Monday, The New York Times cited four sources claiming Weaver's behavior came to the organization's attention multiple times last year, although the warnings, at the time, didn't involve a minor. The latest Times report indicates the group piled up more than $87 million in donations, knew about Weaver’s lewd behavior well before it became public, and found "scores of current and former contractors, executives, interns and men" said they were harassed by Weaver.
Fox News’ Sam Dorman and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
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