CNN on Top in Trump’s ‘Fake News Awards’
Fred Lucas /
CNN won four out of 11 “Fake News Awards” on Wednesday night, while The New York Times captured two of the dishonors hyped for weeks by President Donald Trump, but actually given in the end by the Republican National Committee.
The “awards” to the cable network and other media organizations cited reports darkly predicting an economic collapse under Trump, detailing the Russia investigation, and mistakenly asserting that the new president had removed a bust of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office.
The White House had kept details close, but at 8 p.m. Trump tweeted a link to a Republican National Committee webpage showcasing “The Highly Anticipated 2017 Fake News Awards.”
And the FAKE NEWS winners are…https://t.co/59G6x2f7fD
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
Trump also conceded the existence of “many great reporters” while noting his administration’s accomplishments after one year:
Despite some very corrupt and dishonest media coverage, there are many great reporters I respect and lots of GOOD NEWS for the American people to be proud of!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
ISIS is in retreat, our economy is booming, investments and jobs are pouring back into the country, and so much more! Together there is nothing we can’t overcome–even a very biased media. We ARE Making America Great Again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018
However, traffic was so heavy that the page crashed. It later was restored.
Tonight, https://t.co/YTZAIJpNhb saw more traffic than ever before. Even though the servers were scaled up, the interest was even greater than anticipated. Traffic is off the charts. Come back soon.
— GOP (@GOP) January 18, 2018
The Republican National Committee announced the prizes for questionable journalism shortly after two former Obama administration lawyers warned against the involvement of White House staff in deciding the “winners.”
Such activity would constitute an ethics violation because it would involve government time and money devoted to helping or hurting a private corporation, they said.
—The long-running “Russia collusion” story, of which the RNC asserted, echoing Trump: “There is no collusion.”
—CNN’s report that the Trump campaign and Donald Trump Jr. had access to hacked documents from WikiLeaks.
—A CNN report suggesting Trump overfed fish during a visit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
—CNN’s report, later retracted, claiming short-term White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci had ties to Russia.
—A CNN report that fired FBI Director James Comey would dispute Trump’s claim that Comey told the president he was not under investigation. (Comey actually confirmed this point.)
—The New York Times’ report that the Trump administration concealed a climate change study.
—An assertion by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, an economist, that financial markets “never” would recover from Trump’s 2016 election victory.
—Washington Post columnist Dave Weigel’s tweet saying a Trump rally in Pensacola, Florida, was sparsely attended before many in the crowd had shown up.
.@DaveWeigel @WashingtonPost put out a phony photo of an empty arena hours before I arrived @ the venue, w/ thousands of people outside, on their way in. Real photos now shown as I spoke. Packed house, many people unable to get in. Demand apology & retraction from FAKE NEWS WaPo! pic.twitter.com/XAblFGh1ob
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 9, 2017
The Republican National Committee also noted:
—An incident in which “ABC News’ Brian Ross CHOKES and sends markets in a downward spiral with a false report,” referring to Ross’ later retracted story about former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn.
ABC News suspended Ross for reporting that Flynn would tell prosecutors that Trump directed him to contact the Russian government.
—A reporter for Time mistakenly asserted in a pool report that Trump had removed a bust of King from the Oval Office.
—Newsweek incorrectly reported that Polish first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda didn’t shake Trump’s hand during his visit to Poland.
>>> Mystery and Controversy Loom Over Trump’s ‘Fake News Awards’