CNN, MSNBC attempt to ‘hide and censor’ Trump campaign rallies: Report

Broadcasters continue to find new ways to compromise meaningful coverage of President Trump and his reelection campaign.

“Will CNN and MSNBC cover Donald Trump’s 2020 rallies in a way that allows the president to simply state his message to the American people? Or will they attempt to hide and censor him?” asked Scott Whitlock, associate editor of Newsbusters.org, a conservative press watchdog.

“If Saturday’s Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma is any indicator, it seems likely the liberal outlets will choose the latter,” Mr. Whitlock wrote. “While Fox News played all 101 minutes — or 100% — of Trump’s campaign kickoff, CNN allowed a scant 3 minutes and 25 seconds (or 3.4 percent) and MSNBC a meager 3 minutes and 45 seconds (3.7 percent).”

In other words, the cable news networks essentially “buried” 97% of the rally, the analyst said, noting that CNN host Wolf Blitzer called Mr. Trump’s speech both “shameful” and “dangerous.” Both CNN and MSNBC also faulted the size of the crowd at the rally, and suggested it had a negative effect on the president.

The two networks, however, doted on the competition, however.

On June 17, Democratic presidential nominee Joseph R. Biden offered a rare campaign speech in Darby, Pennsylvania. Mr. Whitlock reveals that CNN went live with the speech for 15 minutes while MSNBC offered 18 minutes. Both networks devoted uninterrupted time to Mr. Biden.

“MSNBC and CNN owe it to Americans to play the 2020 campaign straight: Air the speeches and events from the two candidates and let the voters make up their own minds,” Mr. Whitlock said. “Instead, these two liberal outlets are putting their thumbs on the scale and offering a partisan approach to campaign events.”