Since the so-called “fact first” Cable News Network was busy ignoring the bombshell report from Special Counsel John Durham finding evidence the Clinton campaign was spying on then-President Trump, they needed to fill their airtime with SOMETHING. That’s why they called up chief media reporter Brian Stelter to defend Whoopi Goldberg (stage name) and suggested it was the “wrong answer” for ABC to have suspended her from The Viewover their antisemitic remarks about the Holocaust
Kate Bolduan, host of the show, played Whoopi’s soundbite to announce her return. The View earlier that hour, she brought on Stelter and wondered: “What else did she say and what did you think of this return?”
Stelter found it notable that “she didn’t say anything specifically about her suspension or why she was suspended in the first place.” But he then pivoted to defending her, suggesting she was having the correct conversation at the time. “The context for this was the conversation about Maus, the comic about the Holocaust,” he argued.
After peddling the debunked lie that the book was “Tennessee School District banned” (it was removed from the eighth-grade reading rotation and it could return), Stelter suggested that was “The bigger scandal is that this continues to be happening in various parts of the country.”
So, according to Stelter, it was okay for Whoopi to falsely state that the systemic extermination of the Jews wasn’t based on race because she said it “in that context” of “having a conversation about Maus[.]”
And while those of us living in reality saw people calling for Whoopi to be fired, Stelter suggested the public thought her suspension was “extreme”:
She then – as you acknowledge, she apologized. In her apology, she seemed sincere. So, even though there was a lot of energy inside ABC saying, “what are you going to do about Whoopi?”; as soon as she was suspended, there was all this external energy, all members of the public saying, “This seems extreme, why is she suspended for two weeks?”
“Maybe it’s just my Valentine’s Day spirit, Kate, but it feels to me like we should be having – you have openness to having tough conversations, especially on talk shows,” Stelter clownishly added.
Bolduan then hinted that Whoopi was the victim of a “Different standards of the application of what can get you suspended, what can get you canceled and how different networks and shows handle it.”
Noting how rapper Eminem had taken a knee during the Super Bowl Half Time Show the previous evening, Stelter recalled how former NFL player Colin Kaepernick was once the subject of a kneeling controversy but now the NFL didn’t care.
Stelter freely admitted which side of the debate he supported by suggesting that the league reached an agreement. “right answer” on kneeling after taking “a long windy road to get to [get there.]” “But when companies get to the right answer, I think they should be recognized,” he added.
“With Whoopi, maybe this was the wrong answer by ABC, but now she’s back,” he touted ahead of a commercial break.
CNN’s obfuscation of the Durham investigation with a defense of Whoopi Goldberg was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Liberty Mutual and Prevagen. You can find their contact information here.
You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.
CNN’s Here’s What We Do
February 14, 2022
Eastern at 11:53.39KATE BOLDUAN KATE Bolduan: CNN’s Brian Stelter joined me to discuss this. Is there more she could have said and how did this result compare to your expectations?
BRIAN STALTER: Notably she did not say anything specific about her suspension.
BOLDUAN: Okay.
STELTER MausThe Holocaust comic. The Tennessee school district banned it. This is the biggest scandal in this case, as it is still happening across different areas of this country. Whoopi was talking about MausIn that context, the Holocaust wasn’t about race.
She then – as you acknowledge, she apologized. The apology was genuine and she did not seem to regret it. So, even though there was a lot of energy inside ABC saying, “what are you going to do about Whoopi”; as soon as she was suspended, there was all this external energy, all members of the public saying, “This seems extreme, why is she suspended for two weeks?”
She’s now back. Although she didn’t specifically acknowledge the reason for her absence, I believe the key to the ending is there. The last thing she said, “We’re going to keep having these tough conversations.” Maybe it’s just my Valentine’s Day spirit, Kate, but it feels to me like we should be having – you have openness to having tough conversations, especially on talk shows!
BOLDUAN: Well, it also speaks to – we were talking about this during the break – what seems to be different standard of the application of what can get you suspended, what can get you canceled –
STELTER: Right. Right.
BOLDUAN: – and how the different networks and stations handle it.
STELTER: It depends on where you are located, what organization it is, who the boss is, and how many years.
BOLDUAN: Yeah.
STELTER: There was a lot of debate years ago about Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling. Then last night, Eminem clearly kneeled at the Super Bowl. I sent an email to the NFL spokesperson. I said, “Any comment, any controversy, is this something you expected?” He said, “Yeah, we knew this. This was in rehearsal. We don’t mind. Anyone’s allowed to kneel.”
Seemed to me like — No look, the NFL took a long windy road –
BOLDUAN
STELTER: — to get to that right answer – to get to that right answer. However, when companies find the correct answer I believe they should be acknowledged. With Whoopi, maybe this was the wrong answer by ABC, but now she’s back.
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