CNN Panel Calls Pro-Trump Candidates a ‘Cancer’; Not ‘Sustainable for a Democracy’

The liberal media for years has gone into hyperbolic overdrive whenever anything related to Trump or those within the MAGA wing of the GOP is brought up, and Tuesday afternoon’s panel on CNN’s Inside Politics With John King was no different, with King employing unusually harsh language as he described Republican candidates who continue to support Trump’s claims of election fraud as a “cancer.”

King began the segment by talking to CNN’s Melanie Zanona, who recently reported on the different reactions among Republicans to the January 6th hearings: “In millennial terms, this is the latest Trump loyalty test. Essentially, right? I mean, what’s interesting is you talk to Republicans and they say they are not worried about these hearings breaking through to voters or impacting the midterms, but what they are concerned about is pleasing Donald Trump.”

After playing two Newsmax clips of Republican Congressmen attacking the January 6th Committee in general and Liz Cheney in particular, King read out statistics collected by The Washington Post, “Voters in places that cast ballots through the end of May have chosen at least 108 candidates for statewide office or Congress who have repeated Trump’s lies. It is an affliction in the Republican Party.”

Trump’s refusal to admit an election in 588 days is not, to be blunt, a great look and does not make it easy to trust elections long-term. However, the term “cancer” implies a rapidly spreading disease that will ultimately kill the American system of government unless radical measures are taken. An illness perhaps, but is it one that requires a “political chemotherapy,” some sort of immediate and aggressive action as suggested by King’s metaphor?

King then went after Bill Stepien, whose testimony of telling Trump on election night that the odds of his reelection were incredibly slim — only for Trump to take the advice of an allegedly inebriated Rudy Giuliani and declare victory — was aired during Monday’s January 6th Hearing. King pointed out that Stepien’s firm is advising candidates in several races, “including Harriet Hageman who is Liz Cheney’s opponent in Wyoming, Kelly Tshibaka is Murkowski’s opponent in the Senate race in Alaska, and Ronny Jackson is Trump’s former doctor at the White House who is running for reelection in Texas. All Big Lie supporters.”

NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe then chimed in, saying, “They are doing what benefits them. It is another thing to ask if this is possible in a democratic society., but it’s probably working out just fine for Bill Stepien.” 

It is true that Stepien’s company is supporting Congressional candidates who support Stop The Steal, and this very well might be a cynical move on Stepien’s part. But the core of Rascoe’s argument was, like King’s, that these actions will destroy the American government. 

One has to wonder what the media’s coverage of this would be like if, for example, AOC or Ilhan Omar claimed that they were cheated out of an election. Their litigation activities could be called unsustainable or cancerous for democracy. Heck, Stacey Abrams’ claims of fraud in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial did nothing to dim her rising star in Democratic politics; if anything, it increased it. King was a fan of Abrams’ 2019 State of the Union reply.

The media has cried “wolf” one too many times, and they have degenerated to the point where even a legitimate concern is clouded by a mask of partisan hatred.

This alarmism was enabled by Chase Whole Foods Market. You can find their contact information here. 

Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript.

CNN’s John King: Inside Politics
06/14/22
12:48.19 PM ET

JOHN KING CNN’s Melanie Zanona joins our conversation. This is great reporting. You’re probably too young to remember the old Saturday Night Live skit “Quien Es Mas Macho?”  

MELANIE ZANONA – I am sorry. 

[Laughter]

KING: Ricardo Montalbán or Lorenzo — oh, never mind. This is “Quien Es Mas MAGA?” Explain. 

ZANONA : Ah, okay. This is the latest Trump loyalty test. Essentially, right? You see, the interesting thing about Republicans is that they don’t worry about hearings reaching voters, or impacting midterm elections. What they care about is Donald Trump. And they have found that a surefire way to do that is to go out there on TV and on Twitter, and defend him and attack the Select Committee, attack Liz Cheney — one of his favorite targets. And that’s exactly what we’ve seen — I mean, essentially it’s become a competition as to who can be the most MAGA and they’re all jockeying to claim that mantle. 

And when you really dig in about who’s leading the charge, they all have somewhat different political reasons for doing so, right? Kevin McCarthy is a candidate for speaker. Elise Stefanik (and Jim Banks) both desire to hold a leadership position in the next year. Ronny, however, is currently facing a Trump-backed primary opponent after he voted to back the bipartisan Commission. All of them have different motivations for wanting to take this path. 

KING: There are members of the leadership who want to go up and then there will be openings for sub-leadership if necessary. This is why rank and file Republicans on Team Trump are able to speak out wherever it’s possible. 

[Cuts to clips]

RALPH NORMAN [On Newsmax’s The National Report, 06/13/22]: This is a sham of a dog and pony show that — um, this administration has put at the taxpayer’s expense. 

FRED KELLER [On Newsmax’s The National Report, 06/13/22]: : Liz Cheney’s just — uh, doing the work of Nancy Pelosi — uh, when they should actually be having prime time hearings on inflation, on gas prices. 

[End of clips]

KING The Washington Post examined this state-by-state, district-by district basis. Voters in places that cast ballots through the end of May have chosen at least 108 candidates for statewide office or Congress who have repeated Trump’s lies. This is an epidemic in Republican Party. 

(…)

12:51.53 PM ET

KING: Bill Stepien, campaign manager and one of yesterday’s witnesses, said that I had told President Obama on election night that votes weren’t available, and there was a chance we wouldn’t get there. It would be easy to think that he is aware. He does know. He would therefore not endorse The Big Lie. 

Well these are three candidates Bill Stepien’s firm are advising right now, including Harriet Hageman who is Liz Cheney’s opponent in Wyoming, Kelly Tshibaka is Murkowski’s opponent in the Senate race in Alaska, and Ronny Jackson is Trump’s former doctor at the White House who is running for reelection in Texas. All Big Lie supporters. All this — so, again, even the people who know are not drawing a line saying I will not work for candidates who repeat this. 

AYESHA RASCOE: Well, I mean, pretty much when he was in — you know, working for Donald Trump, there’s always this deal where Trump will, you will — they will back Trump, and if he says something they don’t like, they may behind the scenes go oh, this is wild, whatever. They will support him as long as they benefit, which is what they are doing here. The Bill Stepiens are living proof of this. 

Yes, like, they know that the election wasn’t stolen but they have a base that wants to hear that, that’s eating that up. So they are willing to support the candidates selling this lie and go out and do their best. They do what is best for them. It’s not clear if this is sustainable in a democratic country, but Bill Stepien is probably enjoying it.

JACKIE KUCINICH: Well, it is — and the candidates that he is helping — 

RASCOE: Yes, yes. 

KUCINICH: — are doing the exact same —

RASCOE: Yeah, yeah. 

KUCINICH: — thing because they want a Trump endorsement in order — especially, I mean, the woman running against Cheney, she wanted extra leverage to try to defeat Liz Cheney. It’s a constant cycle that hasn’t been broken by anyone. 
 
KING: How about “I can’t work for you if you’re going to promote and propagate a lie that is a danger to democracy.” That hard?

KUCINICH: Uh, I — apparently it is for him.