CNNers Show CREEPY Devotion to ‘Remarkable’ Jeff Zucker With Soviet-Like Tributes

CNN mourned Wednesday as though Jeff Zucker, CNN’s boss, had died. For continuing to carry on, was kicked outAn inappropriate relationship with fellow CNN executive Allison Gollust. “incredible,” “remarkable,” “larger than life,” And “singular”One who brings “a clarity of mission” To the network. 

Or, to put it another way: It was something. North Korean news reader Ri Chin-heeWould have been found to be creepy.

With praise so gushy and reports those inside CNN are some combination of despondent and enraged over Zucker’s ouster, it’s safe to wonder whether CNN can ever be saved as a serious, sober news organization considering their desire to stay the course from what Zucker made them.

After Stelter’s Initial hitOnKate Bolduan is at This HourYou can also find out more about a nauseating CNN.com itemOliver Darcy returned to the hospital. CNN Newsroom with Alisyn Camerona and Victor Blackwell. Camerota, in her first lament of many, called Zucker “was a visionary leader[.]”

Camerota stated that Stelter had walked through the statements of Zucker and Gollust after which she thanked Andrew Cuomo for her previous work. “feel[ing]” Zucker’s departure “deeply personally but also I think I speak for all of us…this is an incredible loss.”

Camerota further gushed that Zucker’s “a remarkable person and an incredible leader” With “this uncanny ability to make…every one of us feel special[.]”

This is what it means. Wedding vows? An eulogy

It was also a source of sadness for her. “feels wrong” Someone had to leave their job because of a circumstance. “consenting adults” “a private relationship.”

Blackwell was mostly quiet until the last: “There’s certain a clarity of mission and a clarity of vision for — for this network that will be missed.”

Don Lemon (longtime CNNer) was interviewed earlier. spokeYou can find more information here VarietyIt was Zucker. “the best boss we have had, and one of the best things that has ever happened to CNN.”

With sagging ratings, and becoming the least liked name in news, recent slew of sex scandals is the “one of the best things…ever,” then sure, Don.

Just before midnight Eastern Thursday, Darcy & Stelter Put outThey Reliable sourcesIt made CNN.com’s item seem tame with their newsletter

Stelter reported that “many CNN staffers” felt their Dear Leader was mistreated. The report even quoted Dana Bash (chief political correspondent) as saying the following: “the punishment didn’t fit the crime.”

Adding to the cult vibe, he said “Zucker has always had detractors inside CNN, but they are outnumbered by his loyalists, and none of that loyalty eroded today” with many “disappointed and angry” at WarnerMedia.

Stelter continued taking Zucker’s word at face value that his relationship with Gollust began during the pandemic (despite copious evidence to the contrary) and opened with a cult-like picture of the Puppetmaster as an everyman and that Zucker insisted they always be on the news, not themselves (click “expand”):

American media icon Jeff Zucker is an exceptional figure.

We’ll try to unravel it all as much as we can.

For the last 14 hours we were at CNN’s New York office. We spoke with many sources including WarnerMedia management personnel and Zucker.

This story is very unusual to cover. While Zucker outside these walls is an impressive figure in news, Zucker was here at the office as the boss. He would always be ready to tell a joke, give a story idea, or make fun of the newsletter’s late release. The newsletter’s release is delayed because of his departure. It was not something that we expected. Based on the reporting today, here is what we now know…

(….)

While Zucker is not without its detractors, they have been outnumbered today by his loyalists. Staffers initially stunned by WarnerMedia’s actions became disillusioned and angry late in the day. Kilar provided no satisfactory answers.

Zucker loved reminding everybody that they play for the team’s name, and not their individual names. CNN is much larger than any executive. However, there’s a feeling in the newsroom about the need for a leader who can steer the ship. Anchor: “It’s not my intention for us to go rudderless.”

He also highlighted a meeting WarnerMedia executive Jason Kilar had with CNN’s D.C. bureau, which Stelter hailed as having “grill[ed] Kilar for answers” and having come away “unpersuaded.”

Over at PoliticoThey reported The lead’s Jake Tapper and chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins were some of the employees who subjected Kilar to “tough questions.”

They also cited one anonymous White House reporter: “‘Talking about ‘what you do everyday’ — Jeff is a very critical part of that,’ one CNN White House reporter said. ‘If you listen to the 9 a.m. calls, if you talk to anyone in this room … that’s how they feel.’”

Und at The Wall Street JournalThey Tapper called Cuomo a terrorist (which Joe Concha also calls him). tweeted, squared with how Tapper’s network talks about most conservatives).

The following are the Washington Examiner’s Seth Mandel tweeted: “Zucker lit American politics on fire and watched it burn with psychotic glee while cheating on his wife with subordinates, so yes let’s make him a martyr and start a new religion.”

Thanks to SoFi and Consumer Cellular advertisers, the creepy Zucker devotion from Blackwell and Camerota was possible. Follow the links to see their contact information at the MRC’s Conservatives Fight Back page.

To see the relevant CNN transcript from December 2, click “expand.”

CNN Newsroom with Alisyn Camerona and Victor Blackwell
February 2, 2022
Eastern, 2:53 PM

VICTOR BLACKWELL (English): It’s time for some major news at CNN. Today, Jeff Zucker, Network President, resigned effective immediately. He claims he didn’t disclose the consensual relationship he had with a colleague in the first stages of the Network. 

ALISYN CAMEROTA – Jeff was an exemplary leader at CNN over the nine years that have been characterized as a difficult news cycle. Brian Stelter is CNN chief media correspondent, and ReliableSources anchor. Brian, It’s been a difficult day at CNN. 

BRIAN STELTER : This is because it is a surprise, and it leaves a leadership void which WarnerMedia is now rushing towards filling. 

(….)

Eastern: 2:54 PM

STELTER. WarnerMedia has a very specific policy that requires this information to be revealed. It’s something that’s true for all employees. As we know, this happens frequently in news rooms. You know, you have an anchor and producer or you have two reporters who — who end up dating and then they go to bosses and they disclose it. WarnerMedia claims that Zucker was out, as Ali Gollust (Zucker) did not reveal it. Now, you wonder. Now, you wonder. Some sources suggest that he would be terminated if he didn’t resign. He also stated to his leaders today that he would like to remain on during the transition to make it smoother, but WarnerMedia instead said, “No, we’re out today.”

(….)

Eastern, 3:56

ALISYN CAMERO: I just wanted to share a personal moment with you, if possible. 

VICTOR BLACKWELL: Yes.

CAMEROTA: And that is I — I feel it deeply personally but also I think I speak for all of us and our colleagues, this is an incredible loss. This is an awful loss. Jeff was a great leader and a truly remarkable individual. Jeff has an uncanny knack of making each one feel valuable and important, even though managing a news organisation that employs thousands. It was something I knew about his unique ability to make people feel special. It’s not something that happens often, and it is an amazing loss. This is a terrible way for it to have happened. If — if what you’re reporting is true, these are two consenting adults who are both executives that they can’t have a private relationship feels wrong on some level. 

STELTER: There are two layers to this, I believe. The Chris Cuomo quote is number one. Cuomo got fired in December. He isn’t going to be leaving quietly. He was fired and there are reports that he wasn’t going to get paid the millions of dollars that were going to be on the remainder of his contract. According to a source, he tried to set fire and raze the building. He went to court to try to torch the place and claimed that he had information incriminating Zucker and Gollust. So, if that’s the case, if this is a domino effect, that begins with Andrew Cuomo going down in the governor’s office and then Chris Cuomo being fired from CNN and then Jeff Zucker losing his job at CNN, that is a remarkable domino effect — the chain of events. That is one part of the story. I would also point out there may be elements here we don’t know, but for now, what we do know is that, through that Cuomo investigation, Zucker was asked about his relationship. He acknowledged it, he said he should have acknowledged it earlier, and that was the reason why WarnerMedia says he’s out.

BLACKWELL: There’s certain a clarity of mission and a clarity of vision for — for this network that will be missed.

STELTER: Mmm.