CNN Admits to Being a Propaganda Operation

 CNN Admits to Being a Propaganda Operation - The American Way of Life (claremont.org)    

In its response to the Trump lawsuit, “the most trusted name in news” no longer seeks to hide its true nature from its viewers.

"Recently, CNN filed its response to former President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit. It is not surprising that CNN’s attorneys seem to have the stronger legal argument. After all, the controlling precedents make it notoriously difficult for a public figure to prevail in a defamation action. It is surprising, however, and more than a little revealing, that CNN’s filing nevertheless tends to support the political complaint that animates Trump’s suit: namely, that CNN, contrary to its branding, is not exactly a beacon of journalistic objectivity and honesty.

"Before coming to his specific defamation claims, Trump’s own submission set

s the stage by claiming that CNN has a history of smearing him in order to advance its own anti-Trump political agenda. Thus, for example, Trump alleges that CNN broadcast an interview with a psychiatrist, Allen Frances, who stated — outlandishly — that “Trump is as destructive a person in this century as Hitler, Stalin, and Mao were in the last century. He may be responsible for many more million deaths than they were.” On another occasion, Trump claims, CNN’s Anderson Cooper interviewed Linda Ronstadt — yes, that Linda Ronstadt, the pop singer — about her views on Trump’s similarities to Hitler. Finally, Trump asserts that a CNN producer — filmed undercover by Project Veritas — admitted that the network’s coverage of Trump’s presidency was a kind of “propaganda” designed to get him “out” of office.

"Given how damaging these claims would be to the reputation of a serious news network, you might expect CNN to launch a defamation suit of its own against Trump. CNN has not done so, however. Indeed, it cannot dispute these claims, for the simple reason that they are all absolutely true and easily verifiable. In fact, Trump’s suit reminds us that these ridiculous and humiliating examples are accurate descriptions of the network that bills itself as “the most trusted name in news.”

"Indeed, CNN does not even deny Trump’s general complaint that its negative coverage of him is motivated by political animus. It merely notes that, under the prevailing legal standards, evidence of political animus is not sufficient to establish the “actual malice” necessary for a public figure to win a defamation case. “Actual malice” is a legal term of art. It means that the person or entity being accused of defamation made defamatory claims knowing that they were false, or with reckless disregard for whether they were true. CNN’s lawyers are no doubt correct that political animus does not establish actual malice. But it would also be nice if “the most trusted name in news” could credibly deny that its reporting is motivated and shaped by political animus. Alas, it cannot do so.". . .