Dana Bash of CNN acknowledges a greater focus on potential reactions from former President Donald Trump during the initial debate compared to current President Joe Biden. Internal CNN documents obtained through a defamation lawsuit reveal concerns raised by editors regarding the segment in question.
During an appearance on "The View" on Monday, CNN's Dana Bash revealed that she and co-anchor Jake Tapper had dedicated more preparation to addressing former President Donald Trump's potential reactions than they did to President Joe Biden's during the first presidential debate. This admission came amidst an ongoing defamation lawsuit against CNN by U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young.
Young alleges that CNN defamed him and his consulting firm, Nemex Enterprises Inc., during a segment aired on "The Lead with Jake Tapper" on November 11, 2021. He claims the segment wrongly portrayed him as an illicit profiteer who exploited desperate Afghans during the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan.
CNN Admits Prioritizing Preparedness for Trump's Reactions over Biden's in First Debate
Internal CNN documents obtained by Young's legal team through the lawsuit reveal that editors within the network had expressed concerns about the segment. According to Young's attorney, Vel Freedman, these documents refer to the segment as an "infernal story" that was "not ready for air." Despite these concerns, the segment was aired as planned.
The segment in question, which was shared widely on social media and repackaged for CNN's website, depicted Afghans facing exorbitant fees and false promises in their efforts to flee Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal. Correspondent Alex Marquardt specifically singled out Young's company, displaying an image of his face on screen and claiming that it was demanding $75,000 to move a car with passengers to Pakistan, charging $14,500 per person for the journey to the United Arab Emirates.
CNN Admits Prioritizing Preparedness for Trump's Reactions over Biden's in First Debate
Young contests this portrayal, arguing that CNN's use of terms such as "black market," "exploit," and "exorbitant" falsely presented him as a bad actor preying on vulnerable people. According to Freedman, Marquardt received pushback from editors regarding these claims but ignored it, leading to the airing of the segment despite its purported lack of readiness.
Freedman further alleges that Marquardt and his colleagues sought to advance a predetermined, false narrative about Young, rather than objectively reporting the facts. He cites instances where Marquardt allegedly failed to follow CNN's internal journalist conduct guidelines, which dictate that journalists should avoid predetermining outcomes and seek balance in their reporting.
CNN Admits Prioritizing Preparedness for Trump's Reactions over Biden's in First Debate
Young also claims that Marquardt promised to "nail" him in his reporting and that other colleagues supported this intent. He further alleges that Marquardt failed to inform CNN's legal team of Young's intention to pursue legal action, potentially suggesting a conscious disregard for the potential consequences.
Freedman contends that CNN's failure to adhere to its own internal guidelines and its insistence on airing the segment despite concerns from editors constitute evidence of actual malice, intentional misconduct, and gross negligence. He urges the court to deny CNN's motion for summary judgment on punitive damages and allow the case to proceed to a jury.
CNN Admits Prioritizing Preparedness for Trump's Reactions over Biden's in First Debate
A civil trial is scheduled to begin on January 6, 2025, in the Bay County Circuit Court in Florida. CNN has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit.
