Earlier today, Anderson Cooper's Twitter account posted a tweet responding to President Donald Trump calling him a "pathetic loser."
CNN says Anderson Cooper’s account was hacked when it tweeted to Trump calling him a “tool” and “pathetic loser.” https://t.co/ee1BvAYBCw pic.twitter.com/QSS5DZWQuN
— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) December 13, 2017
The tweet was quickly deleted, and CNN, as well as Cooper himself, issued a brief statement saying that he had not sent the tweet and that his phone had been compromised. CNN said that they were "working with Twitter" to figure out what had happened.
This morning someone gained access to the handle @andersoncooper and replied to POTUS. We're working with Twitter to secure the account.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) December 13, 2017
just woke up to find out someone gained access to my twitter account. i have not sent a tweet in days or replied to any tweets. We are looking into how this happened.
— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) December 13, 2017
This afternoon, the plot thickened. CNN issued another statement saying that there was no way Cooper himself could have sent the tweet, as it was sent from New York while he was in D.C. (For those of you keeping score at home, this is not what entails a "hack.")
CNN statement on @andersoncooper tweet says it was sent from NYC while AC was in D.C. pic.twitter.com/ngFlByFeQp
— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) December 13, 2017
People were quick to question this version of events. Let's see: Cooper's assistant just happened to leave his phone unsecured and unlocked, where someone else just happened up on it and, of all things, just happened to have responded to a Trump tweet.
Right.
Sounds like your assistant left it where some unknown third party could access it and reply to Trump tweets. Happens to everybody. https://t.co/tvLgXPUPAp
— Jim Treacher is a dumb pseudonym (@jtLOL) December 13, 2017
Even if the gym story were true... how do you reconcile that with CNN's original statement that it was a "hack"?
— Griswold Christmas Vacation (@HashtagGriswold) December 13, 2017
Confession time:
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) December 13, 2017
I did the tweet from Anderson Cooper’s account.
I snuck into the gym and opened the locker and broke the code on the phone and did the tweet and then high fived everyone in the gym and they all kept quiet about it.
It was worth it, even if I go to Gitmo.
I have never met a gay man who has left his phone unlocked and unattended at the gym, but OK. https://t.co/h9LdMnhonX
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 13, 2017
Anderson didn't send that tweet. See it was totally his assistant who left their phone unattended at the gym where a random person picked it up and decided to respond to Trump.
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) December 13, 2017
Totally makes more sense than Anderson simply replying to Trump pic.twitter.com/3lGCzeewBv
Sounds plausible.
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