On the morning of the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks that resulted in America's longest war, CNN's Brian Stelter shared an Associated Press report from earlier in the week that claimed journalists deserve to be applauded for their 2001 coverage of the tragedy as it was unfolding.
Not only did Stelter share the article, he also highlighted in his tweet a quote from Garrett Graff, author of "The Only Plane in the Sky," who told the AP that journalists were the "closest thing that America had to national leaders on 9/11" and that they were the "moral authority" for Americans.
Network TV anchors were "the closest thing that America had to national leaders on 9/11. They were the moral authority for the country on that first day," especially with political leaders in bunkers or otherwise out of sight... https://t.co/j12NRPr2BM
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) September 11, 2021
The AP report highlighted Tom Brokaw of NBC News, Peter Jennings of ABC and Dan Rather of CBS for their role in "counseling" millions of Americans who had just witnessed 19 terrorists kill nearly 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
Stelter's tweet of the report prompted stark criticism from media personalities and journalists.
I don't know what this is even designed to mean other than to be incendiary on a dark anniversary.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) September 11, 2021
First responders led & ran into danger and died. Mayor Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, George Pataki, President Bush, Chuck Schumer.... there were many real leaders leading us. https://t.co/60eBxqdvmL
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Reporter fanboy Brian Stelter thinks news anchors were the true heroes of 9-11. Oh my. https://t.co/X5OPTMrAJi
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) September 11, 2021
*Literally any historical event occurs*
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 11, 2021
Journalists: "How can I make this about me?" https://t.co/rNkssQWUJn
Give it a rest for just one day, Brian.
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) September 11, 2021
Damn dude. https://t.co/pZKXz8n8Wx
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