CNN's Anderson Cooper rarely responds to conspiracy theorists, he explained at the outset of Monday night's program. Yet, a tweet from Donald Trump Jr. compelled him to speak up and clarify a few things about his network's coverage of Hurricane Florence.
Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo of Cooper standing in knee deep water in an unspecified location and suggested Cooper was lying to make his dad look bad because CNN's ratings are suffering.
It’s a shame that CNN’s ratings are down 41%. What’s worse is there’s a simple solution that they refuse to accept. Stop Lying to try to make @realDonaldTrump look bad. https://t.co/O3XyWchsJh pic.twitter.com/BCUCxKnOvO
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 16, 2018
Cooper interpreted the tweet to mean that Trump Jr. was suggesting his reporting in the path of the hurricane was all for show.
"The idea I am kneeling in water to make it look deep is idiotic." @AndersonCooper debunks the lies being spread by Donald Trump Jr., and others who falsely claimed he and his team exaggerated the severity of Hurricane Florence. #KeepingThemHonest https://t.co/j2HptrYpe0 pic.twitter.com/zwfvIXCsIY
— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) September 18, 2018
Cooper's colleague Jake Tapper defended him but suggested how critics could right the situation.
It would show a lot of character if those who put out the dishonest meme about Anderson’s hurricane coverage watched this, corrected the record, deleted their false memes, and apologized.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) September 18, 2018
Of course one has to have character before one can show it, I suppose. https://t.co/GdE2YysWhq
Trump Jr., however, has no plans to apologize. He said Cooper read his tweet all wrong. He never suggested that the photo was from Florence, adding that he was the one is who is the target of a smear.
Not surprised @AC360 lied about me on @CNN last night. Par for the course. I never said the pic of him was from Florence.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 18, 2018
When I tweeted out the picture of @AC360 it was with a link to an article about CNN's dwindling ratings. Nothing to do with Florence. https://t.co/fflwOa10GK
Trump Jr. also wondered when CNN was going to correct their report about him and WikiLeaks.
Cooper should be believed. But, there have been a few instances when it seemed reporters were exaggerating their situation, like this.
Reporter struggling in the wind while the other guys just casually stroll past. ?? pic.twitter.com/Qb3AxgPXNT
— Only in America (@Crazzyintheusa) September 14, 2018