Conservative talk radio host Dana Loesch put CNN's Jake Tapper in his place when he complained about President Donald Trump's "unprecedented smear campaign against rivals."
President Trump and his team are launching an unprecedented smear campaign against rivals, leveling wild and false allegations against critics in the media and politics, ranging from bizarre conspiracy theories to spreading lies about pedophilia and even murder. 1/
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 17, 2020
2/ These smear campaigns are unmoored from reality. They're deranged and indecent and seem designed at least in part to distract us from the horrific death, health, and economic crisis caused by the pandemic. The pandemic, which impacts you, is what we will continue to focus on.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 17, 2020
Loesch reminded Tapper that his network, CNN, made her a punching bag for gun control advocates who packed an arena following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
CNN held a town hall with Loesch, who represented the National Rifle Association at the time, and then-Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel.
Respectfully, your network did this. https://t.co/ySM9IDz4DK pic.twitter.com/h7XVHBjmO9
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 17, 2020
Loesch pointed Tapper to a thread that showed various video footage of what it was like behind-the-scenes.
Here’s the whole thread with video from the townhall wherein CNN made me the piñata for an arena of people they incited by how they organized the event. This is before they allowed for me to be repeatedly smeared as a murderer on their airwaves — if they want to discuss smears. https://t.co/4d9fAmpzP3
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 17, 2020
Various videos show a much different look at the audience than what most of America saw on CNN.
More from @CNNPR @CronkiteAward winning townhall wherein they did so much to advance the conversation on gun control pic.twitter.com/d1svHRHAuJ
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) March 19, 2019
More from @CNNPR @CronkiteAward winning townhall wherein they did so much to advance the conversation on gun control, look at the great conversation taking place. pic.twitter.com/n1wFnPaFZh
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) March 19, 2019
This is what happened when the cameras turned off at @CNNPR ’s award-winning townhall. They’re proud of it. pic.twitter.com/pe8MWTfCqi
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) March 19, 2019
CNN is proud of this, their Cronkite Award™-winning townhall where they advanced the conversation on gun control. There is more video still. pic.twitter.com/Pk6xAZZ3co
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) March 19, 2019
When CNN advertised the Parkland Town Hall, it was supposed to be a "conversation" and what it really turned into was Dana – on behalf of gun owners across the nation – being verbally attacked and blamed for what took place.
One of the most somber moments of the town hall was when Emma Gonzalez asked Dana about limiting access to bump stocks and modifications for semi-automatic weapons. Loesch used the opportunity to explain the issues with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and convictions not being reported to the NCIC, which oversees the system.
CNN used their town hall to push their own anti-Second Amendment agenda. Instead of making sure the audience was fair and balanced, Loesch walked into a hostile environment. She was painted as the big bad bully who wanted to harm children when that was the furthest thing from the truth. In fact, the town hall was designed for Dana to be the anti-gun left's punching bag.
It's convenient Tapper forgets this. Maybe he doesn't remember being in that room.