CNN White House correspondent John Harwood announced on Friday it was his last day at the network, the latest high-level departure as CNN tries to become a serious news channel again.
personal news:
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) September 2, 2022
today's my last day at CNN
proud of the work
thanks to my colleagues
i've been lucky to serve the best in American media - St. Petersburg Times, WSJ, NYT, the NBC family, CNN
look forward to figuring out what's next
While stylized as a straight news "correspondent," Harwood would frequently inject personal opinion and commentary that could be described as hyperbolic. An example of this is from one of his last reports to CNN just before he announced his departure.
Biden's assertion that Trump and extremist Republicans pose a threat to American democracy is, undeniably, true
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) September 2, 2022
Media: @JohnJHarwood: "The core point @JoeBiden made about a threat to democracy is true. [As journalists], we're taught not to take sides in honest disagreements between parties. But these are not honest disagreements. The @GOP right now is led by a dishonest demagogue." pic.twitter.com/Exktgz1aoM
— Porter Anderson (@Porter_Anderson) September 2, 2022
Harwood also showed his left-wing bias when it was revealed he sought input from Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign chair on what he should ask then-frontrunner Jeb Bush in an upcoming GOP primary debate. Harwood was not fired after the email became public knowledge.
Harwood leaving the network is on top of other high-profile names, for better or for worse, that are now gone, such as Jeff Zucker, Brian Stelter, and Jeffrey Toobin. The shakeups come as CNN has been under new management.