Liberal CNN Host SLAMS Stacy Abrams As ‘Election Denier’, Rips Network’s Double Standard

Liberal news outlets are at odds with each other over Ronna McDaniel’s recent firing from NBC. On Friday, CNN host Fareed Zakaria publicly criticized NBC News for its decision to terminate the former Republican National Committee Chairwoman’s contract just days after her hiring.

Speaking on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Zakaria pointed out the inconsistency in the media’s treatment of individuals based on their political affiliations, bringing to light a broader debate on the principles of liberalism and free speech.

The controversy began when NBC News decided to end its contract with McDaniel, citing her past statements and the network’s commitment to a “cohesive and aligned” newsroom. Zakaria, however, challenged the justification behind McDaniel’s firing by comparing her case to that of Stacey Abrams, a two-time failed gubernatorial candidate who has been criticized for refusing to concede her election loss to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp in 2018.

Zakaria labeled Abrams an “election denier,” drawing parallels between the allegations against McDaniel and Abrams’ own actions following her electoral defeat. “They say, ‘No, it’s not about that, it’s that she lied.’ Well, Bill Clinton lied, under oath. I think, last time I checked, he’s been on MSNBC. They say, well, she’s an election denier. Well, Stacey Abrams was an election denier about her own election and they’ve had her on.”

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Abrams’ refusal to formally concede her loss in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial race has been a point of contention and criticism among her opponents. Abrams focused on allegations of voter suppression and mismanagement by her opponent, Brian Kemp, who was also the Secretary of State and therefore in charge of overseeing the election.

“Liberals often trigger backlash when they use illiberal means to get to their ends,” Zakaria said. “The way you’re going to defend [liberalism], the way you’re going to move it forward is by not cheating, not cutting corners, not having double standards, because if we have them, then what Trump says is, well, ‘you cut corners, I cut corners.'”

Zakaria argued that by applying double standards, media organizations risk undermining these very principles, suggesting that integrity and consistency should guide their actions instead of political bias.

The decision to bring McDaniel on board did not sit well with many within the NBCUniversal editorial staff. High-profile anchors, including Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow, have voiced their opposition on “Meet The Press” and MSNBC, criticizing the network for providing a platform to someone closely associated with efforts to question the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election in support of Donald Trump.

The CNN host also pointed out the potential repercussions of de-platforming individuals based on their political views. According to Zakaria, about 85 million adults believe the 2020 election was rigged, warranting questions about the fairness of excluding voices that represent a significant portion of the American population.

McDaniel’s tenure at NBC News spanned just four days, during which she participated in a 20-minute segment on “Meet the Press” the previous Sunday. Her agreement with the network was a two-year contract worth $300,000 annually.

In March, Lara Trump and Michael Whatley took over from Ronna Romney McDaniel as co-chairpersons of the RNC.