4 August 2021: Most Media Outlets Turn Against Cuomo

How the media is covering the bombshell Andrew Cuomo report

The Poynter Institute summarizes the reaction of reporters and media commentators to the bombshell findings:

Here are just some of the media tweets that I found interesting from Tuesday’s Cuomo news and his subsequent video response.

Regarding the attorney general’s news conference, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman tweeted, “This press conference and the report are way, way, way more detailed and damning that many in press and among Dem operatives expected.”

About Cuomo’s response, New York Times national political correspondent Alex Burns tweeted: “who are you going to believe, me or a 168-page report by multiple highly experienced investigators who interviewed 179 people.”

Washington Post White House bureau chief Ashley Parker tweeted, “‘I do it with everyone,’ is an interesting defense of sexually inappropriate behavior.”

CNN’s Chris Cillizza tweeted, “Anyone who knows Andrew Cuomo knows he is not the resigning sort. But this video statement is not helping him make the case he can survive this. Like, at all.”

HuffPost Washington bureau chief Amanda Terkel tweeted, “So Cuomo, instead of apologizing or resigning, is holding himself up as a champion of women who have been victims of sexual harassment and assault. Unreal.”

The Washington Post’s Philip Bump tweeted, “Everything about this often-cringey statement suggests that Cuomo thinks this is survivable.”

CNN’s S.E. Cupp tweeted, “That was, to put it politely, a master class in sociopathic gaslighting by Cuomo: You didn’t see what you saw. You are confused and biased. It’s YOU who have explaining to do. I was actually HELPING these people. My lack of accountability proves I’m doing my job right.”

The report continues to describe the media's reaction, but also makes a point of describing what The Week described as "the Andrew Cuomo-shaped hole" in CNN's Chris Cuomo's Prime Time broadcast.

Once again, CNN is facing uncomfortable questions about prime-time host Chris Cuomo in the wake of all the news involving his brother. The problem is that Chris admittedly was part of the team that advised Andrew when the allegations were going public. And while CNN said at the time that his actions were “inappropriate” and he apologized, Chris was not disciplined.

Chris said back in May that he was going to recuse himself from covering his brother and this story, and so it was no surprise (although certainly awkward) that he didn’t address the story on his show Tuesday night. But recusing himself now and back in May doesn’t erase the knowledge that he helped advise his brother against allegations that the New York attorney general now says are credible. In fact, Chris’ name came up in the attorney general’s report.

That's a recognition that CNN has experienced a massive blow to its journalistic credibility related the ethics of its top talent (Chris Cuomo) and the editors and managers who have either greenlighted or looked the other way with respect to his journalistic conflicts of interest and misconduct. Even CNN's reporters recognize the damage:

One unnamed CNN staffer told BuzzFeed News’ Julia Reinstein, “I think that, as journalists, it’s our responsibility to act in the most responsible possible way, not only to maintain journalistic integrity, but also for the public to regain trust in journalism and television news. And the fact that Chris Cuomo wasn’t fired over his inappropriate conflict of interest in actively affecting a news story is not only irresponsible of CNN, but also a disgrace to journalism.”

Under CNN's current leadership, the network has become a toxic environment for those who object to the outright corruption of its journalistic integrity. That's why even anonymous CNN staffers agree the network has shredded its credibility.