News Opinons Politics

‘Rigged’: Critics Cry Foul as CNN Debate Slants Against Bernie Sanders

Supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are infuriated by the results of the seventh Democrat presidential debate in Iowa because it appears that moderators favored Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the debate hosted by CNN on Tuesday.

The clearest example of bias cited by debate watchers was when CNN moderator Abby Phillips had the following exchange with Sanders and Warren:

Phillips: You’re saying that you never told Senator Warren that a woman couldn’t win the election?


Bernie: Correct.

Phillips: Warren, what did you think when Sanders said a woman couldn’t win the election?

Warren: I disagreed. Bernie is my friend, and I am not here to try to fight with Bernie.


Trump says he will meet with Kim Jong Un ‘later this year’
US ally on Putin’s doorstep braces for war as Russia tensions take ominous turn
GoFundMe for Lindsay Clancy Family Skyrockets as Clancy’s Mom Reveals Her Daughter Begged to Sleep With Her at Night
New York grandmother vanishes in Las Vegas as family gets mysterious texts from her phone asking for Bitcoin
Watch: ESPN Botches On-Air Tribute to Network’s Founder on the Day of His Death
Zelensky’s fired defense minister mounts political challenge by demanding new elections
Alert: Trump Resurrects Keystone XL Pipeline in Cryptic Truth Social Post, Moments After Announcing Trade Deal With Canada
They’re Back: Another Socialist Scores Upset Dem Primary Victory in Critical Senate Race
The people trying to kill Trump are kooks, resistance maniacs, and Iranians: Byron York
Lindsay Clancy described a male voice ordering her to ‘kill her children and kill herself’: testimony
Police arrest 19-year-old for deadly Great Falls stabbing of woman
Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase
Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future
California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states
‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln

After the debate, Warren pointedly refused to shake Sen. Sanders’s hand, a puzzling move, as Warren tried to paint her relationship with the Vermont Senator as respectful and collegial.

The story kicking off the alleged claim of Sanders’ sexist remark towards Warren in 2018 was published Monday by CNN and prominently featured on their network before the debate.

Phillips followed up by asking Sen. Amy Klobuchar, “What do you say to people who say that a woman can’t win this election?”

See also  Appeals court upholds limits on warrantless ICE arrests at churches

Warren did not repeat her claim against Sanders during the debate, and Phillips and other CNN moderators failed to cross-examine the Massachusetts senator’s account of what occurred during their conversation.

Warren instead pivoted into an answer that trumpeted women running successfully for elections, earning loud cheers from the debate audience.

Supporters also claim that CNN moderators focused more attention on demanding that Sen. Bernie Sanders explain how he plans to pay for his socialist programs, ignoring Warren’s proposals for similar programs.


Trump says he will meet with Kim Jong Un ‘later this year’
US ally on Putin’s doorstep braces for war as Russia tensions take ominous turn
GoFundMe for Lindsay Clancy Family Skyrockets as Clancy’s Mom Reveals Her Daughter Begged to Sleep With Her at Night
New York grandmother vanishes in Las Vegas as family gets mysterious texts from her phone asking for Bitcoin
Watch: ESPN Botches On-Air Tribute to Network’s Founder on the Day of His Death
Zelensky’s fired defense minister mounts political challenge by demanding new elections
Alert: Trump Resurrects Keystone XL Pipeline in Cryptic Truth Social Post, Moments After Announcing Trade Deal With Canada
They’re Back: Another Socialist Scores Upset Dem Primary Victory in Critical Senate Race
The people trying to kill Trump are kooks, resistance maniacs, and Iranians: Byron York
Lindsay Clancy described a male voice ordering her to ‘kill her children and kill herself’: testimony
Police arrest 19-year-old for deadly Great Falls stabbing of woman
Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase
Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future
California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states
‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln

Sanders’ campaign co-chair Nina Turner immediately pointed out CNN’s bias in a series of screenshots on Twitter.

After the debate, many of the Democrats on the CNN panel immediately declared Warren the victor of the debate, noting her strong performance.

“I think what Bernie forgot is that this isn’t a he-said, she-said story,” political consultant Jess McIntosh said after the debate. “This is a reported out story that CNN was a part of breaking, so to have him just flat out say, ‘no,’ wasn’t nearly enough for the women watching.”

See also  Appeals court upholds limits on warrantless ICE arrests at churches

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper corrected McIntosh to note that Warren’s entire accusation and Sanders’ response was basically a “he said, she said” case, as there were only two people in the meeting — Sanders and Warren.

But the rest of the panel delivered unanimous praise for Warren’s debate performance.

Campaign manager for former President Barack Obama David Axelrod said that it was Warren’s “best debate.”

“She was consistent, strong, emphatic, I think she did what she came there to do,” he said.

Political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson said that Warren had the “best plan,” the “best energy” and the “best moment” in the debate.

Even Van Jones said that “this was Elizabeth Warren’s night.”


Trump says he will meet with Kim Jong Un ‘later this year’
US ally on Putin’s doorstep braces for war as Russia tensions take ominous turn
GoFundMe for Lindsay Clancy Family Skyrockets as Clancy’s Mom Reveals Her Daughter Begged to Sleep With Her at Night
New York grandmother vanishes in Las Vegas as family gets mysterious texts from her phone asking for Bitcoin
Watch: ESPN Botches On-Air Tribute to Network’s Founder on the Day of His Death
Zelensky’s fired defense minister mounts political challenge by demanding new elections
Alert: Trump Resurrects Keystone XL Pipeline in Cryptic Truth Social Post, Moments After Announcing Trade Deal With Canada
They’re Back: Another Socialist Scores Upset Dem Primary Victory in Critical Senate Race
The people trying to kill Trump are kooks, resistance maniacs, and Iranians: Byron York
Lindsay Clancy described a male voice ordering her to ‘kill her children and kill herself’: testimony
Police arrest 19-year-old for deadly Great Falls stabbing of woman
Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase
Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future
California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states
‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln

“She knocked that moment out of the park,” Jones said, arguing that Sanders “stepped on a banana peel” during the debate.

“It was an out of the park moment for her,” said Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash after the debate, praising the “clever way” that Warren brought in Klobuchar to rally the “sisterhood” on stage.

Supporters of Bernie Sanders immediately reacted to what they saw as a rigged debate by sharing the hashtag #CNNisTrash that trended quickly on Twitter after the debate.


Trump says he will meet with Kim Jong Un ‘later this year’
US ally on Putin’s doorstep braces for war as Russia tensions take ominous turn
GoFundMe for Lindsay Clancy Family Skyrockets as Clancy’s Mom Reveals Her Daughter Begged to Sleep With Her at Night
New York grandmother vanishes in Las Vegas as family gets mysterious texts from her phone asking for Bitcoin
Watch: ESPN Botches On-Air Tribute to Network’s Founder on the Day of His Death
Zelensky’s fired defense minister mounts political challenge by demanding new elections
Alert: Trump Resurrects Keystone XL Pipeline in Cryptic Truth Social Post, Moments After Announcing Trade Deal With Canada
They’re Back: Another Socialist Scores Upset Dem Primary Victory in Critical Senate Race
The people trying to kill Trump are kooks, resistance maniacs, and Iranians: Byron York
Lindsay Clancy described a male voice ordering her to ‘kill her children and kill herself’: testimony
Police arrest 19-year-old for deadly Great Falls stabbing of woman
Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase
Hegseth’s growing campaign role sparks talk of political future
California special interest groups follow Newsom into early 2028 primary states
‘How Weak Are You?’: Watch as Vet Who Lost Both Legs in Afghanistan Shreds Sailors Whining About Food on USS Abraham Lincoln

Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter