CNN's Chuck Roberts Should Be Disciplined Harshly

Yet another right-wing talking head (and a second rate one at that) has decided to jump on the trash Ned Lamont bandwagon. This time it is Chuck Roberts on CNN Headline News. While discussing the London terror plot with John Mercurio, the senior editor of Hotline, Roberts asked Mercurio, “How does this factor into the Lieberman/Lamont contest? And might some argue, as some have, that Lamont is the al Qaeda candidate?”. What the hell kind of ridiculous crap is this from CNN. Rightly so, Arianna Huffington has posted a peel the paint off the walls report on this over at Huffington Post, with a transcript from her appearance on Reliable Sources with Howard Kurtz. you had your own headline anchorman, Chuck Roberts, describe Lamont as the al Qaeda candidate. This is an equally deceitful, fraudulent, fabricated statement. There should be zero tolerance for all those deceits, whether in images or words. KURTZ: Well, what Chuck Roberts said, according to the transcript, was that some are calling Ned Lamont the al Qaeda candidate. But it's certainly not a formulation I would have used. HUFFINGTON: You cannot find a single person who called Lamont the al Qaeda candidate, except Chuck Roberts. And what have been the consequences when it comes to Chuck Roberts? Has he been demoted to be covering Paris Hilton or entertainment news? ... It's about time that there is that same kind of accountability that Charles is demanding from photojournalists from journalists, as well. How right you are Arianna this kind of crap is totally despicable. Not only has Arianna raised hell over this, but David Brook of Media Matters has been in contact with Jonathan Klein the President of CNN. Here is an excerpt of the letter: during a discussion on CNN Headline News of the recent Connecticut Senate Democratic primary won by Ned Lamont, anchor Chuck Roberts asked: "Might some argue, as some have, that Lamont is the Al Qaeda candidate?" One expects to hear this kind of hyperbolic rhetoric -- which also perfectly plays into the Republican Party's baseless smears of Democrats as soft on national security -- coming from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, or Michael Savage. CNN, however, is supposed to be a legitimate news organization. We at Media Matters for America, along with your viewers, would like to know what action you intend to take in response to this incident. Will CNN be issuing a retraction? Will Mr. Roberts be offering Mr. Lamont an on-air apology? Will some disciplinary action be taken against Mr. Roberts? We eagerly await your response. I would urge everyone to contact CNN and express their disgust at this kind of deceitful journalism by using the contact form HERE. Please remember to be polite and professional and stick to the facts. If you wish to view a clip of Roberts making this statement, it is available for viewing at Think Progress The CNN clip of Arianna on CNN's Reliable Sources can be viewed at C&L