By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

The first presidential debate of 2024 between President Joe Biden and criminally convicted former President Donald Trump was nothing short of a shameful display of unhinged and unchecked behavior. CNN, which declined to provide Black-owned media with any of the more than eight hundred credentials it passed out, enabled a boat load of misinformation and flat-out lies to pass through their airwaves like bad wind. “Absolutely disgraceful that the CNN moderators refuse to fact-check Trump on anything,” said human rights activist and attorney Qasim Rashid. “This is journalistic malpractice, and it is decimating our democracy.”

Writer and attorney Olayemi Olurin tweeted, “It is a failure on CNN not to fact-check Trump’s lies, but the thing is… if Joe Biden were performing the way he’s supposed to in a debate, his answers would be the fact check. So, three things are true: Trump is lying his [butt] off, the mediator isn’t doing their job, and neither is Biden.” Biden, whose campaign said he suffered from a cold during the debate, took some of his biggest shots at Trump after the former president refused to accept the results this fall regardless of who won. Trump said he would only accept the results “if it’s fair, legal, and good.”

“You’re a whiner,” Biden said. “When you lost the first time… you appealed and appealed to courts all across the country. Not one single court in America said any of your claims had any merit, state or local, none. But you continue to promote this lie about somehow, there’s all this misrepresentation, all this stealing. There’s no evidence of that at all. And I tell you what, I doubt whether you’ll accept it, because you’re such a whiner. The idea if you lose again, you accepting anything? You can’t stand the loss. Something snapped in you when you lost last time.” Without any rebuttal, Trump also incredulously asserted that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was primarily to blame for the violent uprising on January 6.

The moderators then cut to a commercial. And that was just a tiny part of CNN’s massive failure. Meanwhile, at the People for American Way reception and debate watch party at the Wharf in D.C., attendees sighed and expressed anger at their television sets as Trump told lie after lie. Despite having two anchors and a mute button, the host network failed to challenge him. “The debate turned into a 90-minute Trump rally,” said Alice Wilkes of Northeast. “I waited and waited for the moderators to say something, or, at least, cut him off,” Wilkes said. At Busboys & Poets on K Street in Northwest, where former lawmaker Nina Turner hosted a watch party, a packed house cheered as Biden called Trump “a sucker” and noted that he had “sex with a porn star” behind his wife’s back.

During the debate, Biden addressed questions about his age and stumbled when he tried to mock Trump’s fitness. “You can see he is 6-foot-5 and only 223 pounds or 235 pounds… well, anyway,” Biden said. Later, he agreed to Trump’s challenge of a golf match on one condition: “If you carry your own bag.” Several Black voters expressed disappointment in the way both candidates talked about Black people. “It’s like they forgot about Black people,” Byron Cooper of Southeast stated. “Trump commuted some sentences and pardoned some drug dealers. That’s supposedly what he did for the Black community,” Cooper remarked. “Unfortunately, to some Black people, that’s enough, which is ridiculous because the guy is a stark raving racist.”

During the debate, Trump revived attacks on Biden and Democrats over the 1994 crime bill that disproportionately harmed African Americans. Neither Biden nor CNN failed to mention Trump calling for the execution of five Black and Brown teenagers who were innocent of sexually assaulting a white woman in Central Park. Biden did mention how Trump has called skinheads and white nationalists “good people.”

In his two-minute closing argument, Trump personally attacked Biden’s record abroad. “They don’t respect you throughout the world,” he said. Trump claimed he had the largest tax cut and the largest regulation cuts in history, but the country is now “exploding.” “We’re a failing nation, but it’s not going to be failing anymore,” he said. We’re going to make it great again.” For his close, Biden noted, “We have made significant progress from the debacle President Trump left in his last term.”

Biden then summarized some of his signature policies. In terms of the economy, he vowed not to raise taxes on anyone making under $400,000 a year and to continue his work to reduce health care and childcare costs and give families financial breathing room. “We’re going to continue to fight to bring down inflation and give people a break,” Biden said in closing.

The post CNN’s Shameful Spectacle: The First Presidential Debate of 2024 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Former Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger has announced his endorsement of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris just ahead of the first presidential debate in Atlanta. Kinzinger, a self-described Republican moderate, served as an Illinois congressman from 2011 until last year. He gained prominence for his opposition to his party’s direction, particularly after the January 6 Capitol attack. “This is what putting your country before your party looks like,” Biden said.

Kinzinger was one of only two Republicans, alongside former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney, to serve on the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack. He was also among the ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021, subsequently deciding not to seek reelection. In his recent book, “Renegade,” Kinzinger reflects on his political career, the challenges of working within a fractured political system, and his growing disillusionment with the Republican Party after Trump’s presidency and impeachment trials. Kinzinger, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, cited the “existential threat” Trump poses to American democracy as a critical reason for his endorsement. He referenced Trump’s role in the January 6 insurrection and praised President Biden’s steadfast commitment to protecting and strengthening democracy.

Kinzinger’s endorsement sets the stage for a stark contrast at tomorrow’s debate. Trump’s election denialism and support for political violence will be starkly juxtaposed against Biden’s unwavering advocacy for democracy, law, and order, a contrast that will be hard to miss. Conversely, Biden has fostered a sense of unity in his coalition, welcoming Republicans like Kinzinger. His campaign has invested millions in outreach efforts targeting Nikki Haley’s primary voters and organizing Republican outreach with resolute staff, demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity.

“I’m a proud conservative. I always have been. As a proud conservative, I’ve always put democracy and our Constitution above all else,” Kinzinger asserted. “And it’s because of my unwavering support for democracy, that today, as a proud conservative, I am endorsing Joe Biden for reelection.” The former congressman said his life has been guided by the conviction that America is a beacon of freedom, liberty, and democracy. “So, while I certainly don’t agree with President Biden on everything – and I never thought I’d be endorsing a Democrat for president – I know that he will always protect the very thing that makes America the best country in the world: our democracy,” he insisted. “Donald Trump poses a direct threat to every fundamental American value. He does not care about our country. He does not care about you. He only cares about himself, and he will hurt anyone or anything in pursuit of power. We saw that when he tried to overturn an election, he knew he lost in 2020.

“He attacked the foundation of this nation, encouraging a violent mob of his supporters to march on the Capitol to prevent the peaceful transition of power. Now, he has become even more dangerous. He’s called for the “termination” of the Constitution. He wants to be a dictator on day one, he actually said that. And he is continuing to stoke the flames of political violence. There is too much at stake to sit on the sidelines.”

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign Manager, released a statement regarding Kinzinger’s endorsement:

“Our campaign is proud to earn the support of Congressman Kinzinger, a true public servant who is a model for putting our country and our democracy over party and blind concession to Trump. Congressman Kinzinger represents the countless Americans that Donald Trump’s Republican Party has left behind. Those Americans have a home in President Biden’s coalition, and our campaign knows we need to show up and earn their support.

“President Biden will always fight for American democracy, the rule of law, treating each other with decency, dignity, and respect, and working to find common ground—even when we disagree. Congressman Kinzinger’s endorsement does not just make our campaign stronger; it will better equip us to win the hearts and minds of voters committed to fighting for the future of our democracy and stopping Donald Trump.”

The post Republican Adam Kinzinger Endorses Biden-Harris Ahead of First Presidential Debate first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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By Stacy M. Brown
@StacyBrownMedia

CNN has come under fire for denying media credentials to every Black-owned media entity, including those based in Atlanta, for the upcoming presidential debate on Thursday. Despite granting over 600 media credentials, not even one was extended to Black-owned outlets, sparking outrage and accusations of systemic exclusion in a predominantly Black city. The rejection has ignited a firestorm of criticism, highlighting the broader issue of racial inequity in media representation. Atlanta, a city with a rich history of Black culture and leadership, finds its Black-owned media sidelined at a critical political event.

The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a leading voice for Black-owned media, revealed a letter from CNN rejecting their request for credentials. This reporter, NNPA’s senior national correspondent, received the following response:

“Hi Stacy,
Thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of requests and space and security constraints, we are unable to accommodate any additional credential requests following our June 7th credential deadline. If you would like to receive transcripts and photos from the debate, please let us know and we will ensure you are on our distribution list.
Best,
Dylan Rose.”

The NNPA represents the 197-year-old Black Press of America, which counts among its more than 230 newspapers and media companies, The Atlanta Voice, Atlanta Daily World, and the Atlanta Inquirer. The popular Rolling Out magazine also counts among the Black Press’ members frozen out by CNN. Media personality and Black Star Network owner Roland Martin tweeted that his phone had been “buzzing from Black-owned media outlets in Atlanta who say they are being denied media credentials to the debate.”

The prolific news leader, further noted, “They don’t care about us.  This is despicable. The treatment of Black-owned media is pathetic.” Added NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., “CNN’s decision is an affront to the very essence of press freedom and diversity. In a city where Black voices and perspectives are essential, this exclusion is both a slap in the face and a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles for equitable media representation.”

The timing and nature of the rejection letter have only fueled the outrage. Despite having ample time and resources to accommodate a diverse range of media outlets, CNN’s refusal to include Black-owned entities suggests a troubling oversight or, worse, a deliberate and overtly racially motivated dismissal. Local Black-owned media outlets, many of which have served the Atlanta community for decades, expressed their frustration and disappointment with collective assertions that CNN has intentionally overlooked the heartbeat of the city’s news and culture.

The exclusion comes at a time when media diversity and representation are under intense scrutiny. Advocacy groups and community leaders have also called for immediate corrective actions from CNN and other major networks to ensure that Black-owned media entities are not just included but are given the respect and opportunities they deserve.

As the debate approaches, the spotlight is not just on the candidates but also on the institutions that shape public discourse. CNN’s decision has cast a long shadow over the debate, raising critical questions about who gets to tell the story and who gets left out. “Our exclusion from this pivotal event is not just an insult to our organizations but to our readers and viewers who rely on us for their news,” Chavis argued.

The post CNN Faces Backlash for Excluding Black-Owned Media from Presidential Debate Coverage first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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