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CNN and other liberal media outlets struggled to conceal their envy on Monday after Donald Trump’s highly anticipated interview with Elon Musk—a prominent immigrant entrepreneur and the owner of X (formerly Twitter) and other successful tech ventures—garnered record-breaking ratings.
The live broadcast of the conversation on the social media platform’s “X Space” feature attracted more than 1.3 million listeners. According to Musk’s statement on Tuesday, the interview has since amassed over 1 billion views. This viewership far exceeds CNN’s average of 606,000 primetime viewers during the first quarter of 2024, most of whom, it is assumed, are elderly individuals who fell asleep in front of their televisions.
Unsurprisingly, CNN and other liberal outlets published a series of critical headlines about the Trump interview. One CNN contributor likened it to “watching ‘Grumpy Old Men,’” the 1993 comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. Additional articles from CNN ridiculed the “technical difficulties” encountered during the livestream and argued that the discussion was excessively “friendly” or designed to hinder the rise of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. The network even assigned Daniel Dale to perform a “fact check” of the interview.
Since launching his first presidential campaign in 2015, Trump has repeatedly asserted that he is the best thing that ever happened to the media. He’s not wrong. Many media outlets experienced a significant boost in profits from 2015 to 2021. However, the journalism industry saw a sharp decline after President Joe Biden took office. By 2023, CNN’s ratings hit a low point, while the Washington Post incurred losses of $77 million that same year. In an attempt to curb financial losses, CNN has laid off hundreds of its employees in recent months.
During the widely-viewed interview, Trump criticized the decline of the “fake news media” under Biden and took aim at Harris for avoiding questions about her policy positions. He accused the Democratic Party of backing a “third-rate phony candidate” after Biden’s poor debate performance and his subsequent withdrawal from the race, influenced by liberal donors. “We cannot have her,” Trump said of Harris. “She’s incompetent.” (Fact check: Mostly true.)
Harris is often regarded as a politician of moderate ability with no consistent core beliefs and a willingness to say anything to gain power. Many have suggested that Harris could dispel doubts about her competence by holding press conferences or making herself available for interviews. However, Harris remains elusive, even from sympathetic journalists. Her campaign even declined to engage in a flattering Time magazine profile that aimed to “reintroduce” Harris as a cultural figure on par with Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and Barack Obama.
The most apparent reason for Harris’s avoidance of interviews is her perceived inability to respond effectively to even the simplest questions from a supportive press. Earlier this month, for example, Harris was asked a straightforward question regarding her thoughts on the return of Americans detained in Russia. Her response was considered incoherent. “This is just an extraordinary testament to the importance of having a president who understands the power of diplomacy and understands the strength that rests in understanding the significance of diplomacy and strengthening alliances,” Harris said.
In one of her most memorable moments as vice president, Harris faced criticism during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt in June 2021. She incorrectly claimed to have visited the southern border and appeared flustered when Holt pressed for clarification. “And I haven’t been to Europe,” she retorted with a laugh. “And I mean, I don’t—I don’t understand the point that you’re making.”
It has been nearly a month since Biden stepped down from the race and endorsed Harris as his successor, yet she has not personally articulated any specific policy positions, aside from the vague statements made by anonymous campaign representatives.
