On the Monday edition of the Fox Business Network’s Risk and Reward, the Media Research Center’s Tim Graham annihilated CNN’s lukewarm response to Believe host Reza Aslan’s vulgar tweet attacking President Donald Trump following Saturday night’s London terror attacks.
Specifically, Graham called out the CNN Media team that includes Dylan Byers, Oliver Darcy, and Brian Stelter for their tepid coverage of Aslan and Kathy Griffin (following her own lewd behavior last week holding up a fake severed Trump head).
In the midst of one response knocking Aslan, Graham called out the CNN journalists:
Yesterday, they had this whole Reliable Sources segment. They start by talking about the London event. They questioned Trump. They have nothing to see about Reza Aslan. That whole CNN Media team should have Twitter accounts that say see no doodoo, speak no doodoo, you know, hear no doodoo. They're not responsible in responding to their own scandals and I think they get maybe what? Sixty seconds yesterday to Kathy Griffin.
As for Aslan, Graham dismissed CNN’s silly notion that he’s been a host of a religious program but not a CNN employee.
“He is the CNN brand just because he is a host of a show with six episodes doesn't mean he's not CNN and of course he comes out, and he says this isn't my style, and then it's very easy. The internet is pulling up all of the tweets where he's profane. So obviously, that's not true either. He also called Trump a POS on May 17,” Graham explained.
Referring to Aslan’s loony book Zealot, Graham quipped: “I think it's a better title for his own memoir. Obviously, a lot of people disagreed with his whole thesis that, somehow, Jesus Christ was some sort of left wing hippie radical activist.”
Graham was later asked what he made of CNN’s New Day co-host and former Fox News employee Alisyn Camerota’s suggestion that the 2017 National Spelling Bee champion was proficient in Sanskrit during a segment about Trump’s “covfefe” tweet.
With time running out, Graham concluded:
Well, I’d be a little more charitable that you say what youngster she might be literate in Sanskrit is not an insult. It might be sort of racially insensitive. But their obsession over that just shows you again that they're completely obsessed with this man's tweets and then, somehow, CNN can’t spend any time putting on air Reza Aslan? Why don't they have the guts of putting up his tweets on air, one after another, all of the s-words, all of the vulgarities and then you try to tell us somehow that Donald Trump is the one who’s got an out of control Twitter account.
Here’s the transcript from Graham’s segment from FBN’s Risk and Reward on June 5:
FBN’s Risk and Reward
June 5, 2017
5:27 p.m. Eastern
ELIZABETH MACDONALD: After the London bridge attack, President Trump tweeted this: “We need to be smart, vigilant, and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety.” And then we have this. Iranian-born CNN host Reza Aslan, he decided the following was an appropriate response: “This piece of blank is not just an embarrassment to America and his presidency. He's an embarrassment to humankind.” Now, Aslan later apologized saying quote he “should have used better language to express himself.” Meantime, CNN parent company Time Warner closed the day slightly up. Joining me now, let's bring in Media Research Center Director Tim Graham. Tim, here's what's going on. It’s good to see you, by the way.
GRAHAM: Thanks.
MACDONALD: CNN applauded the host for apologizing but then it distances itself from the statements saying quote, he’s “not a CNN employee, but [he] does host a series on the network.” I mean, what do you make of all this?
GRAHAM: He is the CNN brand just because he is a host of a show with six episodes doesn't mean he's not CNN and of course he comes out, and he says this isn't my style, and then it's very easy. The internet is pulling up all of the tweets where he's profane. So obviously, that's not true either. He also called Trump a POS on May 17. So this is his style.
MACDONALD: You know, Tim, isn't it guy who wrote the book Zealot about the life of Jesus?
GRAHAM: Exactly and this is the guy who try to take down Fox News correspondent Lauren Green when she asked him what is a Muslim writing about the life of Christ? And that was a big deal. CNN thought that was a big deal back then, but, you know, yesterday they had this whole Reliable Sources segment. They start by talking about the London event. They questioned Trump. They have nothing to see about Reza Aslan. That whole CNN Media team should have Twitter accounts that say see no doodoo, speak no doodoo, you know, hear no doodoo. They're not responsible in responding to their own scandals and I think they get maybe what? 60 seconds yesterday to Kathy Griffin.
MACDONALD: Yeah, it's a good point. You know, I’ve read Dr. Aslan's book. I enjoyed reading it. I think he's a good writer. It's just so odd to reading his book and then seeing him write these vulgar tweets. Go ahead.
GRAHAM: Well, he called the book Zealot to describe Jesus Christ. I think it's a better title for his own memoir. Obviously, a lot of people disagreed with his whole thesis that, somehow, Jesus Christ was some sort of left wing hippie radical activist. That's — that’s bunch of garbage. I don't think —
MACDONALD: But what I’m pointing out is it’s striking he's making vulgar tweets but he puts himself as an international acclaimed biblical scholar, you know?
GRAHAM: Well, this is the problem that CNN picks this guy to be the religion expert. I mean, obviously, he discredited himself as someone who's going to explain religion to a popular audience. This is just not the way a religion scholar should be speaking.
MACDONALD: That’s the point. You know, in an attempt to ridicule President Trump, we have a CNN host came under fire on social media for assuming that the 2017 National Spelling Bee champion, a young Californian teenager about 12 years old. She's of south Asian dissent. The anchor said you are used to us sanskrit. This is all in an attempt to make fun of President Trump. Let's listen to this.
[CLIP OF CAMEROTA INSULTING SPELLING BEE WINNER]
MACDONALD: Did you catch that? Probably what you’re used to using because, you know, Tim, the anchor had recited an old joke that the President use of the word covfefe is Sanskrit. What are your thoughts here?
GRAHAM: Well, I’d be a little more charitable that you say what youngster she might be literate in Sanskrit is not an insult. It might be sort of racially insensitive. But their obsession over that just shows you again that they're completely obsessed with this man's tweets and then, somehow, CNN can’t spend any time putting on air Reza Aslan? Why don't they have the guts of putting up his tweets on air, one after another, all of the s-words, all of the vulgarities and then you try to tell us somehow that Donald Trump is the one who’s got an out of control Twitter account.
MACDONALD: It’s good point. Good to see you, Tim. We love having you on. Come back soon.
GRAHAM: Thanks.
