He showed a graphic of CNN's afternoon progression of (mis-)information, with each separate instance of what they called “BREAKING NEWS.” Of course, each CNN report was accompanied by a splashy CNN BREAKING NEWS chyron.
Several of their news items breaking were simply that nothing new had happened at all, and that there was in fact nothing new to report. Of course, one of the early breaking items was that there had been an arrest in the Boston Marathon bombings. Another of the breaking items was that the arrested man was “dark-skinned”. That particular breaking item was repeated by John King throughout the day.
Chris also pointed out that many folks had gathered outside of the Federal Courthouse in Boston, possibly families of some of the victims, desperate to see a suspect brought into custody; because of what CNN was reporting all afternoon.
Of course, the last CNN BREAKING NEWS item that Chris delineated, was CNN’s own announcement that in fact nobody had as yet been arrested. In other words, their BREAKING NEWS was that there was nothing to report, except that all of their previous BREAKING NEWS was complete and utter bullshit.
How anyone could take seriously Anderson Cooper solemnly interviewing John King last evening after all of that…I haven’t a clue. Nor can I figure out why anyone would watch them again, if not for research into the utter failings of news organizations; or for laughs.
Chris also did an excellent analysis on violence vs. terror, and how it is called violence when guns are used, and terror when explosive devices are used; and our national reactions/non-reactions to each type of heinous crime.
***FULL DISCLOSURE: I met Chris Hayes once, last September. We had a 20-second conversation on the F line under Rockefeller Center. We shook hands and I gave him my Antidote to Ayn Rand/Aldus Shrugged business card. He's actually a pretty big dude, with big meaty hands. You'd be surprised.
