The center-left paper The Hill admitted in its “The Memo” column “The Memo,” by associate editor Niall Stanage that “CNN gave Trump his best campaign moment so far” by holding a town hall with the 45th President last week.
The Hill wrote:
CNN delivered former President Trump his best moment of the 2024 campaign.
…
Trump enjoyed more than an hour of primetime in front of a supportive crowd whose loud reactions helped him swat aside any challenging questions from moderator Kaitlan Collins.
The event has caused days of internal ructions inside CNN, where staffers are appalled by what took place; it has drawn scorn and indignation from the left; and it has helped Trump underline his dominance of the GOP primary field.
In The Hill’s report, it notes that a “prominent on-air talent” at CNN anonymously told the paper, “It was a total debacle and I’ve never been more ashamed to work at CNN,” adding, “I don’t think anybody came out looking good. This is entirely a corporate and management failure. They should have anticipated how out of control Trump would be.”
“I have trouble believing there is anyone who went into this week a Trump supporter, heard the E. Jean Carroll verdict, and is no longer a Trump supporter,” said Lucy Caldwell, a political strategist and anti-Trumper, to the newspaper.
The town hall is now a riveting success for Trump while his closest competitors still struggle to gain ground as the 45th President surges in polls.