Discredited former CBS News anchor Dan Rather was roasted on social media after he took to Twitter to whine about the recent wave of employees exiting CNN.
The recent changes at the network come as recently installed CEO and Chairman Chris Licht attempts to move CNN away from its far-left partisan coverage.
This past week, CNN White House correspondent John Harwood announced he was exiting the network, following the recent departures of former Reliable Sources left-wing host Brian Stelter and former legal analyst Jeffery Toobin — who infamously masturbated during an October 2020 Zoom meeting with New Yorker and WNYC staffers.
The wave of departures sparked Dan Rather to ask publicly on Twitter why former left-wing employees are exiting CNN. He also implied his displeasure toward Licht and the new direction of the network.
“What is going on at CNN?” Rather asked on Twitter. “It’s a serious question. There is a lot of speculation on directives and motives. What’s really going on? And is it being noticed by the audience?”
What is going on at CNN? It’s a serious question. There is a lot of speculation on directives and motives. What’s really going on? And is it being noticed by the audience?
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) September 2, 2022
The former Evening News anchor’s questioning led to social media users roasting Rather, implying that his tweet was oblivious.
“What audience?” replied popular conservative Twitter account @catturd2.
What audience? https://t.co/oEHI90lr8a
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) September 3, 2022
“Maybe they’re trying to take a shot at doing actual straight news, Dan. Not that you would know what that is…” replied radio host Pete Mundo.
Maybe they’re trying to take a shot at doing actual straight news, Dan.
Not that you would know what that is…
— Pete Mundo (@PeteMundo) September 3, 2022
However, many left-wing users appeared to agree with Rather’s assessment and more abrasively voiced their displeasure at the network’s change of direction, including far-left former MSNBC anchor Keith Olberman.
“It’s a long story but the new president is there to cut off the liberal heads,” tweeted Olberman.
“Not a coincidence that two ambitious on-air people tweeted the same GOP talking points about Biden and the Marines. This is the background on the new hatchet man – he tried the same stuff at MSNBC,” he added.
It’s a long story but the new president is there to cut off the liberal heads. Not a coincidence that two ambitious on-air people tweeted the same GOP talking points about Biden and the Marines. This is the background on the new hatchet man – he tried the same stuff at MSNBC https://t.co/W5suupAJVS
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) September 3, 2022
Some conservative users humorously noticed the many left-wing users voicing their disappointment in CNN’s recent direction.
“Seeing lefties melt down over CNN’s pivot away from being a full-on propaganda mill for the Democratic Party is delicious,” said podcast host and Red State writer Jeff Charles.
Seeing lefties melt down over CNN’s pivot away from being a full-on propaganda mill for the Democratic Party is delicious. https://t.co/jqaGonboZh
— Jeff Charles, Everyone’s Favorite Extremist (@JeffOnTheRight) September 3, 2022
Rather, who once was regarded as one of the Big Three nightly news anchors along with NBC’s Tom Brokaw and ABC’s Peter Jennings, fell from grace after he was ousted from CBS News in 2004 for making false allegations about then-President George W. Bush’s service in the Texas National Guard in the 1960’s and 1970’s on broadcasts of 60 Minutes and CBS Evening News.
During an appearance on CNN’s Larry King Live in 2006 following his departure, the former news anchor still held onto the “the truth” of his discredited story.
You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.
