CNN Host Cuts Off Trump For Rightfully Pointing Out Network Bias Ahead Of Debate

CNN hosts Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will co-moderate the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden this Thursday. Of course, Tapper and Bash are not exactly impartial journalists. Both hosts have regularly expressed disdain for Donald Trump since he took office in 2016.

During an appearance on Monday, Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confronted CNN about its bias against Trump and how it could impact the debate. She was then abruptly cut off by host Kasie Hunt.

"President Trump is knowingly going into a hostile environment on this very network, on CNN, with debate moderators who have made their opinions about him very well known over the past eight years. And their biased coverage of him," Leavitt started.

"So I‘ll just say my colleagues, Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, have acquitted themselves as professionals as they have covered campaigns and interviewed candidates from all sides of the aisle. I‘ll also say that if you talk to analysts of previous debates, that if you’re attacking the moderators, you’re usually losing," Hunt interrupted.

Leavitt responded, "It takes about five minutes to Google Jake Tapper, Donald Trump to see that Jake Tapper has."

"Ma'am, I'm going to stop this interview if you're going to continue to attack my colleagues," Hunt said back.

Upon a quick Google search, we located a few segments in which Tapper and Bash compared Trump to Adolf Hitler. Watch below:

Likewise, Tapper cut in halfway through Trump’s Iowa victory speech in January claiming that he was "repeating anti-immigrant rhetoric." He wasn't. Trump was addressing his plans to thwart illegal immigration, a topic Iowa caucus-goers saw as more important than the economy.

The network, at the behest of Tapper, censored Trump, understanding that he was likely promoting a winning message by campaigning against illegal immigration.

Anyway, Tapper is in charge of moderating the debate on Thursday.

Hunt addressed her decision to end the interview with Leavitt on X. "You come on my show, you respect my colleagues. Period," posted Hunt. "I don’t care what side of the aisle you stand on, as my track record clearly shows."

Speaking of Hunt's track record, here's her official X banner, in which she chums it up with Joe Biden:

"Always reporting."

Both Biden and Trump agreed to the rules of the debate, which include muted microphones outside their speaking time, no live audience, no pre-written notes, and no consulting with campaign aides during breaks. 

While the rules seem to favor Biden on the surface, Trump hurt himself mightily during the first debate in 2020 by perpetually interrupting Biden. Perhaps the more restricted format will prevent Trump from beating himself. 

OutKick will provide live coverage of the debate on Thursday.