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The late Richard J. Daley famously declared, “We Democrats don’t need to apologize to anyone.”
When it comes to President-elect Trump, this principle appears to be alive and well among many in his party. Many Democrats were left dumbfounded after ABC News and its anchor George Stephanopoulos apologized to President Trump last week in an effort to settle a defamation lawsuit.
Marc Elias, the controversial lawyer involved in funding the Clinton campaign’s infamous Steele dossier, has accused ABC News of knee-jerk to President Trump. He then trolled donations to his organization for “unapologetically supporting democracy.”
George Stephanopoulos and ABC apologize to President Trump, agree to pay $15 million to settle defamation lawsuit
Of course, the ABC was not apologizing for democratic progress, but for alleged defamation. The network and its anchors expressed “regret” that Trump had been found “responsible for rape” in a New York civil suit. (The jury found that Mr. Trump sexually abused and defamed E.J. Carroll. Mr. Trump was never convicted of rape, but Mr. Stephanopoulos was a member of the House of Representatives, Nancy Mace. He repeated that claim ten times in an interview with a member of parliament (R.S.C.).
What makes this settlement interesting is that ABC previously relied on statements from the judge in the New York case, Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judge said the rape charge was “substantially true…as most people commonly understand the word ‘rape’.”
Stephanopoulos, along with CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, emphasized his opposition to Trump. To the delight of Colbert, who regularly attacks Trump on his show and has openly supported both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Stephanopoulos said he would “not let blackmail get me out of my job.” declared. She added: “Mr. Trump sued me for using the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that actually happened. We filed a motion to dismiss.” he added.
So what happened?
Well, two things, both related to the timing of the settlement.
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First, the settlement was made just before ABC and Stephanopoulos were given depositions, pursuant to an order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Lizette M. Reed. The findings were likely to be more embarrassing for the agency than for President Trump, and could have exposed internal messages about the controversy.
The dangers are on full display in another courtroom, where CNN has lost significant claims in a defamation case that could result in punitive damages. Anchor Jake Tapper and CNN are suing Navy veteran Zachary Young for falsely suggesting that his organization was exploiting desperate Afghan refugees. Discovery uncovered malicious and unprofessional emails from producers promising to “nail” Young and make this corner his “funeral.” Disney was reluctant to put matinee personality Stephanopoulos through a similar meat grinder.
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Second, the settlement occurred after an election in which Trump won the White House, Congress, and the popular vote.
Like most media outlets, ABC was known for its relentless attacks on Trump and its favorable coverage of his opponents. The network’s iconic show, “The View,” became a heated session of partisan frenzy against Mr. Trump, Republicans and the majority of American voters. The show’s hosts now regularly read retractions and corrections to allegedly defamatory content from the hosts. It’s gotten to the point where ABC’s general counsel may soon need a chair at the table.
Disney is trying to take a more neutral stance after years of opposing its stance on political issues and condemnation of highly unusual works. It continues to struggle to appeal to more than half of America, including recent controversy over its starring role in the upcoming remake of “Snow White.”
After the election, actress Rachel Zegler declared she was “speechless” over the result. That would have been a welcome turn of events for Disney, but she found her voice to be the most polarizing, writing, “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” I prayed publicly. Zegler was clearly miscast in this movie. It was the Evil Queen who foretold “a gust of wind that stirs up my hatred.”
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In addition to these controversies, ABC News has been attacked by many for its handling of the Trump debate with Vice President Kamala Harris and for its biased “fact-checking.”
With networks like MSNBC and CNN seeing huge drops in viewership and revenue after the election, it’s clear Disney wants a fresh start with a new administration. Both face potential sale at bargain prices.
The media echo chamber against Trump has failed spectacularly in this election. With record levels of distrust of mainstream and traditional media, the public is increasingly turning to new media.
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Meanwhile, Trump has gained the upper hand in the courts, having two federal lawsuits dismissed and winning presidential immunity in the Supreme Court. Prosecutors in Georgia are collapsing over the actions of prosecutors, not defendants. The New York civil suit faced a highly skeptical court over the grotesque verdict against Trump and his companies.
Even Democratic politicians like Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, are now comfortable admitting publicly that New York’s hush-money prosecution was a “bullsh*t move.”
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To many politicians and pundits, this election seemed like a reversal of the country’s magnetic poles. ABC News is donating millions of dollars to Trump’s presidential library as Democratic donors move to boycott Biden’s presidential library.
As networks like MSNBC and CNN struggle for survival, ABC wants to have a seat when the music stops. ABC’s settlement may not be an admission of guilt, but it is a recognition of this historic post-election reality.
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