Some of you may remember when CNN’s PrimeTime host Chris “Fredo” Cuomo went from head to toe last year with Georgian election official Gabriel Sterling on unsubstantiated allegations of voter suppression against the black community. In fact, Sterling made Fredo look so stupid that school made it NewsBusters’ best Fredo moments in 2020. Well, Cuomo seemed to have some change of mind on Monday (the first episode of 2021), highlighting Sterling, who disproves claims of election fraud.
After Fredo continued his efforts to stoke Republican hatred with dangerous rhetoric and reiterated debunked insider trading claims against Georgia Senator David Perdue (R), he stated: “The truth literally makes these people sick. ”“ These people ”are Republicans.
He added, “And remember. I’m not telling you anything that is not known and that you do not even know. The truth is known. Your own party members confirm this. Take us to exhibition C.. ”
Cuomo immediately highlighted a soundbite from Sterling at a press conference Monday by going over and refuting a list of President Trump’s allegations of election fraud in Georgia:
STERLING: It won’t be shredded. It’s not real It doesn’t happen. [Transition] Nobody changes parts or parts of Dominion voting machines. It’s not real – I don’t know what that means. It’s not a real thing. [Transition] Secretary Raffensperger has no brother named Ron Raffensperger. That’s not real either. The president tweeted that too.
“This guy is a Republican by the way“Cuomo boasted, not reminding viewers that Sterling was once a guest on the show. But it was only seven months ago that Fredo attempted to paint Sterling a liar and a villain after following the Democratic primary for president.
“Here is the tragedy of travesty the President created on the subject: We have real concerns about the suppression of voters. One is now playing. Proof,Cuomo proclaimed at the time and played a video of the long lines. “This is the only type of widespread electoral fraud that we will ever see. ”
Cuomo tried to get Sterling to respond to alleged racism and voter oppression (click “Expand”):
Well. Let’s talk about that exactly. For a given context for humans, in 2018, 87,000 people were prevented from voting, a disproportionately large number were people of color, young voters, groups that typically prefer Democrats. Georgia has closed five percent of its polling stations since the Supreme Court invalidated the Voter Rights Act. Most of them are in black and brown communities. You understand what it is about.
People are concerned that what they saw today is a reflection of what they saw before, namely the disenfranchisement of minorities who tend to vote democratically. Your attitude?
At one point in his master class training the raging CNNer, Sterling dropped a blistering “You’re just wrong” as he dismantled Fredo’s false claims.
Addressing polling station closings and other signs of poor management, Sterling told Cuomo that all of these decisions were made at the country level and that these districts were run by Democrats. “They’re made at the county level and the state can’t tell them they don’t,” he said. “In those counties where people tend to vote Democrats, they are run by Democrats and they are the ones who set the election boards, they are the ones who hire the staff.”
Sterling went on to explain that most of the problems they faced in Democratic Elementary School were due to the learning curve from the pandemic.
And in the end, Fredo buckled up. “All I say is gift, look, I don’t mean to attribute any animus, I’m just saying it looks bad,” he ducked. Sterling and his facts won the day.
The transcript is below, click “Expand” to read:
Cuomo PrimeTime from CNN
January 4, 2021
9:07:21 p.m. East
(…)
CHRIS CUOMO: David Purdue, one of the GOP Senators in the spotlight in Georgia, right, is fighting to keep his job. He was asked about this tape. He says, “It’s disgusting.” Not what Trump did. The State Secretary picks it up and releases it. Let a cash stock jockey hate the reveal of an inside game.
The truth literally makes these people sick. And remember. I’m not telling you anything that is not known and that you do not even know. The truth is known. Your own party members confirm this. Take us to exhibition C.
GABRIEL STERLING: It is not shredded. It’s not real It doesn’t happen. [Transition] Nobody changes parts or parts of Dominion voting machines. It’s not real – I don’t know what that means. It’s not a real thing. [Transition] Secretary Raffensperger has no brother named Ron Raffensperger. That’s not real either. The president tweeted that too.
CUOMO: This guy is a Republican by the way.
(…)
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