Everybody knows CNN has a liberal bias. But it’s still not appropriate for a sitting Republican senator to bash one of its reporters when he asks a perfectly legitimate question.
That’s what happened Thursday afternoon. CNN reporter Manu Raju approached Sen. Martha McSally with the cameras rolling and asked the Arizona Republican, “Sen. McSally, should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trial?”
She ignored the question and replied: “You’re a liberal hack. I’m not talking to you.” He followed up, asking, “You’re not going to comment, senator, about this?” to which she answered, “You’re a liberal hack.”
Q: Senator McSally, should the Senate consider new evidence as part of the impeachment trial?
McSally: You’re a liberal hack I’m not talking to you
Manu- You’re not going to comment about this?
McSally: You’re a liberal hack. pic.twitter.com/IW5pCfZ6Oa— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 16, 2020
This isn’t a good look for McSally. Whether or not Raju is actually a “liberal hack” or not is irrelevant. He asked a legitimate question about the impeachment proceedings against President Trump, proceedings in which McSally is set to play an important role as a sitting senator. If she really didn’t feel like talking to him, ignoring the question is always an option.
It’s unproductive and unprofessional to snap at a reporter like this, and it undercuts McSally’s ability to credibly defend her vote on impeachment after Trump’s trial. It also plays into the victim narrative that CNN and liberal media more broadly relish in. Let’s hope McSally does better next time.