CNN's April Ryan suggests journalists shouldn't expose Biden's contradictions, use leaked recordings
'Would you consider yourself a reporter at this point or is that more of a former job description?' one critic asked
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}White House correspondent April Ryan raised eyebrows on Friday after she appeared to endorse the idea that journalists shouldn't reveal contradictions between President-elect Joe Biden's public and private statements.
On Thursday, Ryan appeared to express disapproval that a recording of Biden claiming "defund the police" rhetoric hurt down-ballot Democrats in last month's elections was leaked to The Intercept, which duly reported on it.
"I asked an incoming White House source was the meeting contentious with civil rights leader and @JoeBiden and the answer was 'no'. A rights leader at the meeting says @JoeBiden was passionate," Ryan tweeted. "The question is who taped this meeting and why? What is the agenda?"
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Vice journalist Edward Ongweso Jr. responded with a tongue-in-cheek scolding of such journalistic practices.
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"It is irresponsible and sets a dangerous precedent for journalists covering the incoming administration to be able to use secretly recorded conversations in their stories," Ongweso Jr. tweeted. "To parse out Biden's thoughts and anticipate his policy commitments, you must go through proper channels."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ongweso Jr. continued sarcastically, "The White House Press Secretary, the spokespeople for the President and Vice President, senior officials (without attribution), and the President's public statements are all designated and responsible sources for information about the President's thoughts and intentions."
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"Revealing a contradiction between Biden’s private thoughts and public statements is dangerous because it erodes public trust in the President, the Office, and the media itself," the Vice reporter concluded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stunningly, the outspoken anti-Trump American Urban Radio Networks reporter and CNN analyst offered her endorsement of abandoning basic journalistic practices.
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"You hit the nail in the head! This is not good at all," Ryan said in response to the first tweet. She then "liked" the other two tweets in the thread.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ongweso Jr. shared screenshots of Ryan's response to his tweets, reacting "Folks... I can't."
Ryan's tweets caused a frenzy among critics on social media.
"This is one of the most shocking things I’ve seen on this website," former Intercept editor Glenn Greenwald reacted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Would you consider yourself a reporter at this point or is that more of a former job description," progressive journalist Eoin Wiggins asked Ryan.
"Oh dear, oh dear," Guardian US deputy editor Paul Harris wrote.
"I can’t tell if April Ryan’s worst offense is hypocritical sycophancy or not being hip enough to peep the ruse, though the latter might actually be the former," writer Zoé Samudzi wondered.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Ryan, who became a star within the #Resistance for her open hostility toward the Trump administration in the White House briefing room and for her anti-Trump commentary on CNN, appears to have no problem expressing her partisanship despite her "correspondent" title.
Earlier in the day, she hyped up Susan Rice's appointment as Biden's domestic policy adviser, exclaiming "Tuning into the Wilmington event today! Domestic Policy Advisor with a new twist! This is going change the game of that position with your extensive background!"
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In additional, while Ryan went on record to denounce the secret recording of Biden, she expressed full-throated enthusiasm for leaked recordings of First Lady Melania Trump, which got plenty of airtime on CNN.
"So who is eagerly waiting to hear these audio tapes of Melania Trump talking about bad about @realDonaldTrump @IvankaTrump & the rest of his adult children? I’m ready!" Ryan tweeted back in August.
Back in September, Ryan gushed over the possibility of having a woman of color as vice president during an interview with then-VP nominee Kamala Harris.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I can't wear it, I can't endorse, but a lot of people feel very good that history is here," Ryan told Harris. "And I'm gonna say this: For 23 years, I've been at the White House and I've seen history, I've seen the first Black president of the United States of America and I've called him 'Mr. President.' But if you come there in January, and I get to raise my -- please answer my question if I raise my hand -- I get to say 'Madame Vice President'. Do you know that sends chills through me? And you look like me! Does that give you chills?"
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Harris responded by telling Ryan that she feels a "great sense of responsibility" as potentially the first Black female vice president.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You be well and I pray all goes well," Ryan said. "And I can't endorse, but what I say is if I can get to say 'Madame Vice President,' that's gonna send chills through me. That's all I'm gonna say!"