CNN’s Chris Wallace stepped in to scold a panelist on The Chris Wallace Show for attempting to change the subject after he defended former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance spreading a false story about Haitian migrants stealing and eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.
CNN political commentator Reihan Salam found himself as the only one willing to provide any sort of defense for Vance and Trump, who have spread the conspiracy theory despite Ohio officials, including Gov. Mike DeWine (R), shooting down these claims as false and not backed up by any actual evidence.
Salam defended Vance by saying the pet-eating claims are reports his campaign has received.
“Is there a single verifiable claim that a pet was stolen from somebody’s house and a Haitian migrant ate it?” Wallace asked.
“Not that I know of, but what I will say is this. They are hearing these complaints and what Senator Vance was seeking to do is draw attention to what is happening in Springfield, Ohio,” Salam said.
The commentator argued Vance is facing an “extremely challenging media environment” and he didn’t take the right “rhetorical tact” here. Salam claimed Vance was really using the false claim to draw attention to larger issues stemming from the inflow of migrants into Springfield.
Podcaster Kara Swisher pushed back saying if Vance can’t verify the claims, he should not be repeating them.
“Then he should stop because a rumor is a rumor. He should stop,” she said as Salam...
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