'Amazing how this works': CNN blatantly misrepresents Bill Barr's remarks on COVID19 lockdowns but that's OK because narrative

Yesterday, CNN was all over AG Bill Barr for comparing COVID19 restrictions to slavery:

Just another 2020 chyron. pic.twitter.com/3JiMkviMWD

— MJ Lee (@mj_lee) September 17, 2020

Yeah, just another CNN chyron that chose snark over substance.

Except he specified it wasn’t like slavery. You clowns.

— HouseRepEEE (@EEElverhoy) September 17, 2020

Here’s what Barr said, via CNN’s Manu Raju:

While there’s no national lock down, Barr said: “You know, putting a national lock down, stay at home orders, is like house arrest. Other than slavery, which was a different kind of restraint, this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history.” https://t.co/M5Fmq1Y8Bw

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 17, 2020

Not sure we would’ve gone that route, but it’s quite clear that he’s not comparing the lockdowns to slavery.

Barr: "Other than slavery, which was a different kind of restraint, this is the greatest intrusion on civil liberties in American history,"

This is silly & wrong in many ways EXCEPT comparing it to slavery, which he explicitly did NOT do. So, of course, that is the attack. https://t.co/kwRLmmRwBL

— Dan McLaughlin (@baseballcrank) September 17, 2020

Of course.

And CNN’s got to make the most of a golden opportunity like this:

Senate GOP Whip Thune to @mkraju on whether it was appropriate for Attorney General Barr to compare coronavirus lockdowns with slavery:

“well, I’m not going to comment on what anyone said.”

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) September 17, 2020

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Raju asked several GOP senators for their thoughts on Barr’s remarks:

"I don't think that's the analogy I would use," Lindsey Graham told me when asked about Barr saying “other than slavery” a national lockdown and “stay at home orders” amount to the “greatest intrusion on civil liberites in American history."

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 17, 2020

John Cornyn: “Well any time you talk about slavery it’s going to be inflammatory. I think some of the lockdowns have been arbitrary and inconsistent, and I think there are civil liberty concerns. I share some of those concerns, but …. I would not use those words."

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 17, 2020

Ted Cruz had no issue with Barr's comments, saying that the lockdowns have had "no precedent in modern times" and accused Democrats of advocating “massive and draconian shutdowns for political reasons”

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 17, 2020

CNN wants so badly for this to be a bona fide scandal.

Baffled as to why the question is being asked that way — Barr specifically said it *wasn’t* comparable to slavery.

With everything going on, Senators are being pressed in the hallway to provide punditry on inaccurate characterizations of quotes? https://t.co/uJTR1jZwBv

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 18, 2020

Because journalism.

This is the media’s MO. Disgraceful profession

— Andrew Amarone (@andrew_amarone) September 18, 2020

Sad but true.

Amazing how this works.

Barr actively sets aside any comparison to slavery saying that’s obviously a different thing altogether, and media still runs with “compares to slavery.”

Then we have Senators pressed in hallways over the mischaracterization, and Biden seizing on it. pic.twitter.com/wjDe11iZka

— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 18, 2020

CNN gets the ball rolling, the Biden campaign picks it up and runs with it.

In other words, CNN’s work here is done.