Chris Cillizza Dragged for Clichéd, ‘Both Sides’ Take About Trump’s Senate Trial

CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza ignited an online deluge of criticism for his latest take on the Trump impeachment, in which he offered up a trite — and by now, completely clichéd — “both sides do it,” “everything wrong with our politics” analysis.

This latest column by Cillizza, who has claimed he makes millions of dollars a year, focused on the Q&A portion of the Senate trial of President Donald Trump but, in provoking a Twitter ratio of mockery, joined numerous other hot takes and absurd contradictions that have earned him online derision.

Almost immediately after posting, his most recent demonstration of political false equivalence thinking began attracting vocal critics.

Two sides deeply entrenched in their views and with zero interest in engaging the other side in any sort of thoughtful conversation or debate. So convinced of the rightness of their views that they don’t want to waste time by considering any others.https://t.co/xCYVG4tjkZ

— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) January 30, 2020

You’re so good at being so dumb.

— Jonathan Myerson Katz (@KatzOnEarth) January 30, 2020

Judy Collins hasn’t performed “Both Sides Now” as often as Cillizza https://t.co/5gZuW726Oj

— Will Bunch ? (@Will_Bunch) January 30, 2020

This is absolutely the most rocket fuel powered hairy take we’ve seen all year. It leaves everyone else in the dust. It’s a starry skied tapestry of absolute pure shit. It’s fucking christmas

— Matt MEET THE PRESS IS SANCTUARY FOR LIARS Negrin (@MattNegrin) January 30, 2020

Strange take. The Q&A has been the most interesting segment of the trial. https://t.co/2ZrpyJ0CH6

— Blake News (@blakehounshell) January 30, 2020

Strange to portray this as a situation in equipoise. One side is seeking more evidence for the express purpose—and perhaps vain hope—of making its case so overwhelming that the other side must hear and be persuaded by it. The other is trying to shut it all down using raw power. https://t.co/fe4M5MqZLI

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) January 30, 2020

The physical embodiment of mediocrity in journalism. https://t.co/5rOkQRgvfS

— Soledad O’Brien (@soledadobrien) January 30, 2020

how are you like this

— Erin satanic pregnancy Ryan (@morninggloria) January 30, 2020

Hahahahahaha

— John Legend (@johnlegend) January 30, 2020

Chris, everyone is going to dunk on you for this, but if it helps they’re only doing it because it’s so thunderingly dumb.

— Gary Legum (@GaryLegum) January 30, 2020

Oh come the fuck on.

— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) January 30, 2020

Oh please — this is so, so forced and tired on your part now, so obvious and embarrassing.

— Michelangelo Signorile (@MSignorile) January 30, 2020

Do you actually have no critical thinking skills, or is it something you can just turn off at will when it’s time to make sure the checks keep clearing?

— Daniel Summers (@WFKARS) January 30, 2020

What if one side is, uh, actually right? Just supposin’. https://t.co/c9JcMFp5SJ

— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) January 30, 2020

Black people and the Klan. Two sides deeply entrenched in their views and with zero interest in engaging the other side in any sort of thoughtful conversation or debate. So convinced of the rightness of their views that they don’t want to waste time by considering any others.

— Brando Simeo Starkey (@BrandoStarkey) January 30, 2020

Okay honest question: what kind of questions would have allowed for “thoughtful conversation or debate” here?

— Hayes Brown (@HayesBrown) January 30, 2020

It takes a lot of work to be this stupid

— Kombiz Lavasany (@kombiz) January 30, 2020

I used to doubt this was the case, but this confirms it: he is absolutely, 100% doing this on purpose. https://t.co/k1A3DKqAbN

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) January 30, 2020

You make Benny Johnson look like Walter Cronkite

— Brian Gaar (@briangaar) January 30, 2020

https://t.co/AtjX0GHFWr

— koush (@koush) January 30, 2020

 

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