CNN Host Addresses Viewer Accusing Him of ‘Running Propaganda’ About Iran: ‘Oh, Come On!’ 

CNN’s Michael Smerconish addressed a viewer accusing him of “running propaganda” by describing U.S. strikes on Iran as a “war.”

On Saturday, Smerconish brought up a tweet from someone named Meg, but he pushed back before he even finished reading the accusation.

“The president and department of war said it will be four to six week mission. It’s not a war. It’s a military action. No troops on the ground. Smerconish is running propaganda for the DNC,” Meg wrote.

“Oh, come on!” Smerconish said before finishing reading the take out loud.

“Operation Epic Fury” has consisted of multiple major strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran. The strikes have taken out a number of high-ranking government officials, including the country’s supreme leader. An Iranian drone also took the lives of six U.S. service members following the U.S. and Israel strikes.

“It’s a war!” Smerconish declared.

He argued:

What should I call it? What exactly should I call exactly what’s transpiring. I thought of this. And by the way Meg is referencing today’s poll question. So let’s put it on the screen and I’ll defend it. I’m the one who wrote it and I had to think about the word choice. When will the blank in Iran, and Meg would have me use some descriptor other than war. It’s a war! Is it going to end in a week, in a month, in a year, or after our lifetime?

According to a report this week from NBC News, citing multiple current and former officials, President Donald Trump has privately shown “serious interest” in deploying ground troops to Iran. He’s also claimed the mission will only take four to six weeks and announced on Saturday that the country will be “hit very hard.”

“Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran’s bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time,” he wrote.

Watch above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!