WATCH: CNN’s John Harwood Used His Last On-Air Report to Blast the GOP as ‘Led by a Dishonest Demagogue’
John Harwood used his last day at CNN to praise President Joe Biden and echo many of his points about the danger posed by Donald Trump and “MAGA Republicans.”
Appearing with CNN’s Jim Sciutto, Harwood made the point crystal clear that he fully backs Biden’s speech this week targeting extremist Republicans threatening democracy and claimed it’s “not easy” for many journalists to admit.
“Of course it was a political speech. We’re in a midterm reelection year,” Harwood said after Sciutto noted that even some in Biden’s own party thought the speech went too far. “The issues that he’s talking about are inherently political, but I think it’s also important to say the core point he made in that political speech about a threat to democracy is true. Now that’s something that’s not easy for us, as journalists, to say.”
Harwood pushed his criticism even further, calling Trump a “dishonest demagogue.”
The former White House correspondent said:
We’re brought up to believe there’s two different political parties with different points of view and we don’t take sides in honest disagreements between them. But that’s not what we’re talking about. These are not honest disagreements. The Republican Party right now is led by a dishonest demagogue. Many, many Republicans are rallying behind his lies about the 2020 election and other things as well.
Harwood also blasted Trump for claiming he would consider pardoning January 6 Capitol rioters, saying the former president “made Joe Biden’s point for him.”
Harwood went on to heap more praise on Biden, claiming the president was not referring to most Republicans with his comments and could work with non-MAGA Republicans.
“He was trying to do both things at the same time, warn about trump and what he calls the MAGA Republicans, the extremist Republicans, warn about the danger that they pose while also saying most Republicans may not share that view, and I can work with those people,” Harwood said.
It was not long after the appearance that Harwood announced that it would be his last day with CNN.
Harwood’s departure is only the latest in massive shifts at CNN as the network finds itself under new management. After CNN+ was nixed just weeks into its run, multiple CNN journalists have parted with the network, including Brian Stelter, whose Reliable Sources show was also canceled, as well as former contributor Jeffrey Toobin.
Watch above via CNN
