Did CNN Tip the Scales for Biden By Choreographing an Endorsement From One of Their Contributors?

Following its first commercial break Saturday night, after declaring Joe Biden the winner of the South Carolina primary, CNN went right to contributor Terry McAuliffe — the ex-Democratic National Committee chair and former governor of Virginia. McAuliffe, it had been reported by the Washington Post, was preparing to endorse Biden on the condition that he pulled off a big victory in the Palmetto State.

And so, with no numbers yet on the board, but ample evidence pointing to a Biden rout, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper teed up McAuliffe to deliver the big news.

“A lot of voters have wondered if you’re going to endorse somebody,” Cooper said. “Have you made a decision?”

“I have made a decision,” McAuliffe said. “I’m gonna endorse Joe Biden.”

What followed was nothing short of a three minute Biden commercial, with an unchallenged McAuliffe making the case for his preferred candidate, and — unfathomably — even calling for others to drop out of the race.

“I’m hoping, tomorrow actually, some of the candidates decide to get out,” the ex-DNC chair said. “If you do not have a pathway, let’s not wait ’til Super Tuesday.”

McAuliffe’s premise that the road should be cleared for Joe Biden appeared to have been fully accepted by Anderson Cooper. Instead of, say, questioning McAuliffe on why the vice president’s pre-South Carolina results and subpar Super Tuesday forecast should all be disregarded, the CNN anchor asked McAuliffe to name names.

“Who do you think should get out?” Cooper asked.

McAuliffe’s reply was comical.

“I don’t want to tell people they should get out because they’ve worked hard for a year. They’ve gotten a lot of support. But I think Pete [Buttigieg] and Amy [Klobuchar] and Tom Steyer and others, they need to make that decision for themselves.”

Cooper helpfully reminded McAuliffe that he’d omitted a candidate.

“What about Bloomberg?” Cooper asked.

“I think the mayor’s gotta take a tough look,” McAuliffe said.

By then, it was clear that no pushback would come from Cooper. And any hopes of resistance from one of the others on CNN’s nine-person panel were dashed when Cooper opted to call next upon David Axelrod — the man who, as Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, helped make Joe Biden vice president. Axelrod, of course, gleefully went along with the idea that Bloomberg — barring a Super Tuesday miracle — has no place in the Democratic field.

The discussion rolled on from there, with the other panelists alternately praising Biden and questioning the raison d’etre of other candidates.

Over seven minutes, in the highly-visible second segment after the polls closed on CNN’s coverage Saturday night, only Gloria Borger splashed even a drop of cold water on the Biden fire.

“My one question for you, Terry, is where’s the money?” Borger asked — referring to indications that the Biden campaign, as of Saturday night, was all but broke. “Is Bloomberg going to give a speech Sunday night saying ‘I’m getting out and giving all my money to Joe Biden?’ Where is the money coming from?”

Cooper had to wrap the segment, so McAuliffe didn’t get a chance to respond. But with a wry smile, Terry McAuliffe — a man who has been, arguably, the ultimate Democratic party insider for the past three decades — seemed to let the audience know that it would all work out somehow.

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No, Joe Biden — prior to a post-South Carolina windfall — could not afford to buy much airtime on CNN. But what he got, in the B-Block on Saturday night, was worth far more than a bushel of 30-second spots. Just two days later, he stands as the clear alternative in the race to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

Pundits generally refer to this type of coverage as earned media. But was it, in this case, more like given media?

Did CNN, in allowing — and even encouraging — paid network contributor Terry McAuliffe to make his unchallenged endorsement of Joe Biden in the manner that he did, and at the time that he did, intentionally tip the scales in the vice president’s favor?

Though election night coverage often takes on an improvisational nature, Saturday night was something of an exception — given that every major broadcast outlet called the race for Biden right after the polls closed. It was certain, for hours, that Biden was going to be a big winner. The evening’s suspense was nil. And so with a limited amount of news to report on Saturday night, the network decided to make some.

Knowing what we know about CNN, and television production in general, it strains credulity to assume any of the following:

1. Terry McAuliffe did not tell the CNN production team he planned to endorse Joe Biden.

2. CNN chief Jeff Zucker, renowned for having his finger on the pulse of every aspect of his network’s operation, was not informed beforehand.

3. Zucker and network hierarchy did not approve the decision to allow McAuliffe to go forward with his endorsement.

And so with all of that considered, CNN decided to make a good night for Joe Biden even better.

McAuliffe’s payoff came Sunday night at a Biden rally in Norfolk. The CNN contributor introduced Biden to a raucous crowd, and the vice president — practically bouncing onstage to the tune of Move On Up, the Curtis Mayfield classic — locked McAuliffe in a firm handshake.

McAuliffe, you see, appears to be gearing up for another Virginia gubernatorial run. A rubber stamp from Biden would only figure to help his cause. Biden, of course, is counting on a good result in Virginia on Tuesday. An endorsement from a key Democratic figure in the state not tainted by scandal could put him over the top.

McAuliffe held up his end of the bargain on Saturday. Sunday, it was Biden’s turn.

“Governor, thank you for that introduction,” a beaming Biden told McAuliffe. “The once and future governor of Virginia!”

***

By Monday afternoon, the genie had granted all three of Terry McAuliffe’s wishes. Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Tom Steyer all dropped out of the race. At warp speed, the party, in a clear effort to stop Sanders, has fallen in line behind Joe Biden. And it all happened after Terry McAuliffe — Democratic establishment royalty — flashed the bat signal on CNN.

Joe Biden and Terry McAuliffe needed each other. CNN, knowingly, played the middle man. In the end, they all got just what they wanted.

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Joe DePaolo is a Senior Editor for Mediaite.

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.