CNN duped by fake Calif. politician during Mitch McConnell coverage
Sen. Mitch McConnell’s unexplained, four-week hospital stay launched a wave of rumors, from claims he is brain dead to speculation he had a major stroke. That left Republicans scrambling to explain what’s happening, and last week CNN found a perfect congressional politician to explain his disappearance.
The only problem? CNN relied on an entirely fake politician, quoting a parody account on X that poses as a California congressman.
Last Wednesday, the news network aired a photo of X user @RepJackKimble’s post saying he spoke to McConnell while the senator was in the hospital, writing, “We talked for just shy of 45 minutes. He’s so sharp.” While the parody post appeared on screen alongside real politicians, CNN host Audie Cornish directly referenced the fake account’s claim.
“You have a lot of Senate Republicans coming out, we’re going to just show some on screen, Isaac, all saying, ‘I talked to him. I talked to him. I talked to him for 20 minutes. I talked to him for 45 minutes,’” Cornish said.
https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/mcconnell-viral-parody-cnn-22343474.php
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