While interviewing CNN's Kaitlan Collins on his Late Show, both Stephen Colbert and his guest seemed caught off guard when he referred to her network as objective, and they laughed without being prompted.
Discussing Kamala Harris replacing Joe Biden on the Democratic presidential ticket, Collins said, “Trump has kind of been thrown on his heels by this and he's not really sure how to go after Vice President Harris. He knew his attack lines with President Biden…it's kind of been this moment where he hasn't been able to coalesce around a single attack line.”
Colbert began asking her a question, “I know you guys are objective over there, you just report the news as it is.”
His audience — presumably left leaning considering the tone and direction of his show, especially over the last eight years — broke out in laughter.
Collins asked, “Was that supposed to be a laugh line?”
“It wasn't supposed to be, but I guess it is.”
In 2020, Collins made a show of chastising Trump for removing a mask on an outdoor balcony after he was diagnosed with coronavirus. The Trump campaign retorted by sharing a video of her removing her mask in the White House Briefing Room after the cameras were shut off.
While this may seem like an isolated incident, viewers on both sides of the aisle have criticized CNN for its hypocrisy, double standards, and blatant political bias — and their declining ratings over the years have reflected that.
This year, the outlet was reported to have a goal of cutting over $50 million in anchor salaries. At the time they had less than half a million viewers.