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Conservatives are sharing a clip of CNN foreign correspondent Clarissa Ward reporting on the ground in Afghanistan, claiming it shows the network taking an apologist tone towards the Taliban.
"They're just chanting death to America, but they seem friendly at the same time," she says in the clip. "It's utterly bizarre."
Pretty extraordinary reporting from @clarissaward - doing a clear and composed live interview from the streets of Kabulpic.twitter.com/wteRNvvtmr— Shaun Walker (@Shaun Walker) 1629116508
According to GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, Ward wasn't simply a reporter giving her assessment of what she was seeing on the ground as the Taliban took over Kabul, she was acting as a "cheerleader" for the Islamist group.
"Is there an enemy of America for whom @CNN WON'T cheerlead? (In mandatory burkas, no less.)" Cruz wrote in a tweet this Monday.
But according to Cruz's critics on Twitter, he's just being a hypocrite.
Appalling statement about a reporter showing real courage. Of a piece with so many glib takes trying to turn the Afghanistan catastrophe into parochial culture war issue. This is about the decline of American power, influence and will. Not press bias.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1427291774855393281\u00a0\u2026— Bari Weiss (@Bari Weiss) 1629136554
Ted, you literally packed your shit and left when cold weather hit Texas. How about you sit out criticizing a reporter bringing you the news surrounded by members of the Taliban?
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) August 16, 2021
Hey, look everyone, the guy who ran from cold weather has some criticisms for the woman reporting while surrounded by Taliban.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1427291774855393281\u00a0\u2026— Josh Moon \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Josh Moon \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1629136531
Will you be dunking on Richard Engel next?
How do you think we're getting news about what's happening in Afghanistan?https://t.co/t1bzNcaEVF
— D Villella ❄️ (@dvillella) August 16, 2021
U, @tedcruz wish u were as brave as @clarissaward\n\nU already demonstrated what an abject COWARD you are in the face of a political rival buffoon who insulted your family. Instead of standing up, u kissed his ass & exposed urself as a sniveling coward. \n\nhttps://twitter.com/newday/status/1427231696878018564?s=21\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1427291774855393281\u00a0\u2026— Tara Setmayer (@Tara Setmayer) 1629136495
Cruz only mad CNN caught him going to Cancun while his voters were left without power and in the cold. pic.twitter.com/x5WazPiDg0
— Levi Herman, MBA 🏳️🌈 (@LeviHermanMBA) August 16, 2021
.@tedcruz, I\u2019d love to see you in Kabul, standing unarmed, amongst a bunch of Talibans, risking your life to bring the news to the world, so some asshat can talk crap about you from a couch in his Washington, DC office\u2026.or are you on a chaise-lounge in Cancun?https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1427291774855393281\u00a0\u2026— Ana Navarro-C\u00e1rdenas (@Ana Navarro-C\u00e1rdenas) 1629136118
She's risking her life.
To report the news from an incredibly volatile & dangerous place.
Because the truth dies in darkness, Ted.
And while your mock her burka, a reminder that you donned a tactical vest to hide in some bushes in the dark at the border.
Have a seat, coward. pic.twitter.com/y3llD87ZMS
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) August 16, 2021
Using pizza jack to dunk on a journalist risking her life.
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) August 16, 2021
"The RNC deleted a webpage hailing Trump's Taliban deal as fighters swept Afghanistan, but says it was part of routine web maintenance"https://t.co/XajSooISCS
— ChudoNow (@TimeToSayGood15) August 16, 2021
This is a disgraceful attack on an incredibly brave reporter, @clarissaward, who is on the ground in the middle of chaos and Taliban fighters to help all of us understand what is happening. She\u2019s risking her life and being attacked for political points.https://twitter.com/tedcruz/status/1427291774855393281\u00a0\u2026— Paul Szoldra (@Paul Szoldra) 1629136366
Teds mad that a WOMAN is staying in a dangerous situation to do her job because well… He doesn't
— TWalsh (@hogan_1969) August 16, 2021
@clarissaward is doing her job. Reporting the news in real-time from the most difficult and dangerous places on earth. She didn't flee because it's the Taliban.
This is called bravery. Something you can only imagine what that must be like.
— CHIDI®️ (@ChidiNwatu) August 16, 2021
Cruz, concentrate on Covid and your Power grid.
— Gina Downing (@jardingirl) August 16, 2021
Ted wouldn't know leadership if it fell in his Pina colada on the beach
— Jennifer Stevens (@JenS36325543) August 16, 2021
