The Left are eating themselves. And there’s no stopping it.
And now this Democrat Senator exploded at a CNN reporter for one humiliating reason.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., sparred with CNN’s Manu Raju on Wednesday after learning the “good news” that members of Congress might receive their first pay raise since 2009, a proposal stirring mixed reactions across the political spectrum.
During the interview, Raju asked Durbin about the potential salary increase, questioning, “Members are giving themselves a pay raise. Do you guys deserve a pay raise?”
Durbin, seemingly caught off guard, responded, “Well, that’s news to me. It’s good news. You know what has it been 10 years or 14 years and no cola, no change at all? I think it‘s about time something’s done.”
When pressed again about whether he supports the raise, Durbin expressed confusion, saying, “How would I not know about a pay raise?”
Raju didn’t let up, pointing out public sentiment: “People look at the performance of Congress and say, ‘Why should we give them more money?’”
Durbin quickly turned the tables, challenging the media’s own compensation amidst declining ratings. “What about the media? Think about that for a second,” he shot back.
Raju countered, “We’re not paid by public money.”
“I know you’re not,” Durbin replied. “But I mean, half of your listeners are not there anymore. You’re still getting the same paycheck. What’s going on?”
Unfazed, Raju continued, “Well, I mean, you’re taxpayer money, I mean, you guys deserve a raise?”
The fiery exchange drew attention, with a CNN panel coming to Raju’s defense. Congressional correspondent Lauren Fox remarked:
“I thought it was so interesting this morning. Dick Durbin did not know this was in the bill when Manu was asking him about it this morning, and he was arguing that it was pleasant information for him because it had been a decade.”
CNN host Dana Bash chimed in, “And he is one of those who is a normal person when it comes to his bank account.”
Meanwhile, public trust in both Congress and the media remains abysmal.
According to a recent Gallup poll, the media ranked as the “least trusted group among 10 U.S. civic and political institutions,” with Congress narrowly avoiding the bottom at 34%.
Liberal news outlets are feeling the heat. MSNBC has averaged just 807,000 viewers during the day, while CNN is trailing at 488,000. Primetime numbers are equally grim, with MSNBC pulling in 1.7 million from 8-11 p.m. ET, and CNN barely managing 700,000.
Even with a packed December news cycle, CNN’s ratings were dismal, falling behind networks like TNT, Food Network, HGTV, Hallmark Channel, and, of course, Fox News.
The network’s decline continues to be a glaring reflection of the liberal media’s waning influence since Donald Trump’s 2016 victory.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
