Will they defend what transpired at Saint Anselm College? Or will they express some regret? How Licht and other CNN executives address the criticism in the coming days and weeks will be crucial. CNN and new network boss Chris Licht are facing a fury of criticism - both internally and externally over the event. While Collins is largely receiving praise for her relentless fact-checking of the former president, she was facing an impossible task. “They can’t believe he is getting an hour on CNN with an audience that cheers his every line and laughs at his every joke.” “Advisers to Trump are thrilled at how this is going so far for him,” The NYT’s Jonathan Swan reported. Trump’s team was, naturally, delighted with the result, according to reports. Jean Carroll’s allegations of sexual assault, which a jury found him liable for on Tuesday. He took no responsibility for the January 6 insurrection that those very lies incited. A professional lie machine, Trump fired off falsehoods at a rapid clip while using his bluster to overwhelm Collins, stealing command of the stage at some points of the town hall. Trump frequently ignored or spoke over Collins throughout the evening as he unleashed a firehose of disinformation upon the country, which a sizable swath of the GOP continues to believe. “You cannot keep saying that all night long.” President,” Collins told Trump at one point during the event. That there was no evidence for the lies he was disseminating on stage. Over and over and over again, she told him that the election was not stolen. She fact-checked Trump throughout the 70-minute town hall.

Kaitlan Collins is as tough and knowledgable of an interviewer as they come. It’s hard to see how America was served by the spectacle of lies that aired on CNN Wednesday evening.

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