Embattled CNN CEO Chris Licht is facing his strongest pushback at the network after an exposé from The Atlantic detailed “the meltdown” at CNN. However, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough is defending his former colleague Monday.
During Morning Joe, which Licht was once the executive producer of, the former congressman said much of the reporting surrounding Licht’s tenure has been inaccurate.
“I mean, listen, I love Jeff Zucker. He’s a friend of ours,” Scarborough said. “He saved my job at NBC more than one or two times, so I’m not mocking Jeff, but this idea that (CNN) was a ratings juggernaut when it just wasn’t before Chris walked through the door? That’s not Jeff’s fault, that’s just bad reporting. It wasn’t. It was in third place.
“You look at when Phil Griffin left, MSNBC was first, Fox was second, and CNN was third. That’s how it was a lot in those final years. Again, not a knock on Jeff at all. CNN is a really hard place to run for the best of ’em. Zucker is the best of ’em, and I think in time, I think Chris will be proven to be the best of ’em, too.”
Scarborough also read a Twitter thread of Licht’s Monday comments to staffers where he took accountability for the damaging remarks he made about CNN before his tenure to The Atlantic.
“That’s exactly what you’d want from somebody that made a mistake,” Scarborough said. “They step forward, they admit the mistake, and say ‘I’m very sorry’. Head down. ‘Let’s get to work’.”
