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The late Richard J. Daley famously said that “as Democrats, we don’t have to apologize to anyone.”
That doctrine appears to still be alive and well among many in the party when push comes to shove President-elect Trump. After ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos apologized to Trump last week to settle a defamation lawsuit, many Democrats were apoplectic.
Marc Elias, the controversial lawyer involved in the Clinton campaign’s financing of the infamous Steele dossier, blasted ABC News for bending the knee to Trump. He then sought contributions for his own organization as “unapologetically pro-democracy.”
Of course, ABC apologized not for promoting democracy, but for alleged defamation. The network and its host expressed “regret” as they stated that Trump had been “found liable for rape” in a civil case in New York. (The jury found that Trump sexually assaulted and defamed EJ Carroll. Although Trump was never convicted of rape, Stephanopoulos repeated the claim ten times in his interview with Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.)
What made the settlement interesting is that ABC previously relied on the statements of the judge in the New York case, Judge Lewis Kaplan, who stated that the rape allegation was “substantially true… as many people commonly understand the word ‘rape’ . .'”
Stephanopoulos played up his opposition to Trump CBS anchor Stephen Colbert. To the delight of Colbert, who frequently attacked Trump on his show and openly supported both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Stephanopoulos declared that he “would not be deterred from doing my job because of a threat.” He added: “Trump sued me for using the word ‘rape’ even though a judge said it actually happened. We have filed a motion to dismiss.”
So what happened?
Well, two things and both relate to the timing of the settlement.
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First, the settlement came just before ABC and Stephanopoulos were scheduled to be called for depositions as ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisette M. Reid. That discovery would likely prove more embarrassing for the network than for Trump, and could have revealed internal messages about the controversy.
The danger is on full display in another courtroom where CNN has lost critical motions in a defamation case where damages could arise as a result. Anchor Jake Tapper and CNN are being sued by Navy veteran Zachary Young after falsely suggesting he and his organization were abusing desperate Afghan refugees. Discovery discovered malicious and unprofessional emails from producers promising to “nail” Young and make the segment his “funeral.” Disney wasn’t eager to put its matinee personality, Stephanopoulos, through a similar meat grinder.
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Second, the settlement came after an election in which Trump won the trifecta of the White House, Congress, and the popular vote.
Like most media outlets, ABC was known for its relentless attacks on Trump and favorable coverage of his opponents. The network’s iconic show, “The View,” has become an unhinged, partisan rave against Trump, Republicans and the majority of American voters. The show’s hosts now regularly read retractions or corrections to blunt allegedly defamatory statements made by the hosts. It has gotten to the point where ABC’s General Counsel may soon need a seat at the table.
Disney is trying to take a more neutral stance after years of backlash against its positions on political issues and accusations of ultra-woke products. It’s still struggling to appeal to more than half the country, including the most recent controversy over the star of the soon-to-be-released remake of “Snow White.”
After the election, actress Rachel Zegler declared herself “speechless” about the outcome. That would have been a welcome state of affairs for Disney, but the actress then found her voice in the most polarizing way, publicly praying: “May Trump supporters and Trump voters and Trump himself never know peace.” Zegler was clearly out of place in the film. It was the Evil Queen who had to listen to ‘a gust of wind to stir up my hatred’.
In addition to these controversies, ABC News was attacked by many for the way the Trump debate was handled Vice President Kamala Harris and its biased fact-checking.
With networks like MSNBC and CNN down in ratings and revenue after the election, Disney clearly wants to start over with the new administration. Both face potential sales at potentially low prices.
The media echo chamber against Trump has failed spectacularly in this election. With record levels of distrust towards mainstream or traditional media, audiences have increasingly turned to new media.
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In the meantime, Trump has prevailed on the rule of law, with the dismissal of the two federal cases and a victory on presidential immunity at the Supreme Court. The prosecution in Georgia is falling apart because of the behavior of the prosecutors rather than that of the defendant. The civil case in New York faced a very skeptical court due to the grotesque ruling against Trump and his company.
Even Democratic politicians like Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., now feel comfortable publicly admitting that New York’s hush-money prosecution was “bullshit.”
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For many politicians and pundits, the election seemed to reverse the country’s magnetic poles. We now have ABC News donating millions to the Trump Presidential Library, while Democratic donors move toward a Trump boycott Biden Presidential Library.
With networks like MSNBC and CNN struggling for their survival, ABC wants to have a seat when the music stops. While the ABC settlement may not be an admission of guilt, it is an acknowledgment of the reality after this historic election.
