5 public apologies made by CNN hosts and contributors in 2018
- CNN had its fair share of controversies this year.
- From homophobic tweets to on-air profanity, CNN hosts and contributors had a few moments to apologize for in 2018.
- We've rounded up five of those apologies here.
Kaitlan Collins apologizes for homophobic tweets.
Kaitlan Collins, a White House correspondent for CNN, apologized in October after tweets of hers with gay slurs surfaced.
A conservative news site publicized the tweets in which Collins used slurs and said she didn't know if she wanted a lesbian roommate. Collins quickly apologized.
“When I was in college, I used ignorant language in a few tweets to my friends,” Collins said in a statement. "It was immature but it doesn’t represent the way I feel at all. I regret it and apologize.”
Jake Tapper apologized for a "misleading" claim about Medicare for All.
In August, CNN host Jake Tapper promised to re-shoot a video after misrepresenting claims made by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about single-payer healthcare. Tapper made it seem as though both politicians were suggesting that Medicare for All would save the federal government money, while they were both talking about overall healthcare spending.
It took three days for Tapper to agree that parts of the video were misleading.
@BenSpielberg @ryangrim Yes, the point made about the “American people” versus “the government” is on point and totally valid so we’re going to redo that part of the video.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) August 19, 2018Don Lemon (kind of) apologizes for saying Fox News didn't cover Hope Hicks' resignation.
In March, CNN anchor Don Lemon said Fox News — or, as he called it, "Trump TV" — didn't cover Hope Hicks' resignation from her post as White House communication director.
After being criticized by Fox News over his statement, Lemon later explained to CNN contributor Ryan Lizza that what he meant to say was that Fox News didn't give the Hicks story enough coverage. Lemon said he was trying to make a point about how Fox News will "broadly downplay big stories and important news for this White House.”
"They had covered it, though," Lemon said. "So, I mean, that was a bad example. And so apologies for that."
FYI.. Last night, in an attempt to make a broader point about Fox News prime time I misspoke. I should have been more specific.
— Don Lemon (@donlemon) March 1, 2018Rick Santorum apologizes after saying "bulls—t" on air.
During a heated debate last October over Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination, Rick Santorum let a swear word slip on air.
Santorum dismissed claims brought forth by Kavanaugh's high school and college classmates about the now Supreme Court justice's alleged excessive drinking.
“And you remember that from 35 years ago? Sorry. Bullsh—t," he said. "I'm just saying, it’s just ridiculous."
In a tweet, Santorum apologized to the anchors and viewers, saying he shouldn't have used profanity but that he didn't back down from the "substance" of what he said.
I apologize to the anchors on @CNN @NewDay and the viewers for using profanity during the show. No excuses. Stand by substance of what I said, but not how I said it. #tcot
— Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) October 4, 2018Commentator Marc Lamont Hill apologizes for Israel comments after being fired from CNN.
CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill was fired from the network following controversial comments he made during a speech about Israel and Palestine during a United Nations.
In his speech, Hill urged for the “free Palestine from the river to the sea," a sentiment that critics said called for the end of the state of Israel.
Hill, a professor at Temple University, apologized in a letter published in the campus publication, saying he rejects "anti-Semitism in any form or fashion.” In a series of tweets, Hill said does not support the killing of Jewish people "or any of the other things attributed to my speech. I have spent my life fighting these things."
"My reference to 'river to the sea' was not a call to destroy anything or anyone," he added.
I support Palestinian freedom. I support Palestinian self-determination. I am deeply critical of Israeli policy and practice.
I do not support anti-Semitism, killing Jewish people, or any of the other things attributed to my speech. I have spent my life fighting these things.