Brian Stelter, a former CNN media critic, hosted a show called “Reliable Sources” for many years. After CNN underwent a reorganization, he was fired, but later rehired when the reorganization proved unsuccessful and CNN leadership changed. He now writes and reports for CNN once again.
Today, he reflected on a memorable moment from this presidential election year. With so many notable events to choose from, he highlighted the day in August when Trump falsely claimed that the crowd at a VP event was fake. This incident exemplified key themes of the election, including Trump’s use of social media to spread conspiracy theories, his creation of his own reality, and his disregard for fact-checkers.
Throughout this campaign, reality itself has been contested, with Trump’s refusal to accept verifiable facts raising concerns about a repeat of false claims of a stolen election if he loses. This has been exhausting for journalists, who must work to vet and verify information in the face of skepticism.
Stelter also noted the deep implications behind Trump’s assertion that the VP’s crowd “didn’t exist.” As the country heads into Election Day, supporters on both sides find it difficult to believe that the opposing candidate could win. However, a winner will soon emerge, and media outlets are poised to help the country accept the outcome.