CNN host Brian Stelter suggested Thursday that former CBS anchor Dan Rather, who has been a guest on Stelter’s show several times, could be to blame for Americans losing trust in the media.
Facebook Technology Communications Director Tom Gara posted a Gallup poll on Americans’ trust in media. Between 2003 and 2004, the percentage of people who said they trusted the media dropped from 54% to 44% and never recovered from there.
Stelter responded and asked if “Rathergate” or “war” could have caused the ten point drop. (RELATED: ‘You’ve Spent 60 Years Being A Professional Liar’: Ted Cruz Comes At Dan Rather For His ‘Sensitive Soul’ Getting ‘Triggered’)
Rathergate? War? Or both
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) October 7, 2021
Rather announced in 2005 that he was stepping down as CBS Evening News Anchor after a 60 Minutes segment aired alleging that President George W. Bush received special treatment while he was serving in the Texas Air National Guard. The report was based on four documents that turned out to be fraudulent, but the network defended the story for nearly two weeks.
Despite the CBS scandal, Rather appeared on CNN several times during President Donald Trump’s administration, including seven appearances on Stelter’s show “Reliable Sources,” Fox News reported. Rather is an outspoken Trump critic and has spoken about how the media should cover the former president’s administration.
CNN hosts Don Lemon and Anderson Cooper also invited Rather on their shows in 2021, according to Fox News.