Staff Reports
The departure of Jim Acosta from CNN marks another chapter in the ongoing saga of a network that has long lost its way. After nearly two decades of turning press conferences into theatrical productions, Acosta is officially packing his bags, leaving behind the once-venerated journalistic integrity for which CNN used to be known, though “integrity” feels like a stretch these days. His refusal to accept the dreaded midnight timeslot offered by CEO Mark Thompson signifies not only Acosta’s preference for prime-time drama but also highlights just how far CNN has fallen in the eyes of American viewers.
Acosta made a name for himself as the self-anointed champion of the media “resistance” during Donald Trump’s presidency. No longer content to simply report the news, he transformed press briefings into a one-man show, engaging in verbal sparring matches that often left both the reporters and the public shaking their heads. The highlight of his career was presumably not the scandalous moments he concocted in confrontation with former President Trump but rather his opportunity to question a dictator in Cuba. Ah, the irony of a man who professes to hold the powerful accountable while often glaringly ignoring Democrat misdeeds.
With the exit of Trump, the CNN brass decided to give Acosta an anchor position rather than allow him to continue his combative confrontations in the press room, thus evolving him into a prime-time host. It seemed like a desperate move to keep their once-famous liberal attack dog relevant in an increasingly disconnected network. However, instead of winning over new viewers, Acosta simply lumbered through weekend buffoonery and weekday morning drudgery, failing to provide any competent journalism or worthwhile commentary.
On his final day, Acosta indulged in the usual self-congratulatory theatrics. Sincerely thanking his coworkers while circling back to the theme that he was doing deep and meaningful work, he somehow managed to make it sound like he was the linchpin of journalistic integrity. As he geared up to enter a new chapter with a Substack of his own, one can’t help but wonder how many viewers will actually care about Acosta’s next endeavors. The hesitant media audience knows he was never able to dig deep regarding Democrat accountability, and now he is headed into the internet’s unfettered wild west.
Jim Acosta's Sign-Off Message From CNN Was Something Elsehttps://t.co/F7HUEEWgvZ
— RedState (@RedState) January 28, 2025
Despite his high-minded proclamations of holding power to account, Acosta’s track record suggests otherwise. The Resistance™ journalists tout lofty ideals of journalistic responsibility but crumble when confronted with the very real corruptions of the left. The apparent double standards employed by Acosta and his peers paint a clear picture of a media landscape deeply biased against one side while giving a free pass to the other. As the man heads off into self-publishing territory, the eyes of the conservative world will remain focused on his performances, ready to counteract his spin with the truth.
Buh-bye, Jim Acosta. Your antics may take on a new form, but they will continue to provide fertile ground for critique. The media and the public will be watching closely to see if he can actually maintain the purported standards he claims are vital—not just for the powerful, but for journalists themselves. Until then, this chapter may close, but the scrutiny will remain ever-present.
