Cross posted to the MRC's NewsBusters blog
On Tuesday's Erin Burnett OutFront, CNN gave attention to the recent mugging of liberal former Senator Barbara Boxer near the California Democrat's home in Oakland -- an event that has been mostly ignored by other liberal media outlets.
Burnett even showed respect for former President Donald Trump -- which is rare on the mostly liberal network -- when she read a recent statement by Trump attacking Democrats for sending crime out of control in many U.S. cities.
After the segment began with Boxer describing the robbery from Monday in which a teen pushed her as she walked and stole her phone, Burnett followed up by citing dire crime statistics showing Oakland has recently seen substantial increases in violent crime.
Burnett then brought up some of the crime policies pursued by liberals in Oakland and read Trump's statement which he gave in reaction to to the attack on former Senator Boxer. Here's Burnett:
Senator, the reason I give these numbers, just to put it in context, the Oakland City Council just voted to move $18 million away from the police department to other programs -- mental health programs, other things, but away from the police department. And former President Trump seized on this. He said today -- in light of what happened to you and that defunding -- "Our once great cities, like New York, Detroit, San Francisco, and so many others, have become a paradise for criminals because of Democrats." What do you say to that in the context of what is happening in Oakland?
The far-left former Senator responded by lamely trying to blame President Trump for crime increases even though local politicians have more influence over the issue than the federal government, and, after recalling what she felt like saying to her attacker, she ended by rambling about wanting more gun control to reduce "weapons of war," and declared that the Oakland A's should stay in Oakland.
Burnett suggested she agreed on gun control, but then hit Boxer from the right again by bringing up soft on crime policies that have contributed to the problem:
Right, all true. You know, in the context of the broader conversation about the surge in violent crime in many cities in this country. I wanted to ask you one more thing, though. The Chicago police superintendent is speaking out. He's blaming the rise in crime there on courts releasing these criminals, right -- in part, you know, just go ahead and release -- bail reform. Here he is.
After a clip of Chicago police superintendent David Brown complaining that courts have released murderers with ankle bracelets, with many committing crimes while they are awaiting trial, Burnett returned to California's failures on crime:
And, Senator, closer to home for you, there was a study -- half of people released from jail in San Francisco who get out before trial -- you used to not be able to do that -- fail to show up to court. Even more arrested for allegedly committing another crime while free. Do you think that bail reform -- which is something that progressives have championed -- is at the heart of solving the crime problem right now?
The fact that CNN's Burnett gave significant coverage to the Boxer story and how it ties in with her fellow Democrats' incompetence in dealing with crime contrasts with the other liberal networks which have barely touched it. According to Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, and ABC have ignored the story entirely while CBS has only given it seven seconds (on CBS This Morning).
The episode of CNN's Erin Burnett OutFront was sponsored in part by Car Shield. Their contact information is linked. Let them know that you appreciate Burnett doing surprisingly good journalism for a change.
Transcript follows:
CNN
Erin Burnett Outfront
July 27, 2021
7:47 p.m. Eastern
ERIN BURNETT OUTFRONT: You know, the Oakland police chief recently was talking, and he was saying he's extremely worried about the rising crime now. Obviously, you're talking about a very upsetting incident -- a petty crime -- but of course as petty crimes rise, more serious crimes have as well -- homicides 69 percent increase in Oakland from a year ago -- assaults with a gun, a 58 percent increase -- robberies up, such like you experienced actually at only, put that in quotes, only up 14 percent.
Senator, the reason I give these numbers, just to put it in context, the Oakland City Council just voted to move $18 million away from the police department to other programs -- mental health programs, other things, but away from the police department. And former President Trump seized on this. He said today -- in light of what happened to you and that defunding -- "Our once great cities, like New York, Detroit, San Francisco, and so many others, have become a paradise for criminals because of Democrats." What do you say to that in the context of what is happening in Oakland?
FORMER SENATOR BARBARA BOXER (D-CA): Well, first, I want to say this former President Trump has a horrible record when he was President. The murder rate went way up under Trump. Crimes with guns went way up, and hate crimes under Trump surged 20 percent. So he has literally no standing, and let me just say how I feel.
I feel we need more money for community policing. We need more officers on the street. We need them to be from the community, by the community, for the community. And I worked on that issue many years ago when I was a county supervisor. Community policing works because you've got to make relationships with these young people. And, you know, somebody asked me, "If you had a chance, Barbara, to say something to these young kids who did this to you, what would you say?"
And it came pretty quickly. And it was, "How could you hurt someone who has the potential to love you?" These are our youngsters. They were the same age as my grandkids," and I do have to say, Erin, as this gentleman ran away and went into the car, I don't know -- automatically I yelled out, "How could you do this to a grandmother? I need to call my grandkids. Bring me back my phone."
Well, obviously, he wasn't that interested and jumped in the car. But it is a hurtful thing to see young people that don't have the love in their heart. So we have to do all of this. We have to go -- we have to pass sensible gun laws, for God's sakes. We don't need weapons of war on our streets. We need to give our kids opportunity. The Oakland A's should stay in Oakland. We need them
BURNETT: Right, all true. You know, in the context of the broader conversation about the surge in violent crime in many cities in this country. I wanted to ask you one more thing, though. The Chicago police superintendent is speaking out. He's blaming the rise in crime there on courts releasing these criminals, right -- in part, you know, just go ahead and release -- bail reform. Here he is.
DAVID BROWN, CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: Can the courts hold all people in jail who are violent -- who have been arrested -- who have been charged with murder? Murder! I don't think there's another city in this country releasing people charged with murder back into the community on electronic monitoring.
BURNETT: And, Senator, closer to home for you, there was a study -- half of people released from jail in San Francisco who get out before trial -- you used to not be able to do that -- fail to show up to court. Even more arrested for allegedly committing another crime while free. Do you think that bail reform -- which is something that progressives have championed -- is at the heart of solving the crime problem right now?