CNN black sheep Scott Jennings tapped for controversial new role... and the liberals aren't happy about it
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Conservative commentator Scott Jennings has been asked to join the editorial board of The Los Angeles Times, much to the annoyance of liberals.
Jennings, who has long been a vocal support of president-elect Donald Trump on CNN, was asked by owner of the newspaper Pat Soon-Shiong who announced the move on X.
Soon-Shiong posted after Jennings sparked a heated debate on CNN earlier this week after he called the social media site the 'most ideologically balanced'.
He said: 'That’s why I want Scott on our new editorial board. Growing the board with experts who have thoughtful balanced views and new candidates are accepting the challenge to join us! Way to go Scott and thanks for accepting. Stay tuned we are making this happen.'
Soon-Shiong told former CNN reporter Oliver Darcy earlier this week that he wanted to overhaul the editorial board and rebuild it 'from scratch' to represent 'all voices'.
Writing on his newsletter Status, Darcy said that Soon-Shiong told him he likes Jennings 'interactions' on CNN and how he battles 'five to one against the left'.
The billionaire added that he thought Jennings was 'respectful and thoughtful' in expressing his viewpoints on air.
Darcy took umbrage with that, writing that he thought it was 'very debatable' that Jennings was 'respectful to his fellow panelists'.
Jennings, who has long been a vocal support of president-elect Donald Trump on CNN , was asked by owner of the newspaper Pat Soon-Shiong who announced the move on X
Soon-Shiong posted the move to his page after Jennings sparked a heated debate on CNN earlier this week
Darcy said their conversation 'grew combative' which ended with Soon-Shiong putting the phone down on him.
The panel that seems to have prompted the post by Soon-Shiong had been discussing billionaire MAGA darling Elon Musk flirting with the idea of buying MSNBC.
Audie Cornish questioned Jennings on whether or not the billionaire, who will co-head the new Department of Government Efficiency, purchasing media would turn it into propaganda.
'I mean, is the concern that certain media outlets would become propaganda arms of political ideologies? Don't we already have that in this country at a large scale?
'Also, I hear what you're saying about X, I saw a survey this week, it's now the most ideologically balanced user platform,' Jennings said.
CNN contributor Cari Champion interrupted saying, 'Scott, Scott, stop, it's too early. I just sat down. I've only been here for two minutes, you cannot say that. Who's the source?'
He replied, 'We've reported on this network.' Champion said, 'It's not accurate and you know it.'
Jennings's was referring to report from CNN data guru Harry Enten that said X users are made up of an even split of Democrats and Republicans, according to Mediaite.
Darcy, seen here, said their conversation 'grew combative' which ended with Soon-Shiong putting the phone down on him
Guest anchor Audie Cornish questioned Jennings on if the billionaire being closely linked to the government purchasing media would turn it into propaganda
On X, liberals have been responding in outrage over the move to appoint Jennings, some saying they had cancelled their subscriptions to the California paper.
One person wrote: 'If he thinks Jennings is in any way "thoughtful" or "balanced," he is stupid or ignorant.
'More likely, he's pandering to Trump. I'm even happier now that I canceled my 60-year subscription.'
Another added: 'Sadly, Scott Jennings is being added to the LA Times editorial board. I hope that pushes the LA Times out of business and into bankruptcy!'
Earlier this month, Jennings poked fun at his colleagues for describing President-elect Donald Trump as 'Hitler' and a 'fascist' during the presidential campaign.
After playing clips of Trump and Biden criticizing each other on the campaign trail, the CNN panel discussed the successful meeting between Biden and Trump at the White House.
Meghan Hays, a former Biden White advisor, said that Biden did not traditionally hold grudges and was ultimately a dignified statesman in the end.
On X, liberals have been responding in outrage over the move to appoint Jennings to the editorial board
The Los Angeles Times has exclusively endorsed Democratic presidential candidates since then-Senator Barack Obama ran in 2008
'I'm shocked,' Jennings said, holding up a copy of the Wall Street Journal featuring a picture of the two men together. 'I mean, did you ever think you'd see literal Hitler in the Oval Office - with the President United States?'
'C'mon, Scott,' Hays protested. 'It was the underpinning of the Democratic campaign, that Donald Trump is a fascist,' Jennings continued.
'And what I see in this is I'm glad it's happening ... but what it tells me and what it ought to tell Democrats is they didn't mean any of it. It was all campaign rhetoric.'
The move to appoint Jennings also comes after Soon-Shiong blocked its editorial board from endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Members of the newspaper's editorial board were prepared to endorse Harris for commander in chief until a shock announcement from executive editor Terry Tang.
Tang informed staff earlier this month that they would not be endorsing a candidate for president.
