Double Standard in Harris and Trump Coverage Sparks Heated CNN Panel Discussion
Presidential Debate Between Donald Trump And VP Kamala Harris At The National Constitution Center In Philadelphia (Photo Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)
A CNN town hall analysis initially focused on Vice President Kamala Harris’ policy positions quickly shifted into a broader conversation about the stark differences in how she and former President Donald Trump are treated. One panelist, former Obama White House official Van Jones, summed up the frustration by declaring, “They’re not taking the same exam.”
“He gets to be lawless, she has to be flawless. That’s what’s unfair. That’s what’s unfair tonight,” Jones said passionately. “Look, she has policies, she may not articulate them perfectly every time…but she’s fighting for actual ideas that will help real people, and he’s talking about people’s penises. They are not taking the same exam, and that’s pissing people off—it’s pissing me off.”
The panel discussion came on the heels of Harris’ town hall with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The event was initially scheduled as a presidential debate, but Trump dropped out and later refused to commit to his own town hall with the network. Despite the event’s focus on Harris’ policies, the issue of a double standard between the two candidates quickly emerged in the analysis and flared up across social media.
The conversation on CNN turned heated when David Urban, a former Trump adviser, criticized Harris for her openness to possibly ending the filibuster for Roe v. Wade purposes. This critique sparked an impassioned response from Van Jones, who contrasted Trump’s authoritarian remarks with Harris’ measured approach.
“Donald Trump said he’s gonna be a dictator, and you’re worried about…” Jones began before Urban interjected. “Ending the filibuster is a big deal,” Urban countered. “But she didn’t say she was going to, she said she’d look at it, she’s studying things,” Jones replied, emphasizing that Harris was being thoughtful, not reckless, about her policy positions.
Urban pressed that voters want specifics from Harris, particularly when she discusses wanting to “turn the page.” However, Jones’ frustration highlighted what many see as a glaring inconsistency in how Harris and Trump are scrutinized.
The double standard resonated with many on social media, where Harris supporters praised the CNN panel for calling it out. Democratic political consultant Neera Tanden posted, “I want to thank some of the folks on CNN for calling out the massive double standard of how Harris needs to be flawless as Trump is lawless. Like he didn’t even show up for your town hall or your debate.”
Former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) also weighed in, writing on X, “YES it’s a double std. Thank you @jaketapper for noticing that Dictator on Day One Revenge Tour Trump gets a pass on everything, and his supporters say he doesn’t mean what HE says he means. Not just graded on a curve. He flunks every day and gets a pass.”
The growing recognition of the uneven scrutiny between Trump and Harris has fueled frustration among many commentators and political observers. As both candidates continue to campaign for the presidency, the conversation about fairness in media coverage is likely to remain a hot topic.
