CNN reporter mocks Mitch McConnell for needing help with stairs, not realizing he survived polio
CNN political reporter Daniella Diaz sent a tweet on Monday pointing out that President Trump and Sen. Mitch McConnell locked hands while walking up stairs at the White House following their Rose Garden press conference. Diaz seemed to be mocking the Republican duo – but while followers quickly pointed out that the Kentucky senator is a polio survivor, the tweet remains on her feed nearly 24 hours later.
A CNN colleague called out Diaz, quoting her tweet and explaining the situation. At the time this article was published, Diaz had not deleted the tweet. Daily Beast Senior Editor Andrew Kirell also asked what was going on in a since-deleted response.
“McConnell is a polio survivor, a reason why stairs can be tricky at times,” CNN's Senior Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju wrote. “McConnell often goes up a step at a time, sometimes needs railing for assistance. This time, used Trump for balance.”
Many users commented on Diaz’s tweet, saying it needs to be removed and criticizing the CNN reporter for the message. “You're making fun of the President of the United States helping a polio survivor that stumbled. Stay classy CNN, stay classy,” one user responded.
Back in 1990, McConnell explained his medical situation in a campaign ad when running for re-election in Kentucky.
Before the polio vaccine was introduced in 1955, tens of thousands of American children developed paralytic polio every year, according to WebMD. Post-polio syndrome affects some people who had the condition, and symptoms include extreme fatigue, joint pain and progressive weakness in muscles.
“So very cheap and sleazy journalism -- if it even could be called journalism just a hate post,” one user wrote, while another said, “He had polio. Read a bio first if you're going to report on people. It's been known since he went to Congress.”
Another commenter schooled Diaz, “You are probably too young to realize that people used to get polio in this country. Childhood polio isn't funny.”
CNN did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
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Many users commented on Diaz’s tweet, saying it needs to be removed and criticizing the CNN reporter for the message. “You're making fun of the President of the United States helping a polio survivor that stumbled. Stay classy CNN, stay classy,” one user responded.
Just another day at CNN.
You mean just another day at twitter. Later on this week we'll probably witness Trump mimicking McConnell like he did Serge Kovaleski .
Oooh. Deflection! Can't speak against a terrible comment by CNN... That would violate liberal idealogical purity standards.
So it's OK to mock people with disabilities or physical challenges??
Only if you are a liberal.
So, you're good with the tweet of the CNN reporter? Somehow I'm not surprised, Hal.
Apparently you are, with your unflappable adulation for this guy:
trump helped somebody up the stairs????
I wonder how much that cost?
Mitch McConnell has a pre-existing condition and yet he threatens the healthcare of others for partisan ideas and increased insurance company profits. That is a special brand of scumbaggery.
It's only a preexisting condition if he didn't have insurance before. Nice propaganda though.
McConnell doesn't have to worry about losing his medical insurance because of his job which provides him lifetime coverage on the taxpayer's dime. Others didn't have the luxury.
So, you're in favor of a Presidential Order revoking the Health Insurance of Legislators and forcing them to get insurance form the same market you have to? I'm good with that.
You read the story above, correct?
Yes, I did. I'm just amazed that trump actually did something selfless
“When I was a child and my dad was in World War II, I got polio. I recovered, but my family almost went broke,” McConnell explained.
and he wanted to take our healthcare away?
Great minds think alike.
Always great to have a positive self-image. Whether or not it is realistic or not.
That's a bit of a hyperbole, don'tcha think?
No, it isn't.
We didn't have healthcare before the Lord Obama started to cure the sick in 2009.
As Barack himself said, his nomination was the first time in American history when Americans provided care for the sick. I believe, prior to 2009, sick people were exposed to the elements and left to die. It's hard to remember, since I don't think civilization actually existed until Obamacare was passed and previously we spent all our time hunting and gathering. .
that is about all he has tried to do
Yep.
Do you know what what happening with healthcare prior to the ACA? Because pretending that it made things worse is a lie. People had policies that were cheap and covered nothing, which of course the poor saps didn't know until they were denied coverage. Bankruptcies were caused by medical bills. Here is a trip back memory lane:
I saw a friend of mine posted today that she went through a bunch of testing because of her age and a family history of heart failure. She got her bill-none if it covered by her insurance. This was yesterday she got the bill. So, how is she better off now?
Who said it was perfect? It was WORSE before, so why would you go back? Fix the problems, and frankly most of the current problems are caused by republicans who have tried to ruin it from day one. I would hazard a guess this is happening in a red state that purposefully worked against the ACA. Lets fix them because republicans don't have a replacement and won't. The ACA WAS their plan. So congress needs to get off their dead asses and fix the problems of the country. I won't be holding my breath.
What type of insurance plan did she buy?
I purposely chose a lower tier of coverage, to keep my premiums lower. So, by design, I have higher out-of-pocket expenses. My son's ankle sprain and strep throat have not been covered. I probably won't meet my deductible for non-covered expenses at all this year, but I picked a plan with a high deductible, so that's on me.
Where did he ever say that, and who has talked about taking it away
I think the issue is one of respectful journalism and not one for partisan sniping back and forth about health care.
When FDR (and perhaps there are some here who remember about his polio-caused disability), was coming down the steps from an airplane, and fell, virtually EVERY photographer that was there lowered their cameras and refused to take a photo of it. THAT is respectful journalism.
perhaps we should also ask the purpose of such a photo..is it to embarass him or to show the reality of a disability and bring awareness to it without making fun of the person and of coarse have the approval of the person to use it. In FDR's case he we took pains to hide his disability so he would not have liked a photo of him falling down and to print it would have been just to embarass him....seems like this reporters purpose of taking a picture of mcconnell needing help up stairs was only to embarass him.
If McConnell is disabled you would think he would be a little sympathetic of others who suffer disabilities. Instead he had them dragged out of a senate protest just a few months ago. I mean dragged, by the way. Forcefully removed under protest. And he wants to cut their healthcare. Did I hear such breathless indignity when Trump made actual fun of a disabled reporter? I'm trying to remember.....I've got nothing except Trumpsplaining from republicans coming to mind.
trump never made fun of a reporters' disability but he was ridiculing what that reporter said--big difference.. Using & supporting the unaffordable health care act commonly known as obamacare is a very strange way to show sympathy for anyone. It simply doesn't work and the dems answer to give millions more to the already wealthy insurance co is just plain stupid.
He most certainly did make fun of a reporters disability, don't even try to trumpsplain that away. We've got eyes and ears and a history of Trump behavior to reference. And those payments to insurance companies you suddenly have a problem with (since when do republicans consider that a bad thing, by the way?) provided healthcare to MILLIONS of Americans, unlike, say, trying to end the estate tax on the top 1% or giving massive tax cuts and subsidies to say, big oil companies.