‘Abandoned All Pretense Of Being Conservative’: Jonah Goldberg Joins CNN As A Commentator, Social Media Erupts

Former Fox News Commentator Jonah Goldberg is joining CNN as a commentator, according to a new report.

Variety reported Monday that Goldberg, the nationally syndicated columnist who spent years as an editor at National Review before leaving the outlet and founding his own site, The Dispatch, will join CNN as the network prepares for the 2022 midterm elections. The Hill reported further that Goldberg would be based out of Washington, D.C. He will join the network on March 1st.

Conservatives on Twitter mocked Goldberg for the announcement. Many pointed out Goldberg’s vociferous criticism of CNN in the past, as well as the recent scandals that have rocked the network.

“Just so we are clear, Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes both left Fox, citing ‘principles’ over Tucker Carlson downplaying Jan 6, to instead move to CNN and NBC, who instead claimed Jan 6 was 9/11+pearl harbour,” Washington Examiner contributor  Harry Khachatrian wrote on Twitter. “Makes sense.”

Just so we are clear, Jonah Goldberg and Stephen Hayes both left Fox, citing “principles” over Tucker Carlson downplaying Jan 6, to instead move to CNN and NBC, who instead claimed Jan 6 was 9/11+pearl harbour. Makes sense. https://t.co/Ps2wTHRqLJ

— Harry Khachatrian (@Harry1T6) February 7, 2022

“Oh wow. Oh what a beautiful day.” replied Mollie Hemingway, Editor-in-Chief of The Federalist, who often appeared as a panel guest along with Goldberg on Fox’s evening news program, “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Oh wow. Oh what a beautiful day. Hahahahahahahaha! https://t.co/sHAyRmvftN

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 7, 2022

“If there’s a bigger cautionary tale in political punditry than Jonah Goldberg, I don’t know who it is,” tweeted American Greatness journalist Julie Kelly.

If there’s a bigger cautionary tale in political punditry than Jonah Goldberg, I don’t know who it is…https://t.co/ltMGHgkMRz

— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) February 7, 2022

Tablet Magazine CTO Noam Blum quote-retweeted a screenshot of Goldberg from 2021, where he said he would not occupy the permanent anti-Fox seat” at CNN or MSNBC after resigning from Fox. “So now Stephen Hayes is at NBC and Jonah Goldberg is at CNN,” Blum wrote. “Hopefully not in the ‘permanent anti-Fox seat,’ because that would be awkward.”

So now Stephen Hayes is at NBC and Jonah Goldberg is at CNN. Hopefully not in the “permanent anti-Fox seat,” because that would be awkward. https://t.co/HPfT69iIxV

— Noam Blum (@neontaster) February 7, 2022

“Noted True Conservative Jonah Goldberg, Who Supposedly Quit FoxNews Because He Found Its Reporting ‘Irresponsible,’ Finds a New, Totally Responsible ‘News’ Organization to Work At,” national security analyst David Reaboi tweeted.

Noted True Conservative Jonah Goldberg, Who Supposedly Quit FoxNews Because He Found Its Reporting “Irresponsible,” Finds a New, Totally Responsible “News” Organization to Work At https://t.co/8eYd3fr7M6

— David Reaboi, Late Republic Nonsense (@davereaboi) February 7, 2022

“If this does not convince you The Dispatch and Jonah Goldberg has abandoned all pretense of being Conservative, I don’t know what will. He’s joining @CNN, they’re riddled with sex scandals, they hire pedos, and Jim Acosta works there,” conservative culture critic and blogger Jacob Airey tweeted. “All Conservatives still there need to leave.”

If this does not convince you The Dispatch and Jonah Goldberg has abandoned all pretense of being Conservative, I don’t know what will. He’s joining @CNN, they’re riddled with sex scandals, they hire pedos, and Jim Acosta works there. All Conservatives still there need to leave. https://t.co/gRKVo1Jynq

— Jacob Airey (@realJacobAirey) February 7, 2022

Even left-wing commentators mocked Goldberg and Hayes. “CNN hires Jonah Goldberg, NBC hires Stephen Hayes. Two of the most ridiculous political voices of our time keep failing up,” former Media Matters writer Parker Molloy tweeted.

CNN hires Jonah Goldberg, NBC hires Stephen Hayes. Two of the most ridiculous political voices of our time keep failing up. https://t.co/r2qipqfv6z pic.twitter.com/eyls9WvZKE

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) February 7, 2022

Goldberg and fellow Fox News contributor Stephen Hayes left the network in November 2021, as previously reported by The Daily Wire. In a joint statement announcing their resignation, the two anti-Trump commentators cited Tucker Carlson’s Fox Nation documentary “Patriot Purge” as their reason for leaving. Hayes and Goldberg wrote:

Fox News still does real reporting, and there are still responsible conservatives providing valuable opinion and analysis. But the voices of the responsible are being drowned out by the irresponsible.

A case in point: Patriot Purge, a three-part series hosted by Tucker Carlson …

Over the past five years, some of Fox’s top opinion hosts amplified the false claims and bizarre narratives of Donald Trump or offered up their own in his service. In this sense, the release of Patriot Purge wasn’t an isolated incident, it was merely the most egregious example of a longstanding trend. Patriot Purge creates an alternative history of January 6, contradicted not just by common sense, not just by the testimony and on-the-record statements of many participants, but by the reporting of the news division of Fox News itself.

Carlson’s documentary investigated alleged connections between a number of agitators who pressed protestors to enter the Capitol on January 6th, 2021, and various federal agencies. The documentary also reported on the conditions of many individuals who were imprisoned for entering the Capitol during the riot on January 6th.

Goldberg is not the only personality to leave Fox News for CNN. The Daily Wire reported in December that longtime anchor and “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace announced he was signing on with CNN to join the left-wing network’s upcoming streaming service, CNN+. “I am thrilled to join CNN+. After decades in broadcast and cable news, I am excited to explore the world of streaming,” Wallace said in a statement at the time. “I look forward to the new freedom and flexibility streaming affords in interviewing major figures across the news landscape—and finding new ways to tell stories.” In addition to Goldberg and Wallace, The Hill reported Monday that former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms would be joining the network as a political commentator.

Hayes also landed a position as a commentator at another network. Variety also reported Monday that Hayes joined NBC News as a commentator last week.

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