Town Hall Trifecta: Win-Win-Win?

Trump Shines in CNN Town Hall, But Biden and CNN Also Benefit

Former President Donald J. Trump defied the odds once again by becoming arguably the only Republican to do a CNN town hall and come away looking better for it. Trump was vintage Trump, replete with comedic timing, plain language policy, and politically incorrect jabs, reminding many why he is so loved by a large swath of the country.

But just because Wednesday night’s event was a boon for the 45th president does not mean that President Joe Biden — or CNN, for that matter — had a bad night. In fact, it may have been a good event for all three.

Leftists Outraged

Leftists such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and even CNN’s own Oliver Darcy questioned and scolded the network for showcasing Trump in the first place. But perhaps the real reason they were upset is that it gave the only president in recent history with no new wars under his belt a platform to advocate for things such as peace in Ukraine.

Trump Crushes CNN

Throughout much of the performance, Trump crushed CNN, cemented his place as the lead GOP candidate, and expounded on his solutions to fix Biden’s messes. For example, he explained the solution to Biden’s energy crisis: “Drill baby drill.”

Trump, Biden, and CNN All Benefit

So, it is possible that Trump, Biden, and CNN all walked away winners after Wednesday night’s event. Time will tell how that shapes the 2024 GOP primary and general election.

• Trump was vintage Trump, replete with comedic timing, plain language policy, and politically incorrect jabs
• Leftists such as Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and even CNN’s own Oliver Darcy questioned and scolded the network for showcasing Trump in the first place
• Throughout much of the performance, Trump crushed CNN, cemented his place as the lead GOP candidate, and expounded on his solutions to fix Biden’s messes
• It is possible that Trump, Biden, and CNN all walked away winners after Wednesday night’s event

Despite some criticism, the event was good for all parties involved. Trump reminded his supporters why they love him, Biden’s aides got “weeks worth of damning content,” and CNN got people talking about their network. It was a win-win-win situation.