Bewkes' own media property, CNN had suffered serial (and rightful) abuse from Donald Trump throughout the election campaign (and still since his election) with frequent threats to open up libel laws...
BI's Blodgett asked Bewkes "Do you worry about that at all?" His response left many shaking their heads...
Bewkes said he didn't "think that's a serious thing," adding that "we should all worry" if someone were seeking to change the First Amendment. He suggested that came from the Democratic Party, which "had a campaign plank to change the First Amendment, and they were doing it in the guise of campaign finance reform."As The Hollywood Reporter added, Bewkes also said Trump wasn't the only Republican candidate to complain of unfair coverage, as Ted Cruz and Jeb Bush and others also weren't happy with CNN and the press.
"And that was worrying me more," Bewkes said. "The press tends to miss that because they tend to lean that way, and therefore they were supporting what they were viewing - I think overly charitably - as something in cleaning up money in politics when in fact what it would do is restrain multiple voices."
"So I thought the real threat to the First Amendment came from the Democrats' side more," Bewkes said.The big question now is - will his staff at CNN uphold this line of reasoning?
"There's not going to be a serious effort on the Republican side."
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