Lawrence O'Donnell: Trump Actually Wants You to Watch CNN
*By Max Godnick*
One of MSNBC's most well known on-air personalities thinks the President of the United States would rather audiences watch CNN.
"He never says the letters MSNBC," said Lawrence O'Donnell in an interview with Cheddar on Monday. "We have a much bigger audience than CNN and he would prefer people to watch CNN."
The host of "The Last Word" said he thinks Trump's anti-CNN rhetoric is meant to increase the network's viewership so that audiences can hear from pundits who agree with him. Unlike MSNBC, CNN uses conservative commentators like Rick Santorum, S.E. Cupp and Jason Miller to diversify its panels with voices from both sides of the aisle.
"A good third of the show will be a spirited, and insane and lying, defense of Donald Trump," said O'Donnell about CNN.
O'Donnell's own network made headlines when [Rachel Maddow broke down in tears](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKuIjT-k-C8) last week while reading a breaking news report about the existence of "tender age" shelters for the babies and toddlers of illegal immigrants caught crossing the border. Maddow hosts the network's 9 o'clock hour and was handing over coverage to O'Donnell when the moment occurred.
O'Donnell told Cheddar that he was originally supposed to read the report, not Maddow.
"I was afraid of reading it because I didn't think I could get through it," he said. "I'm a real crybaby, Rachel is the hardest person in the world to crack."
The host said it was his colleague's tearful display that allowed him to stay composed on air.
"Rachel strengthened me," O'Donnell said. "I was able to be less emotional because Rachel was expressing my emotions for me."
Cable news networks devoted wall-to-wall coverage to the family separation crisis at the border. After a days-long standoff that saw some members of the president's own party rebuke his policy, Trump signed an executive order that ended the practice. O'Donnell said Trump's reversal does not mean networks like MSNBC will stop covering the aftermath.
"We're going to continue to get more secret recordings of children out of these jails," he said.
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/lawrence-odonnell-sounds-off-on-the-cable-news-landscape)
The war in Ukraine continues to reveal heartbreaking gut-wrenching stories. The war in itself is not only devastating but also expensive. Experts estimate that Russia is draining nearly $20 million dollars each day to continue occupying and invading Ukraine. All this could force the country to turn to cryptocurrencies. It's a major turn for the country that briefly considered outlined digital assets entirely, but it could also have serious implications for cryptos. Managing Director at Quantum Fintech Group, Harry Yeh, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
President Biden announced a ban on Russian oil and natural gas imports to the U.S. in response to its invasion of Ukraine, a move he warned could lead to an even greater surge in gas prices. The ban is prompting a conversation about the current oil production levels in the U.S. and whether or not the industry can ramp up production to soften the blow to American families at the gas pump. Clark Williams-Derry, Energy Finance Analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, breaks down the state of the U.S. oil industry and how the ban might impact production levels here at home.
PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Starbucks are the latest American food brands to have halted business operations in Russia after having faced scrutiny and criticism for originally failing to do so amid the country's invasion of Ukraine.
As Russia intensifies its war on Ukraine, President Biden announced a ban on oil imported from the aggressor nation. Critics of Russia have said this would be the best way to force Putin to pull back, but curbs on Russian oil exports are expected to send already skyrocketing oil and gas prices even higher, further impacting consumers, businesses, financial markets, and the global economy. Leslie Beyer, CEO of the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss. "It's certainly going to increase pricing, but it is the right thing to do," she said. "The industry itself has already pulled out of the significant portion of its operations in Russia."
Sports Betting in the U.S. is booming. According to industry experts, we could see another boom this year as more states move towards statewide legalization of sports wagering. While this comes as huge news for fans, there are some very real concerns as to whether or not sports betting potentially poses a threat to public health. Senior Clinician at the Caron Treatment Centers, Eric Webber, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
The Biden administration has made gender policy a core part of how it governs. The president established the first Gender Policy Council. It's on the same level as the National Security Council, Domestic Policy Council and National Economic Council, putting the interests of women and other underserved groups at the table for the most important policy discussions.
Cheddar News sat down with Jennifer Klein, executive director and co-chair of the White House Gender Policy Council, to discuss the council's work and its significance during Women's History Month.
State Representative Jessica González, Vice Chair of the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, joins Cheddar News to discuss the latest Texas anti-transgender directive.
The United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack joins None of the Above to discuss the newly emerging conflict in Europe, what it means for agriculture in the states, dairy and meat consumption, and how the department is planning to promote climate-smart agriculture.
Tens of thousands of people have fled Ukraine in attempts to escape the Russian Invasion. According to the U.N. neighboring countries like Poland, Hungary, and even Romania have seen half a million refugees. While the hospitality is being welcomed by many, it also highlights the mistreatment of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and Africa. Professor of Philosophy and Director of Politics at Northeastern University Serena Parekh, joined Cheddar, to discuss more.
