President Trump on Monday denounced what he called the “dumb bastards” at CNN and “Fredo,” a nickname he’s often attached to CNN host Chris Cuomo, for paying so much attention to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump told a large outdoor audience in Prescott, Ariz., that he believes the cable news channel is hyping the coronavirus to depress voting.
“You turn on CNN, this is all they cover. COVID, COVID, pandemic, COVID, COVID, COVID, COV-ah-ah. You know why, they’re trying to talk everybody out of voting. People aren’t buying it, CNN, you dumb bastards,” the president said.
“You watch this guy, he’s got lousy ratings, Fredo, you know Fredo?” Trump added, referring to Cuomo, who is the brother of New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“Gets horrible ratings. He’s talking about the pandemic, it’s all they talk about,” Trump said.
“I don’t know he said he had it. I’m not sure he had it. he went to the basement, it’s the only time his ratings were up. People wanted to see what was gonna happen, probably get it again even though in theory, you’re not supposed to.”
Trump also blamed Gov. Andrew Cuomo for New York’s tragic death toll from the virus, and trashed the governor for writing a book about the experience.
Trump told the crowd he was hosting the “biggest rallies in history” in the final two-week stretch before the Nov. 3 election and vowed the pandemic would end soon with a vaccine.
