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‘Stop Defending This’: Megyn Kelly Unloads On CNN’s Alisyn Camerota For Defending Zucker

   DailyWire.com
LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA - OCTOBER 02: Megyn Kelly speaks onstage at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit 2018 at Ritz Carlton Hotel on October 2, 2018 in Laguna Niguel, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Fortune)
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Fortune

Independent journalist Megyn Kelly laid into CNN afternoon anchor Alisyn Camerota, telling her to “stop defending” resigning network chief Jeff Zucker and suggesting there might be more in play than just his relationship with a colleague.

Camerota addressed Zucker’s surprise resignation — which he attributed to his own failure to disclose an “inappropriate” relationship with a colleague — during a Wednesday segment with co-anchor Victor Blackwell and media correspondent Brian Stelter.

“I do just want to say something personal for a moment, if I may,” she began. “I feel it deeply, personally, but also I think I speak for all of us and our colleagues — this is an incredible loss. It’s an incredible loss.”

“Jeff is a remarkable person and an incredible leader, Camerota continued. “He has this uncanny ability to make — I think — every one of us feel special and valuable in our own way, even though he is managing an international news organization of thousands of people. I just know that he had this unique ability to make us feel special. And I don’t think that comes around all the time, and again, I think it’s an incredible loss.”

Camerota went on to say that the way Zucker had resigned felt “wrong” to her as well, adding, “These are two consenting adults who are both executives — that they can’t have a private relationship feels wrong on some level.”

Stelter pushed back somewhat, saying that his sources appeared to believe that Zucker had not been given a choice, as evidenced by the fact that he had offered to stay on and assist with the transition to new leadership and had been told that was not acceptable.

Kelly responded to Camerota’s comments, noting that the colleague with whom Zucker had a relationship — Allison Gollust — had followed Zucker up the ranks.

“Tell it to the women who got passed over for a promotion so the boss’s lover could have the spot. Are there any? Have you checked? Then stop defending this,” Kelly said.

Jason Kilar, CEO of Warner Media — which owns CNN — sent a memo to CNN staffers Wednesday announcing that there would be three new “co-heads” running things at the network until a permanent replacement for Zucker could be found.

As The Daily Wire reported, Kilar’s memo named Michael Bass, Amy Entelis, and Ken Jautz as the network’s new leadership team. The memo can be read below:

Team News and Sports –

We are fortunate to have three senior leaders within the News organization who have agreed to serve as interim co-heads for CNN beginning today through what you should anticipate will be through the close of the pending transaction with Discovery. These leaders are Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz.

I have full confidence that Michael, Amy and Ken, as interim heads for News, will provide the leadership this organization needs during this time of transition.

Lenny Daniels will continue to serve as President and lead Turner Sports & Bleacher Report.

Patrick Crumb will continue as President and head of the regional sports networks.

You will hear more from Michael, Amy, Ken, Lenny, and Patrick in the coming days but I wanted you to be aware of these decisions that have been made.

Jason

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