CNN fired back at Fox News host Tucker Carlson and conservative Twitter critics attempting to claim the cable news network had stopped airing their coronavirus tracking graphic, including the death count, from airing on their programs after the numbers could no longer be blamed on former President Donald Trump. The claim is false, as CNN has continued to air the counter after the election, as well as after President Joe Biden was sworn into office.

“It’s Joe Biden’s first day in office, and you know what that means. CNN can finally take that Covid death ticker off his screen,” Carlson stated on Thursday night. “CNN dutifully removed it this morning.”

The false attempt to tar CNN also came from conservative Twitter users Amelia Hamilton, Jon Nicosia, and Caleb Hull, who saw their tweets substantially amplified in conservative Twitter circles.

What happened to @CNN‘s #COVID19 Death counter? pic.twitter.com/L3YC3DZ6z8

— Jon Nicosia (@NewsPolitics) January 22, 2021

Notice something different about CNN? Their COVID-19 death counter is gone. pic.twitter.com/tpdR682Hkh

— Caleb Hull (I’m With the CCP Don’t Ban Me) (@CalebJHull) January 21, 2021

Hamilton’s tweet garnered over 40,000 likes.

Hey, @CNN, I think you forgot your COVID tracker the last couple of days. It just sort of disappeared a couple of days ago. I’m sure this was just an oversight and you’re dedicated to keeping us informed, so I look forward to seeing that on screen again any minute.

— Amelia (@AmeliaHammy) January 22, 2021

The claim was quickly fact-checked by CNN’s Daniel Dale and the network’s communications team.

“Last night on his program @TuckerCarlson again lied to his audience about CNN, stating we’d “dutifully removed” the COVID-19 tracking graphic from our coverage now that President Biden has taken office. That is false,” CNN communications department tweeted on Friday.

Last night on his program @TuckerCarlson again lied to his audience about CNN, stating we’d “dutifully removed” the COVID-19 tracking graphic from our coverage now that President Biden has taken office. That is false. We look forward to his correction tonight. #factsfirst pic.twitter.com/MRotv8Quzb

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) January 22, 2021

Attached to CNN’s tweet were screenshots of the COVID-19 tracking graphic appearing beside their programs — notably one time while White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki spoke on the 21st from the White House briefing room.

“Carlson’s claim that CNN got rid of the Covid tracker because Biden is now in charge is — like previous versions of the claim — entirely false,” Dale further noted.

Carlson’s claim that CNN got rid of the Covid tracker because Biden is now in charge is — like previous versions of the claim — entirely false.

CNN is still running the tracker, especially during Covid segments. It ran the tracker alongside Biden’s own speech yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3YqEmZNBg2

— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) January 22, 2021

Matt Dornic, CNN’s Head of Strategic Communications, also fired back, calling the tweets claiming the Covid tracker had been dropped “a lie that is so easily disproven,” along with more screenshots.

I’m assuming she got this from Fox News. 12k retweets. 40k likes. For a lie that is so easily disproven. https://t.co/osZVIkYEG0 pic.twitter.com/QdvUEmOImh

— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) January 23, 2021

Watch above, via Fox News.

The post CNN PR Slaps Back With Screenshots After Being Falsely Accused of Dropping Covid Tracker first appeared on Mediaite.

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