The Watchdog with David Bozell

Some ads instantly hit the mark. Wendy’s "Where's the Beef?" became part of the culture. The Budweiser frogs turned a three-syllable brand name into advertising gold.

And then there are ads so spectacularly tone-deaf they deserve a category all their own.

CNN has entered the chat.

The biggest lie in America? It's that the far-left, elitist media claim they don't want to "be the story." In reality, they love being the center of attention, the captain of your soul, and the martyr of all martyrs. Such was the case last week when CNN unveiled a new ad celebrating itself after a federal judge extended the injunction against the Trump administration's September 18 ban of CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House.

To CNN, freedom of the press is under siege, democracy is teetering on the brink, and Wolf Blitzer is apparently standing between America and the abyss. All this, mind you, in a one-minute ad prompted by a dispute over access to the White House.

The ad even recruits presidents from both parties to make its case, featuring familiar tributes to the importance of a free press. No argument there. John F. Kennedy believed in a free press. Ronald Reagan did, too. Most Americans do.

CNN flashes the message, "Freedom of the press is not optional." It's a stirring slogan. It's also beside the point.

And that's the real sleight of hand at the heart of CNN's ad. This wasn't a battle over freedom of the press. It was a fight over White House access. Trump didn't stop CNN from publishing stories or broadcasting opinions. CNN is free to say whatever they want. What they're not entitled to is a hall pass to the White House briefing room.

The ad insists CNN is "following the facts" and championing an "independent media." Independent? That's a curious choice of words from a network whose on-air product has spent the last decade sounding less like a newsroom and more like a group project for progressive activists. A hearty portion of MRC's million-hour TV-news archive might have something to say about that claim.

CNN chief Mark Thompson even declared that the network doesn't want to "be the news." An impressive statement to make while launching a commercial in which CNN stars gaze heroically into the distance while dramatic music assures viewers of their historical significance.

CNN's treatise on the virtues of an "independent media" arrived at an interesting moment. The network had just wrapped up what appeared to be a 90-minute swearing-in ceremony disguised as a town hall, with just-unearthed Texas Democrat James Talarico. The questions were softer than a four-star hotel pillow. 

Still, credit where it's due. CNN has accomplished something remarkable. In an age when trust in the media is at historic lows, the network managed to produce a commercial that perfectly captures how we got here.

CNN's ad asks viewers to mistake access for liberty and a press-pass flap for a constitutional crisis.

A free press deserves a serious defense. CNN delivered a marketing campaign.

Pure spin.

Take it easy,David Bozell
President