CNN host Don Lemon celebrated that the national average for gas prices was “easing up” — after it was revealed that the Biden administration reportedly had secret talks with media outlets to push for more positive coverage about its handling of the economy.
“Big economic relief for millions of Americans who have been dealing with soaring energy prices. The price at the pump is finally easing up,” he said on “Don Lemon Tonight” on Tuesday.
Lemon said that AAA data showed that the price per gallon was at $3.35 — the lowest since October — and noted that forecasts showed it could drop to $3.01 by January.
“Can we just celebrate the good news for a minute? I’ll take it where I can get it,” he said.
Biden last month ordered a record 50 million barrels of oil released from the country’s strategic reserve, aiming to bring down gas prices amid concerns about inflation.
Though Lemon didn’t directly praise the president, his segment comes on the heels of a report that the White House has been secretly begging news organizations to give it more “favorable” coverage.
The administration is “not happy” with the unflattering headlines and coverage of the supply-chain disaster and handling of the economy — and so “has been working behind the scenes trying to reshape coverage in its favor,” CNN’s Reliable Sources said.
National Economic Council deputy directors David Kamin and Bharat Ramamurti, as well as ports envoy John Porcari, “have been briefing major newsrooms over the past week,” a source told the outlet’s media reporter Oliver Darcy.
“I’m told the conversations have been productive, with anchors and reporters and producers getting to talk with the officials,” Darcy wrote.
It’s unclear whether the White House has been in talks with CNN about its coverage.
Still, some questioned whether the Biden administration media campaign played a role in Lemon’s effusive coverage.
“State-run media: CNN’s Don Lemon does the White House’s bidding by praising the price of gas falling just 5 cents,” Media Research Center deputy editor Nicholas Fondacaro wrote on Twitter.
“This is what the Biden administration wanted when they brought in media outlets to tell them how to spin the numbers.”
CNN didn’t immediately respond to request for comment.
