Stephen A. Smith believes the onus is now on CNN after reading Aaron Rodgers’ response to allegations that he pushed Sandy Hook conspiracy theories.
Last week, CNN’s Pamela Brown and Jake Tapper reported Rodgers has “in private conversations shared deranged conspiracy theories about the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting not being real.” The CNN report came on the heels of The New York Times revealing Rodgers was on the short list to join independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as his running mate.
“In the interest of fairness, I would ask this from the CNN reporter and CNN as a network,” Smith said on his podcast. “Why are we hearing about this just now if this is what transpired in 2013? How is that happening? If you’re in the news business, how is something relevant 12 years later, when you never mentioned it 12 years ago?”
A possible candidate for Vice President of the United States allegedly claiming a mass shooting that killed 26 people, including 20 children, was a “government inside job” is more newsworthy than a Green Bay Packers quarterback pushing the same theory. Similarly, Rodgers has not had to answer to a former teammate previously suggesting he is a 9/11 truther. Those claims went completely ignored as Rodgers the quarterback ran onto the field at MetLife Stadium last year carrying an American flag on the 22nd anniversary of those terrorist attacks. As a vice presidential candidate, however, these are issues Rodgers should be pressed on.
Rodgers did respond to the CNN report Thursday afternoon, tweeting out a statement to claim he has never “been of the opinion that the events did not take place” at Sandy Hook.
“As I’m on the record saying in the past, what happened in Sandy Hook was an absolute tragedy,” Rodgers wrote. “I am not and have never been of the opinion that the events did not take place. Again, I hope that we learn from this and other tragedies to identify the signs that will allow us to prevent unnecessary loss of life. My thoughts and prayers continue to remain with the families affected along with the entire Sandy Hook community.”
According to Smith, the above response from Rodgers is all that was needed to put the onus on CNN to offer proof of their report.
“After Aaron Rodgers issued his statement, the burden is on Ms. Pamela Brown,” Smith claimed. “The burden is on CNN. Where’s your evidence? You reported allegations of Aaron Rodgers being associated with a conspiracy theory that denies the killings, the murders of elementary school kids at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Where’s your evidence? That’s where the onus lies now.”
To provide full context, Smith also noted that if Rodgers were a Sandy Hook conspiracy theorist, he would have no issue with the Jets cutting him or the NFL throwing the polarizing quarterback out of the league.
“There are certain lines you just don’t cross,” Smith said. “And that would be crossing a line. I just find it very difficult to believe that Aaron Rodgers would do something like that. Not the Aaron Rodgers I’ve spoken to periodically over the years…But the onus is not on Aaron Rodgers now, cause he issued his statement. Now the onus is on CNN to show us proof. Since you put that story out for the world to see. Period.”
As proved by Rodgers’ recent appearance on the Look Into It with Eddie Bravo podcast, he might be different from the quarterback a lot of people spoke to periodically over the years.
