CBS News Editor Faces Criticism Over Report on Abdul El-Sayed’s Deleted Posts

The recent involvement of Bari Weiss, CBS News editor-in-chief, in a story about Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has sparked a heated debate on social media. CBS News faced criticism from the far-left for highlighting El-Sayed’s deleted posts about 9/11, linking them to the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

“As the nation prepares to mark 25 years since September 11, 2001, Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, may face renewed scrutiny and fresh political attacks,” CBS News stated in a recent article.

CBS News faced backlash over their report on Abdul El-Sayed’s deleted 9/11 posts.

Status News revealed that Weiss praised the story during a network editorial meeting and directed changes to the headline to specifically mention El-Sayed’s deleted tweets referencing the September 11 attacks. The final headline, “Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s deleted tweets on Sept. 11 attacks invite scrutiny of past remarks,” provided contextual insight into the report. The initial headline read, “For Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, Sept. 11 commemoration invites scrutiny of past remarks.”

Many on the left criticized Weiss’s involvement, calling it a “scandal.” Liberal outlet MeidasTouch and former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan were vocal about their disapproval, with Hasan accusing CBS of normalizing Islamophobia in the media. Democratic strategist Dan Turrentine and former columnist Jennifer Rubin also commented on the situation, emphasizing the negative perception of CBS.

Conservatives, in contrast, saw the reaction as excessive. National Review’s Charles C.W. Cooke, The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway, and Washington Free Beacon’s Chuck Ross responded by stressing Weiss’s job is to improve journalism quality. GOP strategist Matt Whitlock highlighted the importance of the report, noting El-Sayed’s actions in the context of a significant Senate race. El-Sayed has been associated with a surrogate who made controversial remarks about 9/11, making his deleted tweets a point of interest.

CBS News cited El-Sayed’s deleted social media posts, including comparisons between the 9/11 death toll and coronavirus pandemic fatalities. A post from September 11, 2021, mourned the 9/11 victims while criticizing actions carried out in the name of the United States overseas.

When confronted by a local CBS News reporter, El-Sayed addressed his deleted posts. He emphasized 9/11 was a disaster and advocated building an America that avoids unnecessary wars. A CBS News insider downplayed criticism, stating reports on deleted social media posts from politicians are common.

Joseph A. Wulfsohn, a media reporter for Fox News Digital, can be contacted for tips via email at [email protected] or Twitter @JosephWulfsohn.