Yet Another CNN Reporter Steps on the Rake

It has only been a few hours since Davide wrote about CNN and Abby Phillips getting the New York City bombing story wrong. His headline was “Impossible, But True: CNN Gets Worse, Says Mamdani Was Target of Terrorist Attack.” It really did seem impossible that CNN could get this story so wrong, so many times. 

And yet, here we are a few hours later and yet another CNN reporter has decided to toss his had (and his credibility) into the ring. Edward-Isaac Dovere’ Twitter bio says he’s a “Senior reporter, @cnn.” Here’s his tweet..

Shapiro last called Mamdani last year to express concern over the now-mayor’s comments on Israel and anti-semitism.

This conversation with now a fellow target of political violence was a different type of call: https://t.co/thAiPKP2p2

— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) March 11, 2026

He was trying to say that Gov. Shapiro, whose house was firebombed nearly a year ago, now had something in common with Mayor Mamdani “a fellow target of political violence.” 

But as everyone except CNN reporters know by now, Mamdani was not a target of political violence. As I described here yesterday, the two adult teenagers who carried out the attempted bombing both appear to have been inspired by ISIS. Emir Balat, who threw the bombs, quoted an ISIS slogal pledged his allegiance to ISIS. Ibrahim Kayumi who held the bombs specifically said he watched ISIS videos. Both wanted to kill non-believers.

As the first Muslim mayor of New York, Mamdani definitely was not on their target list. The people they actually targeted were the anti-Islamic protesters who had planned a rally outside Gracie Mansion that morning. Again, this isn’t supposition. Balat specifically said “this isn’t a religion that just stands when people talk about the blessed name of the prophet…We take action!”

Those are the most basic facts of this case. Why can’t CNN reporters get it right? 

Edward-Isaac Dovere’s tweet calling Mamdani a target of political violence comes more than six hours after CNN host Abby Phillips apologized on X for the same mistake.

I want to correct something I said last night. The bombs thrown in New York City over the weekend by ISIS inspired attackers was thrown into a crowd of anti-Muslim protestors and not specifically targeted at Mayor Mamdani. That wording was inaccurate and I didn’t catch it ahead…

— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) March 11, 2026

Even her correction is poorly phrased. It leaves open the possible interpretation that Mamdani wasn’t a specific target but may have been a general target, which again is not remotely true. For all we know, the bombers may have thought of themselves as defending the mayor. That’s supposition on my part, not fact, but it’s still closer to being true than what Abby Phillip and Edward-Isaac Dovere are saying.

At this point, it’s really hard to believe all these people are just independently making the same mistake. 

In the span of 48 hours, the CNN account, a CNN anchor, and a CNN senior reporter have all falsely suggested the terror attack last weekend was targeting Mamdani.

The first two have been corrected, but a bad look when reps for a news network keep repeating same false claim. pic.twitter.com/PnDJHbwLms

— AG (@AGHamilton29) March 11, 2026

And here’s another CNN reporter pushing the Mamdani is “a fellow target of political violence” narrative.

Mamdani was not the target. This is not accidental. https://t.co/KXRbQtFKFa

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 11, 2026

Even if you want to be really charitable at this point and accept that these were all just mistakes, they would still be revealing mistakes.

When your mistakes only go in one direction, they’re not mistakes, they’re just glimpses of your underlying bias https://t.co/SrikXqxavl

— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) March 11, 2026

Maybe it’s time for someone at CNN to send out a memo before every reporter manages to step on this same rake.

This just can’t be a simple mistake. This broadcast is days after the attack and if you’re a newscaster, you have willfully misinformed yourself and then your viewers. https://t.co/9CnscYAWGf

— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) March 11, 2026

Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Hot Air’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.

Join Hot Air VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.