Last night saw one for the ages on CNN’s NewsNight, sometimes also referred to as the Abby Phillip Gaslighting and Interruption Power Hour. The show’s eponymous host is getting wrecked on social media after publishing a retraction to a gross mischaracterization of the ISIS attack against a group of protesters outside Gracie Mansion, New York City’s mayoral residence.
After all publicly available information revealing at least one of the attackers to have sworn allegiance to ISIS and hoping for a higher casualty rate than that of the Boston Bombing, Phillip still managed to refer to the attack as being against Mayor Zohran Mamdani, while teasing a segment attacking Speaker Mike Johnson. WATCH:
In the latest installment of the Abby Phillip Gaslighting and Interruption Power Hour: the ISIS-adjacent attack against an anti-Islam protest at Gracie Mansion was really an attack against Zohran Mamdani. pic.twitter.com/3A50B1VTAa
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) March 11, 2026
ABBY PHILLIP: Up next, two Republicans say Muslims don't belong here after an attempted terror attack against New York's Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and the House Speaker Mike Johnson says nothing, really, to condemn those comments.
The most generous interpretation of Phillip’s gross mischaracterization of what is now obvious is that it was an ill-fated teleprompter read. Nonetheless, it went viral to the point of drawing a correction via social media:
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
The correction appears to have drawn more virality than the underlying video. This is due in large part to its careful wording which, in part, appears to validate the Bad ‘Prompter Load Theory. However, the correction reads as needlessly vague about the potential targets of the bombing. There were protesters, counterprotesters and NYPD all assembled at Gracie Mansion and all within range of the improvised explosive devices.
Condemnation of the correction has been swift. A sampling:
You're an inspiration to all people who are terrible at their jobs and never get fired anyway.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) March 11, 2026
If you have an ounce of integrity left, you would go on air and correct it
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 11, 2026
Let's see what happens
You'll correct it on the air tonight right
— Ron Coleman (@RonColeman) March 11, 2026
Make sure to do this on the air today. Top of the show
— Rafael A. Mangual (@Rafa_Mangual) March 11, 2026
Not seeing the contrition for expressing a deliberate lie. Feels more like a forced statement.
— Daniel Garza (@danielggarza) March 11, 2026
Viewers will be expecting better on air.
Wording doesn’t mislabel a terror attack, PEOPLE mislabel a terror attack.
— Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla) March 11, 2026
The bombs was thrown at anti-Muslim protestors.
— MAZE (@mazemoore) March 11, 2026
How about just "ISIS attempted a terror attack."
Wait, you said something without knowing the facts because you're stuck in an agenda driven bubble? Imagine my shock.
— Jim Verdi (@jjverdi) March 11, 2026
You did a racism. You did an imperialism. You did a nationalism. You did a xenophobia. You did a white fragility. You did a weak apology. You did no growth. This makes it abundantly clear you don't understand the intersectional nature of the multiplicity of your offenses.
— Jarvis (@jarvis_best) March 11, 2026
Will you be leading tonight’s show with an apology and a correction?
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 11, 2026
One common theme in these reactions is the call for an on-air correction to match the one issued on social media, in the interest of proportionality and fairness. There are those who will question whether the correction is authentic, or a pre-Paramount act of pre-emptive hygiene. Nonetheless, we welcome the correction and call on Phillip to follow up with one on the air.
