Imus Calls Anderson Cooper Beating ‘A Stunt’ To Gain Publicity

The protests in Egypts have already resulted in a great deal of bloodshed and journalists, foreign and domestic, have not been exempt. As The New York Timesrecently noted, “[J]ournalists were chased through the streets and had their equipment stolen or smashed. Some were beaten so badly that they required hospital treatment.” News organizations across the political spectrum have been on the receiving end: a Fox News correspondent was the target of a Molotov cocktail; ABC staff was threatened with beheading; and, mostly famously, CNN’s Anderson Cooper and his colleagues have been twice attacked.

Right wing personalities have reacted to these incidences with either apathy or derision, arguing that journalists in the thick of the Egyptian uprising are simply narcissists or hungry for ratings. Until now, however, they have avoiding suggesting the incidents mentioned above are staged.

But yesterday on his radio show — which is also broadcast of Fox Business Channel — Don Imus managed to do just that. Here’s Imus reacting to the news that Cooper, in response to the attacks, has gone into hiding,” claiming that Cooper made the whole thing up just for ratings:

MCGUIRK: And he doesn’t know this morning when he can leave his little secret hiding spot.
IMUS: That is a scam to get them to watch CNN.
MCGUIRK: No, no, caught on tape the whole thing.
IMUS: Yes, but, wrestling, like wrestling, not really doing that. Come on, I like Anderson Cooper.
MCGUIRK: A stunt, you call it a stunt.
IMUS: I call it a CNN stunt, getting killed by Fox and he said what can we do? Let’s see. For example how will they get the reporters out of there?

Watch it: