The Scripted Question at CNN's Parkland Town Hall? Or Was It the Speech That Might Have Been?

CNN held a town hall meeting with survivors of the terrible Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in Parkland, Florida. The students expressed various opinions about gun control and school safety. Many of the students supported some form of gun control, mental health care, and improved security.

Student Colton Haab, however, claimed that CNN told him to ask scripted questions; his father withdrew him from the event as a consequence. Did CNN provide Haab with scripted questions? Or did they deny him a chance to give a speech when the format called for brief questions and statements. I don't know for sure, but let's look at the publicly available evidence.

The Haab family produced an email from CNN that read:

That really is way too long. These are quick questions so that we can get to as many people as possible. This is what Colton and I discussed on the phone. He needs to stick to this. 

Senator Nelson, if Coach Feis had had his firearm in school that day, I believe that he could have most likely stopped the threat. Have we thought about having a class for teachers who are willing to be armed trained to carry on campus? 

This gives the impression that CNN provided the question.

CNN's version of the email is:

That really is way too long. These are quick questions so that we can get to as many people as possible. This is what Colton and I discussed on the phone that he submitted. He needs to stick to this.  [italics supplied]


Senator Nelson, if Coach Feis had had his firearm in school that day, I believe that he could have most likely stopped the threat. Have we thought about having a class for teachers who are willing to be armed trained to carry on campus? 

The difference is the phrase "that he submitted," which contradicts Haab's claim that CNN provided scripted questions.

Who is telling the truth? A definitive answer will need to wait until we hear more from computer experts.

Unfortunately, people are responding according to their political views more than the evidence. It comes down to, who do you trust? Conservative Fox New's Gregg Re's reporting about the incident claimed that "The atmosphere at the event was, at times, awkward and even hostile for the Republicans, who were interrupted several times by the jeering crowd." He described CNN as a "left-leaning cable news network," which adds to the air of mistrust. Inquisitr, in turn, emphasized what they called "allegedly doctored" emails from the Haabs.

Colton's father, Glenn Haab, provided pages of points that he wanted his son to make during the town hall. Colton claims that CNN asked him to write a speech, which the network denies. Since network town halls don't usually allow long speeches, it is no surprise that Haab's request was turned down. CNN has offered Colton a chance to appear on CNN.

Of course, if Haab had actually attended the town hall, which he skipped, it would have been hard for the moderator to interrupt him if he asked his own question, wouldn't it? But he would have been interrupted if he used too much time.

Lessons:

1. Haab made an accusation, but the evidence for his accusation is weak. Not nil, but weak. The dispute is still at the he said / no, he said stage.
2. There is a time and place to give a lengthy speech, but this obviously wasn't it. Haab's talking points would have taken time from other students.
3. Haab's protest, no matter whether true or false, gave him much more attention than he could have gained by asking a question.
4. The allegedly scripted question, which was about arming teachers, had a conservative slant. It does not sound like a question that a "left-leaning news network" would concoct to advance a gun-control agenda.
5. Most important lesson for all readers and viewers: Don't jump to conclusions! Not all accusations are true! Not all accusations are false! Get the evidence before you decide!
6. Also, fathers, please: let your teenaged children speak for themselves!  

So, until the truth comes out, let's withhold final judgment.

P.S.: Context makes a difference! Leave out a few words, and the meaning changes. 

P.P.S.: The computer bots have been busy pushing Colton Haab's story. Here's my post about the bots. 

Update: Haab's father admitted to the Washington Times, a noted conservative paper, that he accidentally altered the email. This pretty much discredits the idea that CNN fed questions to the students.