CNN’s continued decline in ratings is no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention to the network’s self-inflicted wounds over the past few years. The so-called “news network” that once prided itself on journalistic integrity has become a shell of its former self, overtaken by woke politics, sensationalism, and a blatant disregard for truth. Now, in an attempt to claw back some of the audience it’s lost due to its disastrous coverage during the Trump administration, CNN has begun shaking up its lineup. But even as it moves anchors around, the network can’t seem to avoid embarrassing itself.

Take, for example, Jim Acosta. The infamous CNN anchor, who made a name for himself antagonizing President Trump, is being moved from late-night to daytime television. Instead of taking this as a sign to reevaluate his approach, Acosta doubled down on his arrogance in an utterly cringeworthy segment that has left viewers shaking their heads.

In a bizarre display of self-praise, Acosta took it upon himself to lecture the public about the importance of the free press, as if he were some kind of martyr for truth. During his segment, he quoted President Biden’s warning that Americans are drowning in “misinformation” and “disinformation,” a statement that might have carried more weight had it not been coming from the leader of an administration that has shown little respect for objective truth. Acosta, however, seemed to miss this irony entirely.

His response? A self-congratulatory rant about how journalists, especially himself, are “defenders of the people,” claiming, “We are not the enemy of the people. We are the defender of the people.” The audacity is almost palpable. Acosta’s attempt to position himself as some kind of heroic figure, standing up to power, would be laughable if it weren’t so tragic. His role at CNN has never been about truth-seeking—it’s been about amplifying a narrative, creating division, and bashing anyone who doesn’t fit neatly into his ideological bubble.

But the peak of his delusion came when he held up a bright pink sign that read, “I march for Jim Acosta and a free press.” Apparently, Acosta thought that carrying around a sign from a protest eight years ago somehow validated his journalistic integrity. The whole stunt reeked of desperation—an attempt to prove that he is still relevant and somehow untouchable in the world of mainstream media.

Acosta’s embarrassing moment only grew worse as he played a clip of bipartisan criticism directed at him, attempting to use it as evidence of his “unbiased” approach. The absurdity of this claim was not lost on social media users. Glenn Greenwald, the award-winning journalist and frequent critic of the mainstream media, couldn’t resist calling Acosta out for his self-righteous posturing. He aptly described the CNN anchor as a “sanctimonious blowhard” and mocked him for portraying himself as endangered, despite being far from it.

Other critics on X (formerly Twitter) echoed similar sentiments, pointing out that Acosta doesn’t represent the American people. Instead, he represents a corporate media complex that is more interested in pushing a partisan narrative than serving the public. And that’s the heart of the problem with CNN and Acosta’s brand of journalism—it’s not about delivering the truth, it’s about advancing a narrative that aligns with their ideological agenda.

CNN’s ratings collapse is a direct result of this kind of biased, self-serving reporting. The American people aren’t fooled, and they’re not tuning in to watch sanctimonious journalists patting themselves on the back. If CNN hopes to salvage its reputation, it’s going to have to do a lot more than shuffle anchors around. It needs to rethink its entire approach to journalism—something that seems to be completely lost on Jim Acosta.