A CNN anchor offered an emotional apology to veterans on Wednesday after suggesting earlier that their post-war transition problems may play a role in violent events like the riots in Baltimore this week.
Brooke Baldwin, who hosts the network's midday news program, made the comments Tuesday while interviewing Rep. Elijah Cummings, D- Md., about the unrest in the city. She said many young people lack an "emotional investment" in their neighborhoods, adding that veterans are "coming back from war, they don't know the communities, and they're ready to do battle."
The remarks immediately caused an uproar from veterans and conservative critics.
Baldwin apologized via Twitter within hours and publicly on the air the next morning.
"I absolutely misspoke, I inartfully chose my words 100 percent," she said. "I wholeheartedly retract what I said … I have the utmost respect for our men and women in uniform."
That response calmed some critics, who noted her past work covering veterans issues.
But some groups still aren't happy with the anchor.
Military advocates have long pushed back against the narrative of "angry veterans" returning from war and inciting violence at home. Veterans Affairs Department researchers have found little evidence to back up the claim of increased criminal activity among post-war veterans, beyond self-harming behavior such as substance abuse.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
