DINH DOONG

In a move that has sparked waves of commentary and a fair share of eyebrow-raising, NewsNation has officially parted ways with its most outspoken and divisive personality, Geraldo Rivera, following his bombshell endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. The dramatic exit, which was accompanied by Rivera’s signature flair, has left many wondering if it was the endorsement or just Geraldo being Geraldo that led to the split.

The former Fox News figure, never one to shy away from a spotlight, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his thoughts on the upcoming 2024 election. In what could only be described as a tweetstorm of epic proportions, Rivera managed to endorse Kamala Harris while simultaneously calling out Donald Trump as a “sore loser,” lamenting the state of American politics, and reminding everyone that he was once on The Celebrity Apprentice. The aftermath? A swift boot from the NewsNation lineup and a lingering question: Did Geraldo’s attempt at political commentary just implode his career (again)?

Let’s rewind to Rivera’s X post, a 1,000-word epic that would make even the most long-winded filibuster blush. It began with an ambiguous “Sore Loser” declaration, which, if you’ve followed Geraldo over the years, was only the start of his winding journey through political potshots and reminiscing about his wrestling match with Al Capone’s vault. As usual, he had an audience, but this time, they weren’t cheering.

While Rivera may have seen himself as a modern-day Cicero, rallying against the corruption of Rome (or in this case, the GOP), viewers, critics, and even his own network saw it differently. The diatribe was peppered with jabs at Trump, sprinkled with faint praise for Harris, and ended with a flourish of nostalgia as he reminded everyone about the time he almost had Trump’s ear, back when the real estate mogul was just trying to run a reality show instead of the country.

NewsNation, it seems, had enough. The network that gave Rivera a fresh start after his fallout with Fox News suddenly decided his presence was no longer “in line with their mission.” A spokesperson stated, “We appreciate Geraldo’s passion, but NewsNation is a place for unbiased, straightforward news, and his most recent outburst, well, let’s just say it didn’t help us reach that goal.”

While NewsNation was prepared for some of Rivera’s antics — they likely knew what they were getting into when they hired the man who once punched a white supremacist on live TV — the endorsement might have been the tipping point. Insiders report that the newsroom was abuzz with chaos after Rivera’s post began circulating. One unnamed source said, “The guy just can’t help himself. One minute he’s talking about tax cuts, the next he’s endorsing Kamala Harris and calling Trump supporters liars. We don’t even know what channel we’re on half the time, and this was not the type of attention we were looking for.”

Rivera, for his part, took the news of his firing like a professional… by launching another rant online. “I’ve been fired before, and I’ll be fired again!” he posted. “But I refuse to back down from speaking the truth. Kamala Harris is the right call, and Donald Trump’s MAGA base needs to hear it.”

NewsNation quickly issued a follow-up statement, distancing itself further from Rivera’s comments. “While we value diverse opinions, Geraldo’s commentary has become less about journalism and more about shock value. We’re focused on bringing Americans together with unbiased reporting, not dividing them with divisive endorsements.”

For many, this was just another chapter in the ongoing saga of Geraldo Rivera, a man whose career has been defined as much by his controversies as by his scoops. From opening empty vaults to crossing war zones with questionable attire, Rivera has seen it all. But what he might not have seen coming was that his open support of Harris would cost him a cozy gig at NewsNation. After all, this was supposed to be his fresh start, away from the fierce debates of Fox News and into a more “neutral” territory. Apparently, neutrality is hard when you’re Geraldo.

Political pundits are having a field day, wondering whether this was a brilliant move by NewsNation to clean up its act or just another case of a network trying to keep its head above water in the competitive sea of cable news. “It’s ironic,” one commentator quipped. “NewsNation claims to want diversity of thought, but when Geraldo gave them something truly different, they showed him the door. It’s almost like they didn’t read his resume.”

The online reaction to Rivera’s endorsement and subsequent firing was predictably polarized. On one hand, Trump supporters were practically giddy, with one commenting, “Good riddance! This guy has been a thorn in the side of true conservatives for years. Should’ve known NewsNation would cut him loose eventually.” Meanwhile, Democrats were mostly baffled, with one tweet reading, “So… Geraldo is endorsing Kamala Harris? Did I wake up in a parallel universe?”

One thing is for sure, Rivera knows how to draw a crowd, even if it’s a crowd of people mostly shaking their heads in confusion. “What did he think was going to happen?” a former colleague at Fox News mused. “Geraldo likes to think he’s above the fray, but he just keeps diving right into it, face first.”

The million-dollar question (or perhaps in this case, the NewsNation severance package question) is what Rivera’s next move will be. Given his history, it’s unlikely he’ll fade quietly into the background. Rumors are already swirling that he’s planning to launch a podcast, aptly titled “Geraldo Unleashed,” where he can pontificate freely without the constraints of network guidelines or pesky things like fact-checkers.

“I’m just getting started,” Rivera teased in a recent interview. “If they thought they could silence me by letting me go, they’ve got another thing coming. I’ll keep speaking out, whether it’s on the air, on social media, or from a soapbox on the corner of 5th and Main. America deserves to hear the truth.”

There are also whispers of Rivera starting his own news channel, though experts predict that would be a tough sell. “Look, if Geraldo starts his own network, it’s going to be Geraldo 24/7,” one media analyst said. “And as entertaining as that might sound for about five minutes, I’m not sure the world is ready for it.”

Ultimately, Geraldo Rivera’s big endorsement of Kamala Harris and the fallout that followed is a story that’s uniquely… Geraldo. It’s unpredictable, loud, and leaves you scratching your head, wondering if any of it was planned or if it’s just the chaotic, natural order of things when Rivera is involved.

NewsNation will likely move on, finding a new face to fill the void, someone who’s less inclined to dive into controversial waters without a life jacket. Meanwhile, Rivera will keep doing what he does best — stirring the pot and hoping people tune in to watch.

“Maybe I’m too honest for my own good,” Rivera posted after the news broke. “But at least I’m honest. That’s more than I can say for Trump and his band of liars.” And just like that, Geraldo Rivera may have found his next headline, one tweet at a time.

For now, he remains a man without a network but certainly not without a voice. And as far as NewsNation is concerned, they’ve made their stance clear: “Geraldo, we wish you the best, but it’s time to part ways. And no, we’re not endorsing Kamala Harris either.”