Schadenfreude is a fine German word, a word that only the Germans could’ve invented. Think about it: Who else but our Teutonic friends — pillagers of Rome, runners-up in two world wars, creators of both the Mercedes-Benz and the Trabant — could’ve conjured up a word to capture the malicious pleasure we take from another’s misfortune?

The word is as literal as can be, with schaden meaning “damage” and freude meaning joy.

We mention all this because word of CNN’s schaden has us feeling fairly freude this morning. The latest Nielsen TV ratings are out, and they indicate that “The Most Trusted Name in [Fake] News” has taken a colossal viewership hit. Indeed, the network’s ratings have dropped nearly 70% since Donald Trump left office.

Who knew it was even possible to lose 70% of one’s viewers and still look a prospective advertiser square in the eye?

The Leftmedia’s Bête Orange goeth, and he taketh CNN with him.

Truth be told, CNN lost just 67% of its total viewers. But we tend to round up here in our humble shop, especially when it suits us. And besides, the network lost a full 71% of its sheep in the all-important 25-54 age demographic, for both daytime and prime time, so there’s that.

In case you’re wondering, the other Trump-deranged network didn’t fare much better. As the Daily Caller’s Jordan Lancaster reports:

CNN’s drop in viewers is larger than its competitors, but all major cable news shows have experienced a drop. MSNBC had the second-largest drop in viewership since January, losing 49% of its total viewership between January and May. In the 25-54 age demographic, the network lost 63% of its viewers. During primetime hours, MSNBC lost 42% of its total viewers and 58% of viewers between the ages of 25 and 54. Fox News had the least substantial drop out of all networks, losing 12% of its total viewers and 15% of viewers between the ages of 25-54 between January and May.

On the bright side — or, rather, the less dark side — CNN’s total daytime viewership fell by just 22% in May compared to April, although it fell 28% among that coveted 25-54 cohort.

If you’re keeping score, Fox News continued to clobber the competition in prime time, with four of the five top-rated cable shows: “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” “Hannity,” “The Five,” and “The Ingraham Angle.”

Who knew that with Donald Trump out of the White House, and having been yanked off of Twitter and Facebook, the mainstream networks would be forced to cover the current presidential administration, and their ratings would plummet?

Who knew? Well, longtime lefty journalist Ted Koppel for one:

Ted Koppel mocks CNN’s Brian Stelter: “CNN’s ratings would be in the toilet without Trump.” pic.twitter.com/uwtZi8K2HM

— Kyle Morris (@RealKyleMorris) October 3, 2018

“CNN’s ratings would be in the toilet without Donald Trump,” he said. And how right he was.

With each depressing day of the Biden administration, we’re reminded of how many things former President Donald Trump was right about. An incomplete list would surely include the COVID-19 lab leak, the China travel ban, Operation Warp Speed, hydroxychloroquine, deregulation, gaining energy independence, building the wall, toughening our asylum policy, tearing up the Iran nuke deal, keeping 5G away from the ChiComs, smashing ISIS, and, like Ted Koppel, predicting the Leftmedia’s ratings collapse when he left office.

“Newspapers, television, all forms of media will tank if I’m not there,” said Trump way back in 2017.

How gloriously right he was. And how sweet it is. Still, had the mainstream media merely played it straight in its coverage of our 45th president, he’d still be in office. And our country would be in far better shape. And CNN would still be able to make payroll.