Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:57 pm
The Trump White House suffered another defeat in their war with the media today as CNN immediately shot down a Sean Spicer lie about why the network turned down an offer to interview Kellyanne Conway.
Video of Spicer:
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Press Secretary Spicer was asked if the White House is willing to provide alternative representatives after CNN turned down an offer of Kellyanne Conway over concerns about her credibility.
Spicer said, “Frankly, my understanding is that they retracted that. They walked that back or denied it. However, you want to put it, I don’t care. I think Kellyanne is a very trusted aide of the president. I think that for any characterization otherwise is insulting. I think if they choose not to work with someone that’s up to them, but we’re going to continue to put out key leaders of this administration including Kellyanne, that can articulate the president’s policies and agenda.”
CNN wasn’t having any of Sean Spicer’s lies:
In response to @PressSec's comment today: pic.twitter.com/2IdzeyDEU5
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) February 7, 2017
CNN declined the offer to interview Conway because they had serious credibility concerns about Trump’s senior adviser.
The White House press secretary looked the American people in the eye and lied to them. For any other administration being told that a White House senior adviser lacks the credibility needed to be on cable news would be a problem. For the Trump administration, it is an excuse to lie about the actions of a cable news network.
CNN isn’t putting up with the White House’s daily distortions of truth. I don’t support the limiting of access to information, but the time has come for television networks to evaluate the decision to show White House events live. If an administration is going to use the platform of the presidency dishonestly, the press has a duty to check the White House statements for factual accuracy.
What CNN is doing is a good first step, but stronger remedies need to follow.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
