.@jaketapper: “Are we fake news?”
Kellyanne Conway: “No, I don’t think CNN is fake news.” https://t.co/JiEA0SPrXj https://t.co/WnHV3ty6LL— CNN (@CNN) February 7, 2017
It didn’t take long for President Donald Trump to turn allegations of foreign-controlled fake news stories steering the election his way into assets, especially when he dubbed CNN “fake news” during his first press conference in months. The insult has since gained currency among the members of the Trump White House, the Republican party, conservative media outlets and the nether regions of social media. Hence why Jake Tapper broached the matter forthright with campaign manager turned presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday.
“I’m happy to have the platform on CNN and other places to explain and to talk about what we’re trying to do,” said Conway. Before she had a chance to finish, however, Tapper interrupted her: “Are we fake news, Kellyanne? Is CNN fake news?”
“No I don’t think CNN is fake news. I think there are some reports everywhere — in print, on TV, on radio, in conversation — that are not well-researched are sometimes based on falsehoods. All the palace intrigue stories, I can’t even tell you… Think about how small our staff was, and how small our budget was for a campaign, Jake, that succeeded. And saw things other people didn’t see. We breath each other’s oxygen in the fox hole. We are all very close.”
Conway didn’t mention anything specific. However, stories like those reporting Trump’s apparent distaste for Melissa McCarthy’s Sean Spicer impression, his unknowingly signing the order to install Steve Bannon onto the National Security Council, and others were probably on her mind. Not to mention the very reason Tapper brought up the subject: Trump’s deputy assistant Sebastian Gorka insisting the White House wouldn’t stop using the term “fake news” against outlets like CNN “until the media understands how wrong [their] attitude is.”
Tapper also brought up Trump’s unfounded accusations against the media regarding its not reporting certain terrorist attacks, and the absence of any official comment on the Quebec mosque shooter allegedly being a white, racist, right-winger. Though along with her defense of the president’s false murder rate claim during his Tuesday meeting with sheriffs, much of this may be forgotten when Trump realizes Conway backed off from one of his favorite talking points.
You can watch the full interview below.
(Via CNN)