Advertisements

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:

Advertisements

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:

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.