In the 16th century, women who were suspected of being witches were tied up and thrown into the water. If they drowned, they were acknowledged to be mere mortals. If they floated, they were burned at the stake.

Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. I can’t help but think of this when I read about US networks rushing to announce that they won’t book interviews with Kellyanne Conway due to her lack of credibility.

As CNN and Morning Joe made their disgust about the Counsellor to the President clear, most of the world’s networks were simultaneously tuning in to President Donald Trump’s first solo press conference.

This differentiation perhaps highlights one of the greatest hypocrisies of the media’s relationship with the Trump administration so far. Why has Conway become the fall guy?

Yes, of course, Conway should be called out for wrongdoing. She invented the “Bowling Green massacre” apparently to try and justify Trump’s controversial travel ban, she inappropriately advised Fox News viewers to “go buy” Ivanka Trump’s brand after Nordstrom dropped it, and she covered up Sean Spicer’s lies by claiming he provided “alternative facts”.

Kellyanne Conway tried to explain Flynn's resignation was told on national TV she 'made no sense'

Yet everyone from CNN to the BBC was present at the White House for the President’s first solo press conference this week. They packed out the room and shouted to get his attention. After one hour and 15 minutes, he had spewed more “alternative facts” than a shopping channel at 2am.

Among them, he claimed he had won the largest Electoral College landslide since Ronald Reagan. In truth, he had the lowest Electoral College victory since Ronald Reagan. He said he had done well with black voters, and asked a black reporter whether she would set up a meeting with him and the Congressional Black Caucus because they might be her “friends”. He said stock markets were up and unemployment was down, and that that was due to four weeks of him being in office. He also said reports about Michael Flynn acting inappropriately by calling Russia was “fake news”.

We were hanging on every word. And it’s not just him.

The New York Times was keen to interview conspiracy theorist machine Steve Bannon, a man who has taken credit for building what has become a mainstream news outlet for white supremacy.

All the talk shows were delighted last weekend to get their hands on adviser Stephen Miller, who was described by a Harvard law professor as a “robotic fascist” and who insisted New Hampshire had “bussed in” hordes of illegal immigrants to vote for Hillary Clinton.

Sean Spicer trots out to the podium almost every day of the week, reading his statements in such a monotone that I’m amazed the journalists packing out the room don’t fall asleep on their pens. In fact, they are all itching to ask him to repeat his lies about Russia, and about the inauguration crowd size and about rising crime.

Everyone wants outrage. And it’s entertaining. It’s the only reason CNN and the other networks stay tuned in to a Donald Trump press conference for the whole show. It’s like watching bad television, like a supermodel falling over on the catwalk, like a bunch of obese celebrities at boot camp.

Donald Trump asks black reporter if the Congressional Black Caucus are 'friends of yours'

But we need someone to blame, otherwise the media would not be seen to be doing its job by holding the powerful to account. Equally, the government needs someone to blame for their mistakes, otherwise they will be drowned in controversy and their approval ratings will drop to the floor.

Both the media and the government have chosen to blame Conway.

Sean Spicer was asked about Conway’s remarks about Nordstrom and Ivanka Trump.

“She’s been counselled,” he said.

But who is counselling Sean Spicer?

Even Jason Chaffetz, the Republican chairman of the committee of oversight and government reform, has vowed to “investigate” Conway – just as he maintains he is still pursuing his “investigation” of Hillary Clinton. There are no similar concerns with the President’s conflicts of interest, his family sitting in on classified meetings or his ties to Russia.

Who is investigating Jason Chaffetz?

SNL makes frequent jokes about Conway’s hair and make-up, characterising the woman as a witch who is sexually obsessed with CNN host Jake Tapper – admittedly, Kate McKinnon got her voice just right – but overall it felt more sexist than clever.

Blaming Conway merely serves as a convenient distraction for the bigger picture. When headlines were blowing up about Conway and Nordstrom, Michael Flynn was getting fired for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his calls to Russia. Trump knew for weeks.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

Who is investigating Trump? If Conway’s exile was really about lack of credibility, the media wouldn’t have given such a large platform to Trump on the very first day he announced his candidacy in June 2015 when he called Mexicans drug dealers and rapists, and provided the platform every day since then.

When Trump was tweeting about Pence getting booed at Hamilton the musical, the President-elect was settling a multi-million dollar fraud lawsuit – and escaped mass media scrutiny. When Melania Trump plagiarised Michelle Obama during her RNC speech, silent staffer Meredith McIver was quickly blamed.

Maybe SNL got it right by comparing Conway to a witch: after all, her public shaming is nothing more than a witch hunt.