CNN has been cutting away from President Trump’s daily press briefings on the coronavirus crisis — or “rallies,” as some critics like to call them. You never know on CNN if you’ll be hearing from Drs. Anthony Fulci and Deborah Birx or it the network will cut away to a panel discussion criticizing the president’s remarks.
The office of Vice President Mike Pence, who’s in charge of the coronavirus task force, has reportedly blocked Fulci and Birx from going on CNN until CNN decides to air the daily press briefings. Oliver Darcy reports:
In an attempt to pressure CNN into airing the White House task force briefings in full, Vice President Mike Pence's office is declining to allow the country's top health officials to appear on the network https://t.co/Ds0f2oVw1A
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 9, 2020
Dr. Fauci, for instance, appeared on previous CNN town halls with @andersoncooper and @drsanjaygupta. Pence's office has now refused to make him, or anyone, available for Thursday's town hall. https://t.co/Ds0f2oVw1A
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) April 9, 2020
Pence’s office, which is responsible for booking the officials on networks during the pandemic, said it will only allow experts such as Dr. Deborah Birx or Dr. Anthony Fauci to appear on CNN if the network televises the portion of the White House briefings that includes the vice president and other coronavirus task force members.
CNN often only broadcasts President Donald Trump’s question and answer session, which sometimes includes the health care officials, live on-air.
After Trump leaves the podium, CNN frequently cuts out of the White House briefing to discuss and fact-check what the President had said.
This shouldn’t bother the folks at CNN one bit. CNN’s Joe Lockhart has spent a good amount of time assuring us that “Dr. Birk” has drunk the Trump Kool-Aid and refers to her as “the Stepford Doc” and is no longer interested in hearing from her. By that wisdom, CNN should be happy not to have Birx foisted on them and their town hall.
Excellent. Excellent. pic.twitter.com/kUfWfvQVGd
— David Reaboi (@davereaboi) April 9, 2020
Good.
I don’t know why anyone in the administration even bothers with that clown network.— S. Harp (@SHarp56_) April 9, 2020
How it should be.
— Doug Jones (@DoUgJoNeZ1) April 9, 2020
I didn't know he could do that.
Cool.?— Ed364 (@Ed3644) April 9, 2020
Also ban CNN from the briefings.
— Eager Beaver (@_eager_beaver) April 9, 2020
If that’s true, that’s the best news ever, VP grows a set
— John Roberts (@JohnRob72137349) April 9, 2020
Gotta love the new rules!
— Gustavus (@ZeroTBill) April 9, 2020
Touché
— Erik1717 (@Erik55022622) April 9, 2020
Works for me!
— DMW1776 ?? (@dmw1776) April 9, 2020
As CNN chooses to tune out of the briefings, thus depriving the population of up to date information, they shouldn’t then be rewarded with exclusivity to the top health officials in order to distort and have them taken out of context. A very wise decision it was David.
— John Ayres (@JohnAyr12294351) April 9, 2020
if you read his story, the very last line is "a CNN spokesperson declined to comment for this story"
lol
— Curtis Woodard (@curtinsea) April 9, 2020
Good, don't feed the CNN trolls ….
— Rich Jones (@rjones138) April 9, 2020
Seems completely fair to me.
— Mike DiSabatino (@theMadMikeman) April 9, 2020
In an attempt to stir selective outrage amongst CNN Sheep, Oliver Darcy negates CNN’s censorship of Presidential briefings as the grounds for Pence’s decision.
FIXED IT.#EnemyOfThePeople— Jerry Nadler’s Belt (@Fitzyleelee) April 9, 2020
I’m so sorry this is happening to you
— The Dank Knight ? (@capeandcowell) April 9, 2020
Sounds good. Next step should be to remove Acosta from the briefings.
— ProudMamaBear ?? (@ProudMamaBear17) April 9, 2020
The fact that CNN thinks Jim Acosta’s commentary is more important than showing the press conferences tells the American people everything they need to know about CNN
— NDfan1988 (@NDfanLouHoltz) April 9, 2020
Good, this is why people elected Trump. Unlike way too many in the GOP before 2016 he doesn't let the media walk all over him.
— Zeus (@cypherhalo) April 9, 2020
Pence is ABSOLUTELY doing the right thing!!!!!! 100 percent !!!!! You expect access while refusing to show the President and his team speak to the nation? They should never go on CNN ever again!!!!!
— Cindy Somer???? (@cindy_csomer37) April 9, 2020
Hey Oliver, if CNN is not covering the briefing then the White House doesn’t need to have CNN reporter on the premise, that simple!!
— Steven VB ???? (@vbislands) April 9, 2020
Being terrible at your jobs has consequences.
— Evets 2 (@evets_2) April 9, 2020
Sounds like a fair deal to us.
Related:
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Gloria Borger call it ‘spin’ when Mike Pence blames China for withholding vital coronavirus information https://t.co/WGrFl9xs70
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 2, 2020
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