Last night with Sean Hannity, Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt dropped a bombshell that President Donald Trump was considering a pardon for former campaign manager Paul Manafort. Here are her exact words:
Earhardt: He mentioned pardoning Manafort. And then you have Michael Cohen’s attorney…
Hannity: He did mention pardoning Manafort?
Earhardt: He did, he did. And said that he would consider that. I think he feels bad for Manafort. They were friends, he didn’t work for him for very long. Worked for him for basically 100 days…
And here’s the video:
? Trump said he is considering a pardon for Paul Manafort, Fox's Ainsley Earhardt says after interview pic.twitter.com/q2JawuT4p6
— Jon Passantino (@passantino) August 23, 2018
But now, this morning as her interview aired on Fox News, Earhardt backpedaled on last night’s claim:
SO: FOX clarifies that the president never said he was thinking of pardoning Manafort. Instead anchor Ainsley Earhardt said "it sounded to me like he was considering it".
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) August 23, 2018
Ainsley Earhardt, who said last night on Hannity that Trump had told her in their interview that he was considering pardoning Manafort, this AM notes he never did say this, before airing clip in which Trump does not answer her direct question about it
— Julie Davis (@juliehdavis) August 23, 2018
Ainsley Earhardt said last night that Trump told her he is considering pardoning Manafort.
I … did not hear that in the answer he gave.
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) August 23, 2018
Recommended
Pres evasive on whether he's considering a pardon for Paul Manafort, for whom he says he has "great respect." Says "they got him on things totally unrelated to the campaign." Says some of the charges are things every consultant and lobbyist in Washington "probably does."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 23, 2018
Appears Trump did not explicitly say he was considering a Paul Manafort pardon while on air with Fox. He dodges question/praises former campaign chair. @ainsleyearhardt said last night on TV that he said he was considering it.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) August 23, 2018
Oh. Never mind then!
More clips…
On Jeff Sessions:
“I put in an attorney general that never took control of the Justice Department.” -President @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/ARTg1JbeK2
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 23, 2018
On all the controversies:
“I've always had controversy in my life, and I've always succeeded. I've always won.” –President @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/DhdoCgbMmC
— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) August 23, 2018
On Melania:
President @realDonaldTrump on @FLOTUS: “She’s doing great. She’s a terrific woman.” @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/tlD4wKjHxn
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 23, 2018
On the economy:
President @realDonaldTrump: “We have the best economy we’ve ever had in the history of our country.” @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/j9qWEgoOsm
— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 23, 2018
***
Related:
Thanks to Chris Hayes, we now know how the Left is REALLY going to use the Manafort/Cohen news against Trump https://t.co/VYoSs2XyBa
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 22, 2018
OFF the RAILS: Congrats to Paul Krugman for easily the DUMBEST take yet on Manafort/Cohen implications https://t.co/TEuBneFQ3H
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 22, 2018
BOOM goes the dynamite! Byron York's thread on CNN's attempt to dox Manafort jurors kicks SO MUCH a*s https://t.co/2yfSUuF32F
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) August 22, 2018