CNN Newsroom with Alisyn Camerona and Victor Blackwell is usually not a contentious show, but Wednesday’s edition was a little different as Republican strategist David Urban appeared to encourage political commentator S.E. Cupp to “come out of the bubble” on the matter of the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago.
When it came to the raid, Cupp didn’t see what all the fuss is about, “I think this a Trump World talking point that all across the country people are very concerned about the overreach and losing confidence in the FBI and the Justice Department now, that is true amongst — in MAGA World–, but I think most people across the country think if you didn’t leave the White House—”
Urban then interjected, “No, no, no, S.E. come out of the bubble, come out of the bubble, S.E.”
Cupp maintained her argument, insisting that the raid showed a strong FBI and Justice Department. She also labeled the idea that the FBI could come after regular Americans now “preposterous.”
Urban then pointed out that completely misses the point, “What I’m simply saying is that a wide swath of Americans are very concerned about a historical precedent.”
As Cupp interrupted to declare “I don’t think that’s true,” Urban continued, “this is a Presidential Records Act violation.”
Cupp again interrupted, this time alleging that Trump only has himself to blame, “He set the historical precedent. He set the historical precedent.”
An incredulous Urban then gave Cupp and forgetful CNN viewers a history lesson amidst more crosstalk, “are you kidding me, S.E.? Are you kidding ?… Like, did Hillary– did they kick down Hillary Clinton’s doors to get her server…With—she had top secret– S.E., could I– can I finish?… You have top secret information, top secret information on Hillary Clinton’s computer, okay?… I’m not sure if you’re familiar with how a SCIF works, S.E, but you can’t put top secret information on a computer.”
The charge of the FBI punting on a Democrat’s misdeeds, but going all in on a Republican’s raises serious questions about the FBI, but Cupp didn’t get it, “We don’t have to compare and contrast.”
Resenting the idea that simply pointing some of the concerns people have makes him a MAGA stooge, Urban started to conclude his thoughts, “For you to say I’m parroting MAGA World talking points because Republicans writ large are concerned. I think you need to get out and talk to some Republicans, S.E.”
Cupp concluded her thoughts by attempting to portray herself as the principled one, “Hillary’s emails, bad. Trump’s documents, bad. Secret service texts, bad. All of it. I’m pretty fair and down the middle on this. I’m not saying one is worse than the other.”
She argued that it was people like Urban who are being the hypocrites, “But I think if you’re going to apply that same level of scrutiny to Hillary, we should apply it to Donald Trump, and I don’t think people ‘wide swaths of Americans,’ believe that the FBI is corrupt and coming for them because they went for a president who set the precedent for doing things that no other president had ever done before. Some of which may, in fact, be criminal.”
Cupp and the rest of the media just don’t get it. The raid wouldn’t have been possible if Trump was treated in the same manner as Hillary Clinton. Such double standards do raise questions that should not be dismissed as “MAGA World talking points.”
This segment was sponsored and produced by Help with Invention
The transcript of the August 10, 2018 show is available here:
CNN Newsroom: Alisyn Camerota, Victor Blackwell
8/10/2022
2.36 PM ET
S.E. CUPP: I think this a Trump World talking point that all across the country people are very concerned about the overreach and losing confidence in the FBI and the Justice Department now, that is true amongst — in MAGA World–, but I think most people across the country think if you didn’t leave the White House–
DAVID URBAN: No, no, no, S.E. S.E.
CUPP: – Let’s finish. If you didn’t leave the White House with classified documents, you don’t have to worry that the FBI is coming to raid your home office. I think most people think holding even the president accountable is good. It’s good. That’s a sign of a healthy — of a healthy– Justice Department, and a healthy FBI. I think this Trump World talking point that the FBI is corrupt and the Justice Department is coming for average Americans.
VICTOR BLACKWELL: Yeah, if they did it for Trump, they could do it to you.
CUPP: I mean, this is—this is– it’s preposterous, and I think –
URBAN: Listen, I’m not—I’m not saying– –
CUPP: We’re parroting it as if it’s a majority opinion. It’s not.
URBAN: Yeah, I’m not going that far, S.E. I was simply saying, that Americans are deeply concerned by a historic precedent.
CUPP: I don’t think that’s true.
URBAN: This is—this is—this a Presidential—this is a Presidential Records Act violation.
CUPP: His historical precedent was set. He established the historical precedent.
URBAN: This is not criminal. S.E., this isn’t criminal. Is that you?
CUPP: No.
URBAN: Like, did Hillary– did they kick down Hillary Clinton’s doors to get her server–
CUPP: I was honest. Trump established the precedent.
URBAN: With—she had top secret– S.E., could I– can I finish?
CUPP: Sure.
URBAN: You have top secret information, top secret information on Hillary Clinton’s computer, okay?
CUPP: Yes.
URBAN: I’m not sure if you’re familiar with how a SCIF works, S.E, but you can’t put top secret information on a computer—
CUPP: You don’t need to be condescending, David, I know what you know. I’m trustworthy.
URBAN: No, I’m not, S.E. I’m just saying it is—it is—simply a much bigger deal. Nobody raided the Clinton house in Chappaqua—
CUPP: We don’t have to—
URBAN: So for you to say I’m parroting—well, hold off—
CUPP: We don’t have to compare and contrast.
URBAN For you to say I’m parroting MAGA World talking points because Republicans writ large are concerned. It’s time to talk to Republicans. That’s what I think.
CUPP: You said a wide swath of Americans and I believe–
URBAN: I said Republicans, S.E., Republicans.
CUPP: Hillary’s emails—
BLACKWELL: Okay, let’s move on to S.E. finish.
CUPP: Hillary’s emails, bad. Trump’s documents, bad. Secret service texts, bad. All of it. I’m pretty fair and down the middle on this. I’m not saying one is worse than the other. It doesn’t matter if you do not want to. All bad. But I think if you’re going to apply that same level of scrutiny to Hillary, we should apply it to Donald Trump, and I don’t think people “wide swaths of Americans,” believe that the FBI is corrupt and coming for them because they went for a president who set the precedent for doing things that no other president had ever done before. Some of which may, in fact, be criminal.
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