CNN+: Forget Hunter, REAL Media Scandal Is CBS Hiring a Trump Official

A series of Wednesday reports by the Washington Post that confirmed both Hunter Biden’s laptop and his shady deals with Chinese business interests, which upending previous media assertions it was all “Russian disinformation.” But that was of ZERO importance to CNN+ The Daily Sources of Reliable InformationOn Thursday, host Brian Stelter with Oliver Darcy as his lackey

Their twisted-faces claim that the true media controversy involved a different issue Post Story about CBS News’ hiring of Mick Mulvaney, former Trump Chief of Staff. There was also some resistance from employees.

“CBS executives are on the defensive for hiring former Trump White House official Mick Mulvaney and for not identifying him that way on the air in his first appearance. There’s been some internal pushback including from top on-air talent,”Stelter’s announcement was at the top.

Stelter revealed that Darcy had been brought in by Stelter. The Post. “So, the Washington Post has been advancing this and then we’ve been on the phone this morning looking into this further,” he boasted of their work.

CNN and Stelter chose this story again over other bombshells. The PostHowever, these can actually lead to negative outcomes for President Biden or the media.

Stelter was determined to make it all seem more exciting: “This has been going on for three consecutive days.” Mick Mulvaney is not an ex-Trump official, but CBS has hired him. It was clear that he had been inside Trump’s circle. He was hired by CBS as a Republican voice, and it didn’t go over well within CBS.

In addition to being in the Trump administration, Darcy found Mulvaney’s criticism of the media to be one of his top offenses. “And so now, CBS, after Mulvaney had attacked the news media for so long, has signed Mulvaney onto a deal of political contributors,”He moaned.

Even at CBS there is a bigger controversy Stelter & Darcy might and should discuss: CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell may be on her way out as network executive get fed up with her “diva-like” and “toxic behavior.”

They chose to rail against anyone who dared hire any Trump Administration official, including their own.

We’ll look at other screen examples. ABC News hires Tom Bossert; CNN hires Alyssa Farah. And, as Fox News employs an entire roster of ex-Fox officials, Newsmax also has them.

And I think Oliver, it’s one thing for Newsmax and Fox to hire those folks that – that’s a – that’s a – that’s to be expected. The NBCs and the ABCs, CBS, CNNs are more controversial than the CBSs, CNNs, or the CBSs.

However, they made excuses for their hiring. “Alyssa Farah has been very critical of Trump,” Stelter noted in CNN’s defense.

“Which I think is a key difference here, right versus Mulvaney. Because Mulvaney ran cover for Trump,”Darcy also added. “I haven’t seen him apologize for that. And really the role that Alyssa Farah played in the Trump administration was different than what Mulvaney.”

Near the end of the segment, Stelter finally got around to noting “the argument from CBS” was “[t]Here’s the midterm. It’s important to be aware of the 74-[7]5.9 million Americans voted for Trump in 2020. So, you have to hire political insiders.”

But Darcy wasn’t buying it and asserted it was like CBS had chosen to “inject lies into coverage to make people feel more comfortable.” He then called it “a really problematic hire” and promised to stay on the story as CBS tried to weather the storm.

You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.

CNN+’s The Daily Source of Reliable Information
March 31, 2022

BRIAN STELTER – Here’s some new CBS News reporting. CBS executives are defending Mick Mulvaney, a former Trump White House official. They also criticized him for not being identified on-air in that manner his first time on air. The internal backlash has been strong, even from some of the most prominent on-air talent. CNN Senior media reporter Oliver Darcy has more details.

Oliver, it’s great to meet you.

OLIVER DARCY : Brian, it’s good to meet you.

STELTER Washington PostThis has been progressing and we’ve then been talking on the phone this morning to look into it further. It’s been going on three days. CBS hired Mick Mulvaney to be a reporter. He isn’t just a former Trump official. It’s clear that he was part of Trump’s inner circle. CBS’s hiring of him as a Republican voice was not well received within CBS.

DARCY: Let’s not forget what Mick Mulvaney did. He was a major player in Trump’s war on truth. He attacked media outlets. He dismissed COVID as a part of the Ukraine scandal which saw President Trump impeached for the first time. He wasn’t a minor player. He was an important player. He was the acting chief of staff to President Trump.

CBS signed Mulvaney on a deal with political contributors after Mulvaney attacked news media. Mulvaney is not a journalist but a contributor to the network’s political program. This is causing quite a bit of backlash.

First, it got pushback on Twitter immediately after the announcement.

STELTER: Yes, those liberal critics are still on Twitter.

DARCY: Well, no. they weren’t the usual liberal folks. They’re – I mean, they’re – they’re – they’re actually, you know, uh, they’re – they’re – they’re journalists, they’re impartial to some extent. You know, they’re not the – like Media Matters.

STELTER : Ok, but there are internal resistances as well.

DARCY: However, now we hear that CBS is facing internal resistance. The question is: Washington PostYesterday, for example, it was reported that employees were upset. The employees expressed their dismay at the way it was handled.

You should also keep in mind that CBS fumbled the interview the first time they featured him on their network. They didn’t disclose that he was a Trump administration official and played a key role. He was called the ex-director of the Office of Budget and Management. This sounds a little nonpartisan.

STELTER: Like could’ve been anybody—

DARCY : He then spoke of taxes.

STELTER: I spoke to an executive at the company today. It was an error, and they said it again. He’ll still be there and he isn’t the only Trump adviser working on a TV network.

We’ll look at other screen examples. ABC News hires Tom Bossert; CNN hires Alyssa Farah. And, as Fox News employs an entire roster of ex-Fox officials, Newsmax also has them.

And I think Oliver, it’s one thing for Newsmax and Fox to hire those folks that – that’s a – that’s a – that’s to be expected. More controversial are the NBCs.

DARCY: Sure.

STELTER. Alyssa Farah was very critical of Trump.

DARCY : I see this as a major difference to Mulvaney’s. Mulvaney was Trump’s cover. He didn’t and I’ve never seen him apologize. Mulvaney was not aware of the different role Alyssa Farah had in Trump’s Trump Administration.

STELTER – Well, Mulvaney tried, I believe, to distance himself from Trump’s worst moments.

DARCY – I’m referring to the very minimum.

STELTER The 74-year old must be reflected in your decision.[7]5. Million Americans voted for Trump in 2020. You need to find political insiders.

DARCY : This is like saying that you need to insert lies in coverage to make people more comfortable. Sometimes, Brian, it’s uncomfortable to tell the truth. This is going to cause people some discomfort. Although they won’t enjoy having their opinions contradicted by others, that is what journalists do. Reporters report facts, regardless of the reaction from the audience.

And so when you have Mulvaney in there, I think it’s just a – it’s – it’s a really problematic hire, I think, for CBS and – and it’s going to be interesting to see whether employees continue to voice concerns and whether this grows inside CBS or whether it just blows over in a few days later. We’re not really sure.

STELTER: Yes, it will fade away.

DARCY: It will be followed though.

STELTER: Thank you, Oliver. It’s good to meet you.