NY Times: CNN’s PR Chief Was Helpfully Steering Andrew Cuomo Interviews

We might suggest that CNN’s promotion of the then-Gov was a major problem. Andrew Cuomo from New York during the initial months of 2020’s pandemic. The New York TimesIt’s reporting that it is more corrupt than first thought. On Saturday, the front page featured “CNN Executive Let Former Governor Steer Interviews and Inquiry Findings.”

Allison Gollust (PR chief) was responsible for the executive. She was having an affair to Jeff Zucker, CNN boss. Reporters Michael M. Grynbaum, John Koblin and Emily Steel focused on a late-afternoon March 28, 2020 Newsroom interview with then-weekend anchor Ana Cabrera. 

Governor Cuomo had told a senior CNN executive, Allison Gollust, about subjects that he’d like to be asked about on air, according to several people familiar with the matter. Ms. Gollust, CNN’s longtime chief of communications and marketing and a former top aide of the governor, passed along the topics to CNN producers and then reported back to the governor.

“Done,” she wrote.

On Tuesday, Ms. Gollust was forced to resign from CNN after an internal investigation found a trove of written communications between her and Governor Cuomo, including messages about the March 2020 appearance, the people said…. 

The episode is the latest example of how closely entwined CNN’s leadership was with one of the country’s most prominent Democratic politicians.

Common practice is for producers of TV to inform guests before the interview about the subject. A major newsmaker may have a more in-depth discussion about what newsworthy content they will be sharing. It was more like CNN took Cuomo’s dictation. 

According to people, the Cravath investigation also found extensive written communications between Governor Cuomo (who had worked briefly for him in 2012/early 2013).

It wasn’t clear what all of those communications were about.

However, investigators were able to find messages from the time of the pandemic. Governor Cuomo told Ms. Gollust three topics he would like to cover The people spoke out during an appearance on CNN 28 March 2020.

They said those topics included his recent phone conversation with Mr. Trump and the effect of New York’s being placed under lockdown.

The governor was then contacted by Ms. Gollust via messages sent to CNN employees.

Cravath attorneys reviewed broadcast transcripts to determine that Anchor asked Ms. Gollust about her suggestions.The people spoke.

Ms. Heller, the spokeswoman for Ms. Gollust, said that Ms. Gollust “Acted as Governor Cuomo’s primary booker during the early days of the pandemic” and that her role was “well known by the entire network.”

CNN’s “Reliable sources” newsletter has Oliver Darcy trying to twist it.A careful read of the interview transcript at issue shows a probing Q&A and no signs of interference or Cuomo coziness.” 

Wrong. The questions during this interview, which lasted more than 18 minutes, were set-ups for the Governor, starting with “What’s your reaction to what you just heard?”

Click on the “Expand” button to get a better idea of Cuomo’s experience with questions. 

CABRERA – Do you object to travel restrictions? The president said that New Yorkers wouldn’t be allowed to leave the country.

CUOMO (Current Unknown Object): This is not a quarantine. This would constitute a lockdown. It would also be considered a lockdown if you claimed that we are geographically constrained people. We would then be Wuhan in China. That wouldn’t be logical.

President Obama says that this is an opportunity to try and restart the economy. New York’s financial sector is its core. If you geographically limit a state it would cripple the financial sector. The Dow Jones would be the market’s downfall, but it is not.…

CABRERA – What if he desires that? But what if he demands a lockdown. What if he wants a lockdown? He said that he doesn’t believe it is legal.

CUOMO : A lockdown in Wuhan, China is exactly what happened. We’re not here in China and in Wuhan. I doubt it would be legal. It would be legal, I think. I believe it would be illegal….

CABRERA: You made the point about interstate commerce being possible and that the financial sectors are able to be interstate. CABRERA – Manhattan is at the center of this financial industry. How would that affect the stock market? What would this mean for the stock market?

CUOMO: Oh, You would feel like you were dropping a stone.It may have to be shut down …., even though I’m not sure if that would actually happen.

CABRERA: New York Stock Exchange — Sorry, I didn’t mean interrupt you. Please allow a little delay in our signal. The New York Stock Exchange was what I was thinking. It is possible to be a little unclear about the quarantine, but he made a point of mentioning New York City. It’s possible that there are many people who travel in and out New York City, but don’t actually live here. This might also be part of New York Stock Exchange. This is where I thought about the impact of the stock exchange.

CUOMO: Ana!People come and go all day dealing with the stock market. Many people come in to and out of meetings that directly relate to the stock market.

While I understand the President is upset about what has happened to the stock markets, all of us are. As governor of New York, everyone who has a retirement plan is also concerned. This is it. It is beyond me to understand why anyone would just want total pandemonium over a pandemic.

CABRERA: You put in an area that was somewhat restricted to prevent the spread of the disease when you were in New Rochelle. How do you control the spread of disease if there’s no lockdown? How can you stop it from spreading?

CIOMO: New Rochelle was Westchester’s hottest spot, and it was also the hottest cluster. The containment zone was a closed school that prohibited large crowds. You can come and go as you please. No one has ever restricted people’s mobility or placed them in an area that is not geographically defined, including New Rochelle.

Although it was called “a containment zone”, that wasn’t the right term. The purpose of the containment zone was not to contain people but viruses. No one was ever contained. It’s hard to remember when the country last said that it would contain someone in an area. This is why it seems to me that I do not believe this legal.

CABRERA: Please tell me about New York’s situation. The stories we hear from staff at hospitals aren’t good. Lines are visible outside Elmhurst. Is there any information on New York State ventilators? It’s been a big concern.

CUOMO: Well, the ventilators, which, by the way, before this situation, nobody really gave a second thought to ventilators….

Gollust being the Gov. Darcy, Cuomo’s chief booker, claimed that “Brian Stelter and I did Not know this.” This is what these reporters did not know about their network, even though they praised its integrity.