So after the liberal media berated the Trump administration and blamed them for the shutdown and assigning little to no blame for Democrats refusing to secure the southern border, one of media’s chief instigators suggested that a deal to reopen the government is a distraction from the pre-dawn indictment and arrest of Roger Stone?
Well, it turns out that’s the logic spinning inside the mind of CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, who knocked rumors of a deal during Friday’s CNN Right Now as “a bright, shiny object....after the stunning news, the indictment of Roger Stone.”
Host Brianna Keilar tossed to Acosta six minutes into her show and Acosta explained that “the President is expected to announce what is referred to as a way forward out of the shutdown, out of the stalemate over the President's demand for a wall for the border of Mexico,” but the particulars wouldn’t be known until the President speaks.
After he read a tweet from White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders formally announcing that Trump would speak in the Rose Garden, Acosta declared that “it seems like the cat is out of the bag” and then went fretted that reopening the government would step on CNN’s favorite story, which is Russia and Russia and Russia and more Russia.
Acosta then reiterated his spin (click “expand”):
If folks are wondering whether or not we might see a bright, shiny object before the end of the day after the stunning news, the indictment of Roger Stone, one of the President's long-time advisers and friends, it appears we have one. The question is whether or not at this hour, Brianna, that — is that bright, shiny object potentially light at the end of the tunnel in terms of this government shutdown? Are we finally going to see an end to the government shutdown? I think a lot of that is going hinge on what the President says, as we've seen so often before....It sounds like there's movement on Capitol Hill, movement at the White House, and I imagine, Brianna, those pictures we saw this morning of the ground stop at — over at La Guardia, all of the chaos that potentially could be unfolding for travelers across the country if the shutdown continues, that has to be weighing heavily on this White House as well, Brianna.
“Really ratcheting up the pressure, right,” Keilar replied.
To see the relevant transcript from January 25's CNN Right Now with Brianna Keilar, click “expand.”
CNN Right Now with Brianna Keilar
January 25, 2019
1:06 p.m. EasternBRIANNA KEILAR: there is breaking news coming to us from the White House. Chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta is with us and this has to do with the shutdown. Jim, catch us up here. What's going on?
JIM ACOSTA: Yes, Brianna, we are expecting the President to make some sort of announcement here. They are making preparations in the Rose Garden for the President to make an announcement and I talked to a senior White House official in just the last few minutes that the President is expected to announce what is referred to as a way forward out of the shutdown, out of the stalemate over the President's demand for a wall for the border of Mexico. Now, I — we want to point out in just the last couple minutes, my colleagues, Kaitlan Collins over her at the White House, Phil Mattingly up on Capitol Hill, they are reporting that negotiations are moving forward on an agreement to reopen the government. This has not received final sign-off from all sides, so all of this is very fluid. But according to what we’re hearing right now from those sources, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer over in the Senate is involved in these talks and that this potentially involves some sort of short-term spending bill or continued resolution to reopen the government while these talks continue. Now, I should point out and as we are speaking right here, right now, Brianna, Sarah Sanders, the White House Press Secretary, she has also just tweeted in just the last few moments about this. Obviously, we saw her earlier this morning talking on New Day. She says in a tweet: “The President will make remarks regarding the shutdown in the Rose Garden today at 1:30pm. This will be an open press event.”
And so it seems like the cat is out of the bag. If folks are wondering whether or not we might see a bright, shiny object before the end of the day after the stunning news, the indictment of Roger Stone, one of the President's long-time advisers and friends, it appears we have one. The question is whether or not at this hour, Brianna, that — is that bright, shiny object potentially light at the end of the tunnel in terms of this government shutdown? Are we finally going to see an end to the government shutdown? I think a lot of that is going hinge on what the President says, as we've seen so often before and you know this, Brianna, covering all this, President Trump likes to keep things fluid, and what we know at 1:08 p.m. East Coast Time may not be the case when he makes his announcement at 1:30 p.m. in about 20 minutes from now. But we'll be looking forward to a Rose Garden announcement from the President here at the White House, and according to a senior White House official who I spoke with a few moments ago, this potentially this to do with what this official referred to as a way forward. It sounds like there's movement on Capitol Hill, movement at the White House, and I imagine, Brianna, those pictures we saw this morning of the ground stop at — over at La Guardia, all of the chaos that potentially could be unfolding for travelers across the country if the shutdown continues, that has to be weighing heavily on this White House as well, Brianna.
KEILAR: Really ratcheting up the pressure, right? Jim Acosta for us at the White House, thank you.
