A brief but fiery exchange happened between Virginia’s Democrat candidate for governor and CNN OutFront host Erin Burnett, Wednesday night. The interview started off just like any other CNN interview, with the journalist acting as if she was recording a campaign ad for the Democrat with weak, softball questions.
But the compliant give and take ended when Burnett actually pushed back on McAuliffe’s claims about GOP opponent, Glenn Youngkin.
Burnett teased the interview by bringing up Trump, not once, but three separate times, saying he was front and center in Virginia’s race for governor. Why? Because that was McAuliffe’s scare tactic. He has repeatedly accused Youngkin of being the next Trump and the CNN host was happy to bolster that claim.
“To be fair, your opponent's rhetoric in this race, in some instances, has sounded a lot like Donald Trump's rhetoric about Joe Biden and other Democrats. I'll just give everybody the examples,” she said before playing a CNN montage of both Republicans speaking out against critical race theory, defunding the police, and the radical left.
Wow, how uncanny! Two Republicans speaking on the same hot button issues that hit home with the Republican base!
After doing his work for him, Burnett then threw McAuliffe another softball: “So, your opponent, though, says this race has nothing to do with Trump. So, you disagree. How come?” she asked.
McAuliffe explained how his opponent had been endorsed by Trump and had the audacity to talk about “election integrity”-- obviously code words for election deniers.
Then Burnett did something unusual for CNN. She actually asked the Democrat if he was “wrong:”
All right. All this being said, I went back to look at some of the things that Youngkin has said. And last week, he specifically said he had not talked to Donald Trump at all about holding a possible rally in Virginia. He said, clearly, that he would have voted to certify the election. Clearly, not a Trump thing. And he specifically said he believes in the integrity of the voting process.
Obviously, Trump, himself, has suggested Youngkin hasn't embraced him or the MAGA movement enough which those statements, of course, would be consistent with. So, when you hear that, I mean, are you wrong to be calling him wannabe Trump? I mean, he is going against Trump on -- on election and certification.
Democrats weren't used to getting push back from the media. Offended, McAuliffe raged, “Come on, Erin!"
“Come on, Erin. He's not going against Trump. I mean, through the whole campaign, he's talked about election integrity. Come on. For eight, nine months, that's been his number one thing he's talked about!” he fumed.
Right then, McAuliffe’s Zoom call lost connection and he remained frozen on the screen without audio. After trying to reconnect, Burnett awkwardly ended the interview and moved on.
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Read the transcript below:
Erin Burnett OutFront
9/29/21
ERIN BURNETT: Plus, Trump looming large in what is a closely watched and competitive race for Virginia governor. The democratic nominee, Terry McAuliffe, is my guest tonight.
….
BURNETT; Next, Virginia's closely watched race for governor now becoming all about trump.
…
BURNETT: Tonight, former-president Trump taking center stage in the most closely watched race for election day. And that is the race for governor of Virginia.
[DEBATE CLIPS OF MCAULIFFE ACCUSING YOUNGKIN OF BEING TRUMP]
BURNETT: Outfront now, democratic candidate for governor in Virginia, Terry McAuliffe. So, Terry, okay. Let's just start with this. To be fair, your opponent's rhetoric in this race, in some instances, has sounded a lot like Donald Trump's rhetoric about Joe Biden and other Democrats. I'll just give everybody the examples.
[CNN MONTAGE]
TRUMP: He's going to defund the police.
YOUNGKIN: He doesn't want to defund the police.
TRUMP: Critical-race theory is being forced into our children's schools.
YOUNGKIN: We, in fact, are not going to allow critical-race theory to be taught in our schools, for our kids to be divided.
TRUMP: Ossoff and Warnock are the two most extreme far-left liberal senate candidates in the history of our country.
YOUNGKIN: We have this left-liberal Progressive philosophy that is led by Terry McAuliffe.
BURNETT: So, your opponent, though, says this race has nothing to do with Trump. So, you disagree. How come?
MCAULIFFE: Well, first of all, he says -- his quote -- so much of the reason why I'm running is because of Donald Trump. He's been endorsed by Trump four times. And for 80% of his campaign, he has said the number one issue for him is election integrity which, of course, is the crazy-conspiracy theory, the big lie. He said a couple days ago, if he were in Congress, he would not answer the question whether he would have certified the election. So, Erin, he is trying to appeal to the Trump people. Trump has endorsed him four times. Trump wants to use this race to be the launchpad for 2024.
BURNETT: All right. All this being said, I went back to look at some of the things that Youngkin has said. And last week, he specifically said he had not talked to Donald Trump at all about holding a possible rally in Virginia. He said, clearly, that he would have voted to certify the election. Clearly, not a Trump thing. And he specifically said he believes in the integrity of the voting process. He went to vote early in Fairfax County, and here's what he said about it then.
REPORTER: Do you believe in the integrity of early voting across Virginia?
YOUNGKIN: I do. I do. This is why we came to vote. And -- and I think that the process is gonna be fair.
BURNETT: Obviously, Trump, himself, has suggested Youngkin hasn't embraced him or the MAGA movement enough which those statements, of course, would be consistent with. So, when you hear that, I mean, are you wrong to be calling him wannabe Trump? I mean, he is going against Trump on -- on election and certification.
MCAULIFFE: Come on, Erin. He's not going against Trump. I mean, through the whole campaign, he's talked about election integrity. Come on. For eight, nine months, that's been his number one thing he's talked about.
BURNETT: All right. I'm sorry, everybody. Literally, you heard him begin his sentence but we lost his connection there….
