Appearing on MSNBC’s 11 a.m. ET hour on Friday, Republican North Dakota Congressman Kevin Cramer called out the “unhealthy obsession” the media have with accusations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, sending co-hosts Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle into full freak-out mode. The liberal anchors dismissed the notion as “nonsense.”
After being grilled by Velshi on unnamed sources claiming that President Trump was looking into whether he could pardon himself with regard to the Russia investigation, Cramer responded: “These distractions are more interesting to the Washington press corps and to the New York press corps than they are to the people in the middle of America or here in North Dakota.” Ruhle asserted: “Congressman, hold on, not necessarily to Ali and I....it’s not the press corps. I would absolutely love to focus on the agenda, sir. The President isn’t.”
Cramer pushed back: “Listen, there’s an unhealthy obsession with all things Russian and all things the last election by plenty of people, largely in the press corps.” Velshi was enraged and refused to allow the lawmaker to continue: “I going to interrupt you, sir. It is not an unhealthy obsession. Do you believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 election?...How is that an unhealthy obsession?”
In reply, Cramer actually cited a recent Media Research Center study detailing the avalanche of Russia coverage featured on CNN’s New Day: “It’s an unhealthy obsession when 90% of a newscast is focused on that when there are plenty of other things going on.”
Despite Cramer not saying anything about MSNBC’s coverage specifically, Velshi was extremely defensive:
Sir, have you ever watched what we do?...Have you watched what we do? You know what Stephanie and I concentrate on, on a daily basis? We talk about tax reform, we talk about health care. Sir, you’re issuing Republican talking points right now. Can we have a conversation just from a legislator to journalists right now? Can we do that?
While it’s true that Velshi and Ruhle do take breaks from their Russia coverage to attack the Trump administration and Republicans on a whole host of other issues, the ongoing investigation is undisputedly a favorite topic of conversation on MSNBC. In fact, back in May, Velshi warned viewers: “It certainly feels like we’re in the opening stages of a devastating political chapter in American history. Evidence is mounting for the President’s meddling in the Russia probe.”
In March, he entertained left-wing Congresswoman Maxine Waters ranting that she wanted Trump to be impeached over the Russia allegations.
Minutes later in the contentious Friday exchange, Velshi made a point to blast Cramer one more time:
I’m going to ask our producers, Congressman, to send you links to all of the stuff that Stephanie and I have done on health care, on infrastructure, on American-made...minimum wage, on economic growth, please. So that you don’t go on anybody else’s TV and spout this nonsense about how the media is obsessed with Russia. We talk about a lot of stuff.
The biased interview was brought to viewers by Geico, Tylenol, and Joseph A. Bank.
Here are excerpts of the July 21 segment:
11:21 AM ET
ALI VELSHI: We're back with more reports today that President Trump may be looking for ways to undercut Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. And also, that the President is exploring his pardon powers.
STEPHANIE RUHLE: Focusing on that again, lost opportunity, how about the agenda? Joining us live now, Republican Congressman Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, he is a member of the House Energy and Commerce committee. Congressman, that’s exactly what I want to start with, opportunity lost. President Trump asking about his power to pardon aides, family members, and even himself, aiming to discredit Robert Mueller. You’re a congressman, a Republican congressman with a Republican president, with an agenda you’d love to get to, and this is what your president is focused on.
KEVIN CRAMER [R-ND]: Well, first of all, let’s be clear that we’re talking about, once again, that famous source of The Washington Post named “unnamed.” And so, until such time as there’s a legitimate source or evidence, we’re talking about a rumor. That said –
VELSHI: Well, we’re not, sir. With respect to the President talking to The New York Times, he said it to The New York Times, he talked about Robert Mueller not crossing red lines, he talked about Jeff Sessions not – I mean, come on, we’re not making this up sir, let’s assume –
CRAMER: No, but you’re talking about pardon –
RUHLE: So in that New York Times –
CRAMER: You're talking about –
VELSHI: Go ahead, sir.
CRAMER: But the pardon, the issue of the pardon is a rumor and it’s been denied by his counsel.
(...)
CRAMER: These distractions are more interesting to the Washington press corps and to the New York press corps than they are to the people in the middle of America...
RUHLE: Actually, Congressman –
CRAMER: ...or here in North Dakota.
RUHLE: Congressman, hold on, not necessarily to Ali and I. And in that interview that President Trump did with The New York Times, he had ample opportunity to discuss infrastructure, health care, tax reform, and he didn't. He chose to dig into attacking Jeff Sessions. And when he discussed health care, he was absolutely wrong in discussing, “Well, you pay $12 a year and then when you’re 70 you should have something.” That’s just categorically untrue. So it’s not the press corps. I would absolutely love to focus on the agenda, sir. The President isn’t.
CRAMER: Listen, there’s an unhealthy obsession with all things Russian and all things the last election by plenty of people, largely in the press corps.
VELSHI: Representative, sir, with all due –
CRAMER: And you’re right, there are times –
VELSHI: I going to interrupt you, sir. It is not an unhealthy obsession. Do you believe that Russia interfered in the 2016 election?
CRAMER: I think Russia has attempted to interfere in several elections over the last several decades in many countries.
VELSHI: How is that an unhealthy obsession?
CRAMER: It’s an unhealthy obsession when 90% of a newscast is focused on that when there are plenty of other things going on. That said –
VELSHI: Sir, have you ever watched what we do?
CRAMER: That said, we continue to do our job –
VELSHI: Have you watched what we do? You know what Stephanie and I concentrate on, on a daily basis? We talk about tax reform, we talk about health care. Sir, you’re issuing Republican talking points right now. Can we have a conversation just from a legislator to journalists right now? Can we do that?
CRAMER: Sure, we can. In fairness to you, I don’t see a lot of TV in the afternoon. I do watch Morning Joe in the morning. However, there are a lot of good things going on. And you're right, the President’s focused a lot on the other issues the other day. My advice to him would be don’t call in The New York Times for interviews when you’re having a theme week on American Made. To me that’s a great theme. The week before, couple weeks before, the energy theme was a very good theme, good for north Dakota, good for much of America. I think there’s a lot of great things to be talking about and that I wish we were spending more time talking about. And I applaud Ali and Stephanie for doing exactly that on your show. I wish more did.
(...)
VELSHI: I’m going to ask our producers, Congressman, to send you links to all of the stuff that Stephanie and I have done on health care, on infrastructure, on American-made –
RUHLE: On minimum wage.
VELSHI: Minimum wage, on economic growth, please. So that you don’t go on anybody else’s TV and spout this nonsense about how the media is obsessed with Russia. We talk about a lot of stuff.
(...)
