While discussing the possibility of Robert Mueller’s upcoming testimony before Congress being delayed for a week, on Friday’s MSNBC Live With Craig Melvin, NBC News national security reporter Ken Dilanian laughably claimed that it has “not been easy” for Democrats to draw attention to the former Special Counsel’s report on the Russia investigation.
“Ken Dilanian, with regards to the Mueller testimony, are you suspecting that we are going to learn a great deal more than we already know?,” asked anchor Craig Melvin. Dilanian admitted that nothing new would come from the hearing, “But for Democrats, this is about getting this story in front of the American public, much of whom has not read the Mueller Report.”
The reporter lamented that any potential delay, “just underscores how difficult this has been for Democrats to get this basic thing, which is the testimony of the man who spent two years investigating.” Moments later, he argued that the Mueller Report – which the media have been obsessed with – wasn’t getting enough attention: “...it’s not been easy for Democrats to get this story in front of the public. They’re hoping that Robert Mueller, even if he only sticks to the facts in the report, just by him saying those things in public on television could have a big impact.”
This is not the first time Dilanian has absurdly fretted that there hasn’t been enough focus on the results of the Russia investigation. In May, following Mueller’s press conference, the reporter worried: “And the Democrats have been unable to put a narrative in front of the American public. They’re being blocked....it’s unclear whether they can get a narrative that drives to impeachment in front of the American public.”
When it was first announced last month that House Democrats would force Mueller to testify before Congress, MSNBC hoped the political stunt would be “about bringing the Mueller Report to life with a multi-act play.”
It’s obviously not true to claim that the Mueller Report has not gotten enough public attention, what the liberal media are really afraid of is that the entire Russia investigation turned out to be a dud.
Here is a transcript of the July 12 exchange:
11:23 AM ET
(...)
CRAIG MELVIN: Ken Dilanian, with regards to the Mueller testimony, are you suspecting that we are going to learn a great deal more than we already know?
KEN DILANIAN: Not necessarily, Craig. But for Democrats, this is about getting this story in front of the American public, much of whom has not read the Mueller Report. Like Jake [Sherman], NBC News has been told by two sources familiar with the matter that there are talks ongoing to delay the testimony by a week. And I think this just underscores how difficult this has been for Democrats to get this basic thing, which is the testimony of the man who spent two years investigating.
Another factor behind all of this, Craig, may be that the Justice Department has expressed reservations about two of Mueller’s aides testifying in the closed session of the hearing, which had been the plan. We’re not sure where that stands right now, but we know that the Justice Department has considered urging those aides not to testify and Democrats want that to happen because they don’t want it all to rest on Robert Mueller. He led the investigation, but had he some very sharp prosecutors under him who knew more of the details and they want to able to question those people behind closed doors.
But, again, Craig, you know, it’s not been easy for Democrats to get this story in front of the public. They’re hoping that Robert Mueller, even if he only sticks to the facts in the report, just by him saying those things in public on television could have a big impact, Craig.
(...)
