CNN's Michele Kosinski hit the Obama administration from the left on Wednesday's New Day over not publicly reacting to the FBI's decision to not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton over her e-mail scandal. Kosinski touted "the pictures Hillary Clinton's campaign has been waiting for — the arrival with the President on Air Force One" but bemoaned how "this came after a surreal day in politics, where you'd never know here that Hillary Clinton was now not facing criminal charges — not a word mentioned of it, as if it hadn't been the story of the day." [video below]
The correspondent later hyped President Obama's "pure cheerleading" at their joint campaign appearance, and spotlighted that the outgoing chief executive is "now out on the trail showing the energy he's known for."
Anchor Chris Cuomo led into Kosinski's report by noting there was "no mention of e-mails, as President Obama took the stage with Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally just hours after the FBI announcement." She first played up that "the White House completely punted on this. They would not respond to the FBI's announcement — even though they've weighed in before." She continued with her first lament from the left on the lack of an official reaction from the administration:
MICHELLE KOSINSKI: So why not say anything, of all days, yesterday? I mean, this good news for Hillary Clinton is hardly all good, but somebody had to say something about it. I mean, this happened. So, it was the campaign that did it — as cleanly as possible. They put out this paper statement; and then, boom! Nobody needed to say anything else — not wanting there to be any shadow over this big day on the campaign trail.
The CNN journalist sent aside much of the segment to clips from the rally in North Carolina. After pointing out the "pictures Hillary Clinton's campaign has been waiting for," Kosinski played four straight soundbites from the campaign event. She soon gave her "surreal day in politics" and "cheerleading" lines.
Kosinski gushed over the President's "energy" near the end of her report. She also underlined that Obama "at times...was shouting in a hoarse voice; and he got everything in that speech...climate, energy, immigration, guns. And this is just the beginning. He's expected to be very busy on the campaign trail from now on."
The full transcript of Michelle Kosinski's report from the July 6, 2016 edition of CNN's New Day:
CHRIS CUOMO: No mention of e-mails, as President Obama took the stage with Hillary Clinton at a campaign rally just hours after the FBI announcement.
We have CNN's Michelle Kosinski live at the White House with more. Michelle, good morning.
[CNN Graphic: "Obama & Clinton Team Up To Take On Trump"]
MICHELLE KOSINSKI: Hi, Chris. That's right. The White House completely punted on this. They would not respond to the FBI's announcement — even though they've weighed in before. So why not say anything, of all days, yesterday? I mean, this good news for Hillary Clinton is hardly all good, but somebody had to say something about it. I mean, this happened. So, it was the campaign that did it — as cleanly as possible. They put out this paper statement; and then, boom! Nobody needed to say anything else — not wanting there to be any shadow over this big day on the campaign trail.
[CNN Graphic: "Obama Hits Campaign Trail With Clinton"]
KOSINSKI (voice-over): These are the pictures Hillary Clinton's campaign has been waiting for — the arrival with the President on Air Force One; then, (audio clip of Rachel Platten's "Fight Song") side by side on the stage.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA (from campaign event): Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!
[CNN Graphic: "Obama Chants 'Hillary...Hillary' With Crowd"]
HILLARY CLINTON, (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: This, my friends, is a President who knows how to keep us safe and strong. Compare that to Donald Trump. (audience boos)
KOSINSKI: This is President Obama returning the favor, after the rivals back in 2008 — then united in New Hampshire.
CLINTON: We stand shoulder to shoulder.
KOSINSKI: But this—
OBAMA: I believe in Hillary Clinton. (audience cheers)
KOSINSKI: Came after a surreal day in politics, where you'd never know here that Hillary Clinton was now not facing criminal charges — not a word mentioned of it, as if it hadn't been the story of the day; or that the FBI announcement hadn't happened coincidentally two hours before the two took off together.
[CNN Graphic: "No Mention Of FBI Announcement At Obama-Clinton Event"]
OBAMA: (crowd chants, "I'm with her!") I am with her!
KOSINSKI: This appearance pure cheerleading.
CLINTON: He's made difficult, even unpopular decisions for the good of our country.
OBAMA: There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office than Hillary Clinton. (audience cheers and applauds)
[CNN Graphic: "North Carolina Considered A Crucial State In November; Obama: No One's Ever Been More Qualified To Be President"]
KOSINSKI: A chance, too, to hit Republicans plenty of times — though, once again, even now, the President would not say Donald Trump's name.
[CNN Graphic: "Obama Hits GOP Without Mentioning Trump's Name; Obama: Even Republicans...Don't Know What The Guy Is Talking About"]
OBAMA: Even the — the Republicans on the other side don't really know what the guy's talking about. (audience laughs) They really don't. You ask them — they're all like, I don't know. (audience laughs)
KOSINSKI: President Obama now out on the trail showing the energy he's known for.
OBAMA: I'm ready to pass the baton. (audience cheers and applauds) And I know that Hillary Clinton is going to take it; and I know she can run that race. (audience cheers and applauds)
[CNN Graphic: "Obama: 'Ready To Pass The Baton' To Clinton"]
KOSINSKI (on-camera): At times, he was shouting in a hoarse voice; and he got everything in that speech — I mean, climate, energy, immigration, guns. And this is just the beginning. He's expected to be very busy on the campaign trail from now on. Alisyn?
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Okay. Michelle, thank you for all that reporting. You've given us a lot to talk about, which we will do coming up.
