CNN's Brian Stelter went into full denial mode on Tuesday's At This Hour regarding the media's clear slant for Hillary Clinton. Stelter highlighted Trump's reaction to the possibility that more vulgar comments of his from the past will surface — that if "they release more tapes, I'll talk more about Bill Clinton's past." The journalist added, "I'm not sure who he means by 'they.' I think he thinks the media and the Clinton campaign are in cahoots, when they're not." [video below]
Anchors John Berman and Kate Bolduan turned to Stelter for his breaking news about Billy Bush, the Access Hollywood host who appeared with Trump during the 2005 footage. He reported that an "internal review at NBC News is really focused in on Billy Bush. We know that he was suspended on Sunday night. But now, the network's trying to figure out what exactly happened here."
The CNN correspondent soon pointed out the "difference between what's happened with Bush and what's happened with Trump....What both these men have in common is they're both entertainers; and I feel like Trump is continuing to put on a show with his Tweets, with his rallies — whereas Bush is silent. He's on the bench."
Berman then wondered, "Mark Burnett...creator and owner of The Apprentice — there's been some question about whether or not there would be more 'Apprentice' tapes released...what does Burnett say about the possibility that we're going to see some outtakes of Donald Trump on The Apprentice?" Stelter replied that Burnett "says he's not allowed to release any tapes, nor is the production company, MGM, that now owns the rights to The Apprentice...they say they are legally prohibited from releasing any tapes." He continued with his "in cahoots" denial about the media's relationship with the Clinton campaign.
Of course, the correspondent is glossing over the recent leaking of e-mails from members of Hillary Clinton's campaign that detailed how "a central component of the Clinton campaign strategy is ensuring that journalists they believe are favorable to Clinton are tasked to report the stories the campaign wants circulated." A part of this strategy was hosting shindigs "between top campaign aides and leading media personalities." Several of Stelter's CNN colleagues — including Berman and Bolduan themselves — apparently attended one such Clinton campaign gathering in April 2015.
The full transcript of the Brian Stelter segment from the October 11, 2016 edition of CNN's At This Hour With Berman and Bolduan:
KATE BOLDUAN: Now look at some breaking news right now: in the other half of this Access Hollywood scandal, obviously, surrounding Donald Trump, Billy Bush, the host — the host of the nine o'clock hour, to this point, of the Today show—
JOHN BERMAN: Yeah — one time, maybe—
BOLDUAN: (laughs) Who was also heard on the tape — on that videotape with Donald Trump — we have news with that regard regarding his future right now.
Senior media correspondent and host of Reliable Sources, Brian Stelter — he's been digging in on this. Brian, what are you picking up?
BRIAN STELTER: The internal review at NBC News is really focused in on Billy Bush. We know that he was suspended on Sunday night. But now, the network's trying to figure out what exactly happened here. When exactly did Billy Bush remember this tape existed?
There was a report overnight in the New York Post that, actually, he was bragging about the existence of this tape back in August when he was at the Rio Olympics. Now, if that's true — that was in August; it's now October — the question will be, why didn't he tell his NBC News colleagues about the tape sooner?
BERMAN: Internal review — are people saying there's a chance that he'll come back, or is it unlikely?
STELTER: It might be the slightest of chances. Every single person I've spoken with at NBC believes he will not be back on the Today show. And that puts into sharp relief the difference between what's happened with Bush and what's happened with Trump.
You might ask yourself, what would happen in a business if an employee was caught on camera — or caught on tape — doing this? Well, NBC is showing us by suspending him and by launching this review that's ongoing — Trump, on the other hand, of course, continuing to fight. What both these men have in common is they're both entertainers; and I feel like Trump is continuing to put on a show with his Tweets, with his rallies — whereas Bush is silent. He's on the bench.
BOLDUAN: So is there any word on how long the internal review — I don't know if you would even use air quotes with it (laughs) — the internal review will go on here?
STELTER: I would use air quotes, because this is, oftentimes, a — a pretext for contractual negotiations to let someone go — to have someone leave. The last time we heard about an 'internal review' in the media world was when Roger Ailes was — was under scrutiny. He was being sued for sexual harassment. Now, he's denied those allegations, but he was out within two weeks.
BERMAN: Quick question on Mark Burnett — you know, creator and owner of The Apprentice — there's been some question about whether or not there would be more'Apprentice tapes released—
STELTER: Right—
BERMAN: Burnett has now — we haven't seen any Apprentice tapes — but is Burnett — what does Burnett say about the possibility that we're going to see some outtakes of Donald Trump on The Apprentice?
STELTER: Well, he says he's not allowed to release any tapes, nor is the production company, MGM, that now owns the rights to The Apprentice — that they say they are legally prohibited from releasing any tapes.
I think what GOP sources — what GOP leaders are worried about, though, is this idea that there could be some sorts of video fragments out there even more embarrassing than what came out last week. And notice what Trump said yesterday on the trail. He said, if they release more tapes, I'll talk more about Bill Clinton's past. I'm not sure who he means by 'they.' I think he thinks the media and the Clinton campaign are in cahoots, when — when they're not. But clearly, Trump bracing or fearing more tapes; so the show goes on.
BOLDUAN: Though telling a different story, as we've learned, to Republican leaders — saying that he believes that there is no — and assure Republican leaders — there is no other embarrassing tape that could be coming out. So, we will see. Brian, thank you very much — a lot going on with that.
