The liberal media had been trying to make a lot of hay out of accusations that the Trump family had tried to sell access to themselves and their president-elect father. So far such concerns seem to have little merit since all of the instances pointed to by accusers have not actually happened. But that didn’t stop it from being a topic of conversation on CNN’s OutFront on Wednesday. “This has been a stumbling block for the Trumps,” argued fill in host Poppy Harlow, after a long winded report about the accusations was aired, “Why even open yourself up to this criticism?”
Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson was on hand, and completely dismantled the ridiculous controversy surrounding an auction where participants would bid on having coffee with Ivanka Trump:
They weren't personally benefitting from this. You look at the $70,000 coffee for example. It was going to help children with cancer at St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital. That’s not personally benefitting Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump. That is something that people should’ve supported. Because you have children that are there getting life-saving treatment.
It appeared to be something Ferguson was every passionate about, because it was in his home town of Memphis and, “And it makes me personally angry because people have turned it into somehow this money was going into their pocket, or was going to personally benefit them.”
But that fact was lost on former Bill Clinton aide Keith Boykin, who interrupted Ferguson, implied he was a hypocrite, and compared the event to the Clinton Foundation. “I wish we could replay the tape to all the things you and other Republicans and conservatives said about the Clinton Foundation,” Boykin exclaimed, “To spite all the good that was done throughout the globe, because of the Clinton Foundation.”
“Sir, the Clinton Foundation pays salaries to the Clinton family… Allows them to fly on private jets. It allows them to live a five star life style,” Ferguson countered, before Boykin started to shout over him talking about Ivanka selling her bracelets on 60 Minutes. Ferguson again noted that the money was going to help children with cancer and quipped, “It’s sad and sick you guys care this much about attacking the Trumps.”
A short time later, Harlow called out Boykin on his own hypocrisy, recalling how the Clinton’s sold access to the Lincoln bedroom to campaign donors. “They raised a lot of money. A lot of people. A lot of big donors spent a lot of nights in the White House. How are these fundraisers any different,” she asked.
But Boykin dodged the question and attacked Trump instead, yelling, “The American people will wake up and see that they elected a guy who cannot drain the swamp, because he is deeply embedded in it.”
Before the discussion descended into chaos, Ferguson did manage to get off one final damaging blow, “It is sad, and perverted, and sick that you are equating when Bill Clinton was selling out the Lincoln bedroom like a hotel room that helped him personally, to the same thing as Ivanka Trump having coffee…”
The liberal media’s laser like focus on this issue demonstrates their favoritism to Hillary Clinton. There was very little of this concern about pay-for-play with the Clinton Foundation, with it being treated as just a Trump talking point. But when it did come up they took Clinton and her family at their word that they would act ethically, a show of good faith they have not extended to Trump and his family.
Transcript below:
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CNN
Erin Burnett OutFront
December 21, 2016
7:33:26 PM EasternPOPPY HARLOW: And Ben, let me begin with you. This is--As Tom just showed us, this is a stumbling block—this has been a stumbling block for the Trumps. First the coffee date with Ivanka up for auction, gone bad, taken down. Hunting and fishing now with his sons. Yes it's now removed off the table. Why even open yourself up to this criticism?
BEN FERGUSON: Because I think first off, they weren't personally benefitting from this. You look at the $70,000 coffee for example. It was going to help children with cancer at St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital. That’s not personally benefitting Ivanka Trump or Donald Trump. That is something that people should’ve supported. Because you children that are there getting life-saving treatment. In my hometown of Memphis. And it makes me personally angry because people have turned it into somehow this money was going into their pocket, or was going to personally benefit them. Having coffee with Ivanka Trump and rising money for St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital
KEITH BOYKIN: Ben!
FERGUSON:-- should be celebrated. It should not be looked at as some terrible event or a moment here.
BOYKIN: I wish we could replay the tape to all the things you and other Republicans and conservatives
FERGUSON: What did I say?
BOYKIN: --said about the Clinton Foundation. To spite all the good that was done throughout the globe, because of the Clinton Foundation.
FERGUSON: That benefits them personally.
BOYKIN: You said it didn’t matter because it was the perception, it was the optics, it was pay-for-play. This is exactly the same thing. This is tacky. This is kleptocracy at its worst.
FERGUSON: Sir, the Clinton Foundation pays salaries to the Clinton family. The Clinton Foundation pays salaries to their family. Allows them to fly on private jets. It allows them to live a five star life style. The $70,000 for coffee—lets be clear—all was going—all of it was going--
BOYKIN: Ivanka Trump is selling her bracelets on 60 Minutes for $10,000.
FERGUSON: The $70,000 for coffee was going to fight cancer with children. It’s sad and sick you guys care this much about attacking the Trumps.
BOYKIN: Oh my God. Ben, Ben give it a rest. You have to stop defending the corruption of this incoming administration. We have here is worst type of kleptocracy.
…
HARLOW: Keith to you, this is not new in politics. You worked in the Clinton White House, right? I mean, they were accused of selling the Lincoln bedroom to raise money. They raised a lot of money. A lot of people. A lot of big donors spent a lot of nights in the White House. How are these fundraisers any different?
[Crosstalk]
BOYKIN: I think that is an excellent question Poppy, and it shows you the hypocrisy of Donald Trump's claim that he was going to drain the swamp. You can't campaign about all of these activities for months during your campaign and then come in and engage in the exact same behavior and say it is okay when I do it. That is what's happening here and what the American people will wake up and see that they elected a guy who cannot drain the swamp, because he is deeply embedded in it.
FERGUSON: Let me jump in here. It is sad and perverted and sick that you are equating when Bill Clinton was selling out the Lincoln bedroom like a hotel room that helped him personally, to the same thing as Ivanka Trump having coffee with someone—
BOYKIN: First of all it didn’t help him personally.
FERGUSON: Let me finish. It did. It helped him get reelected to office.
…
