As the Media Research Center’s Bill D’Agostino and Rich Noyes discovered back in May of this year, the liberal media have a fetish for porn star Stormy Daniel’s lawyer Michael Avenatti (or as Fox News host Tucker Carlson calls him, the “creepy porn lawyer”). Apparently, Avenatti’s plethora of TV appearances meant he met a benchmark for a “serious” run at being president in 2020, according to CNN media reporter Brian Stelter on Sunday’s “Reliable Sources.”
Stelter claimed he had a “hunch” that star power was going be a prerequisite for running for president from now on because of Trump. “I have a sneaking feeling that every U.S. president from here on out will be a television star of some sort,” he declared at the top of the segment. “So, that hunch brings me to Michael Avenatti. He doesn't have much of a political record, but he does know his way around a TV studio.”
Avenatti’s knowledge of knowing “his way around a TV studio” might be due to the fact that CNN hosted the “creepy porn lawyer” 59 times in two months.
After introducing Avenatti, Stelter marveled at his willingness to go into the “liberal lion’s den” of Fox News and Tucker Carlson Tonight. “Michael, many Democrats say ‘no’ to Fox's interview requests. Many 2020 hopefuls. So, I’m curious. Why did you say ‘yes’” he wondered.
“Well, Brian, if you're going to be a fighter and you’re going to fight for the future of this country and lead the Democratic Party, then you can't be ducking fights,” Avenatti proclaimed as if he was Spartacus.
Following some gushy questions about if he succeeded in his fight against Carlson and about how serious he was thinking about a 2020 run, Stelter admitted he was taking Avenatti “seriously as a contender”:
I don't know if it's a good thing that star power and TV savvy is required for the job, but I think it is. And by the way, I think President Obama also had a lot of TV star power and that helped him pre-Trump. But Trump is more evidence of this. And looking ahead to 2020, one reason why I'm taking you seriously as a contender is because of your presence on cable news.
Stelter did bring up Avenatti’s “Trumpian” relationship with the press, particularly his attacks and threat of a defamation lawsuit against the Daily Caller. “How is that appropriate for anybody running for office,” he asked.
“I don't believe the Daily Caller’s individuals are journalists by any stretch of the imagination,” Avenatti bitterly spat. Stelter counted by calling it “Trumpy” since he was picking who was real news and who was fake news.
Avenatti then accused Daily Caller reporters of a being “unethical”. “Well, no Brian, I disagree. I don't think all journalists are created equal. I don't believe many journalists adhere to the same standards as you and others, for instance, at CNN or The New York Times or The Washington Post,” he claimed.
The reporting being discussed was a deep dive into Avenatti’s shady past conducted by Daily Caller editor Peter Hasson and reporter Joe Simonson. In their investigation, the two found that “Avenatti’s past is littered with lawsuits, jilted business partners and bankruptcy filings. People who have worked with the lawyer described him to TheDCNF as ruthless, greedy and unbothered by ethical questions.”
Of course, Stelter let Avenatti’s smears stand by not demanding Avenatti explain how his assertions were accurate, if he still planned to sue them, or if he had grounds to sue in the first place. But then again, those would be serious questions for a 2020 Democratic Party candidate. This is CNN.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
CNN
Reliable Sources
September 16, 2018
11:24:21 a.m. EasternBRIAN STELTER: We've never seen a president like Donald Trump. But in my humble opinion, we will never see a future president unlike him. At least when it comes to his use of TV. I have a sneaking feeling that every U.S. president from here on out will be a television star of some sort. Maybe a lawmaker who knows how to create a TV moment. Or a governor who knows how to throw a really great rally. Or a businesswoman who knows how to connect through the camera. Any way you slice it, star power will be a prerequisite to the presidency. That's my hunch. And Mr. Apprentice is just the beginning.
So that hunch brings me to Michael Avenatti. He doesn't have much of a political record, but he does know his way around a TV studio. And the other day he went into the liberal lion's den of Tucker Carlson Tonight. A show that's been calling him a “creepy porn lawyer” for months before the interview, Tucker claimed he would be respectful.
(…)
STELTER: And then, for the next 12 minutes, Tucker's show did use that nickname in all the banners on the screen. You'll see them here. “Stormy's lawyer as creepy porn president?”
(…)
STELTER: After he got off set, he called Tucker's show “trash TV.” So, why did he show up there in the first place? Michael Avenatti is here now to tell us why. Michael, many Democrats say “no” to Fox's interview requests. Many 2020 hopefuls. So, I’m curious. Why did you say “yes”?
MICHAEL AVENATTI: Well, Brian, if you're going to be a fighter and you’re going to fight for the future of this country and lead the Democratic Party, then you can't be ducking fights. And, frankly, sometimes you have to go into the belly of the beast, as they say, and take on some of these individuals, even if they're entirely unprofessional like Tucker Carlson.
(…)
STELTER: You're saying you have to take the fight to what you perceive as the enemy. Do you feel you succeeded with Tucker?
(…)
STELTER: There's been a lot of attention about whether you'll run for president in 2020. How serious are you at this moment in time about that?
AVENATTI: I’m very serious, Brian. And I'm getting more serious by the week because I'm traveling around the country and people are encouraging me to do it. And I'll also add that I listened to your hunch at the beginning of this segment and I could not agree with you more.
(…)
STELTER: I agree with you. I don't know if it's a good thing that star power and TV savvy is required for the job, but I think it is. And by the way, I think President Obama also had a lot of TV star power and that helped him pre-Trump. But Trump is more evidence of this. And looking ahead to 2020, one reason why I'm taking you seriously as a contender is because of your presence on cable news.
(…)
STELTER: But I'm concerned sometimes you fall into some Trumpian tactics. For example, at one point earlier this year you threatened Daily Caller reporters for the defamation suit. How is that appropriate for anybody running for office?
AVENATTI: Well, if a “journalist,” quote/unquote --and I don't believe the Daily Caller’s individuals are journalists by any stretch of the imagination. If you look--
STELTER: That's very Trumpy. That's very Trumpy trying to drive a wedge between real and fake journalists.
AVENATTI: Well, no Brian, I disagree. I don't think all journalists are created equal. I don't believe many journalists adhere to the same standards as you and others, for instance, at CNN or The New York Times or The Washington Post. Just like all attorneys are not ethical, all journalists do not adhere to the requisite standards of journalism.
(…)
STELTER: On Twitter yesterday, you challenged Tucker Carlson to a debate. Come on. What are the odds? You think he's going to say yes?
AVENATTI: No, I don't think there's any chance he's going to say yes because he doesn't want to engage with me in a legitimate debate where we can actually answer questions and ask questions about real issues. He would rather engage in his clown show of a TV show like he did on Thursday night. And I think he looked terrible.
(…)
