Are you now or have you ever been an agent for the Russians? No? Okay, let me ask it another way: Were you ever a Russian agent? No? In that case, let me ask the same question again with slightly different wording...
And so it seemed to go on the July 22 State of the Union on CNN as host Jake Tapper appeared to act as a latter day Inspector Javert hot on the trail of his Jean Valjean in the form of businessman and former Trump adviser Carter Page who was clearly amused by Tapper's dogged persistence over what he kept swatting down.
You can read some of the back and forth between the bemused Carter who pointed out the flaws in the recently released FISA warrant to spy on him and the glum-faced Tapper below but to get a real feel of that repetitive interview, watching the video is a must.
JAKE TAPPER: The FISA application says quote the FBI believes that Carter Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian government. There is probable cause that such activities involve or are about to involve violations of the criminal statutes of the United States. The document accuses you of being a quote, "agent of a foreign power." Were you?
CARTER PAGE: Jake, this is so ridiculous it's just beyond words. You know it's -- you're talking about misleading the courts. It's just so misleading going through those 400 plus page documents. You know where do you even begin? It's literally a complete joke and it only continues. It's just really sad.
Sorry, your denial is NOT accepted so we must return to...
TAPPER: Well, were you ever an agent of a foreign power? Did you ever advise the Kremlin, or work with the Kremlin on anything?
PAGE: Look, Jake, I know I've never been an agent of the foreign power in any, by any stretch of the imagination. You know I may have, you know, back in the G20 when they were getting ready to do that in Saint Petersburg, I might have participated in a few meetings that a lot of people including people from the Obama administration we're sitting on and Geneva, Paris etc but I've never been anywhere near or what's being described herein.
Of course, that answer did not satisfy Jake who immediately returned to the beloved theme of Russian collusion. He noted a 2013 letter where Page boasted in a 2013 letter, "Over the past half-year, I have had the privilege to serve as an informal adviser to the staff of the Kremlin in preparation for the presidency of the G-20 next month, where energy issues will be a prominent point on the agenda." That doesn't make you an "agent of a foreign power."
TAPPER: So you have advised the Kremlin in the past. That was 2013 that G-20 meeting I believe.
PAGE: Look it was a, there are experts from around the world talking about energy issues and I was one of countless companies. You know myself and a lot of academics and business people who are involved in these various discussion Center sessions but it was nothing.
Annnd again Jake returns with his Kremlin obsession. You would expect different?
TAPPER: But but you did advise the Kremlin? I mean I'm just I just want to make make it clear you did advise the Kremlin back in 2013 or 2012, somewhere in there?
PAGE: Jake, it's really spin. I mean, I sat in on some meetings but to call me an adviser, I think is way over the top.
Later, when Tapper interviewed Democratic congressman Seth Moulton, he changed the subject to.....Donald Trump being a Russian agent!
TAPPER: I want you to take a look at this tweet from Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois. It says -- quote -- "Republicans in Congress cannot continue to turn a blind eye toward the very real possibility that Vladimir Putin has compromised our commander in chief and turned him, perhaps without his knowledge, into a Russian asset." Do you agree with that, Congressman?
REP. SETH MOULTON (D): Well, I think the problem is that we just don't know, Jake....
TAPPER: So, you think it's possible that the president is a Russian asset, with or without his knowledge?
MOULTON: Well, I'm just saying that I don't know.
Imagine Tapper wondering whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton was an unwitting Russian agent. That would be seen as kooky. And this is.....?
