The C in CNN must stand for Collusion (with Russia), since positively everything presidential magnetically acquires an obsessed-with-Russia angle. This one is a standout: they infiltrated the National Prayer Breakfast! CNN.com reported "Big Russian delegation anticipated for prayer breakfast in Washington." It's not really about prayer and breakfast, it's a "prime networking opportunity for Beltway insiders. But this year's event is also an opportunity for dozens of Russians."
The "big delegation" drew its own scare tweet:
As many as 60 Russians are expected to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, more than three times last year's number, per Russian officials https://t.co/KvtYk78Z16
— CNN (@CNN) February 8, 2018
Inside CNN's own story, it is obvious that the Russian delegation is tiny compared to the size of the audience. Breakfast organizer A. Larry Ross told CNN "I can confirm that this year, the Breakfast will be attended by more than 3,800 individuals representing over 130 countries and territories around the world. Approximately 55 are coming from Russia, including a group of 35 young professionals -- millennial doctors, lawyers and business leaders in their 20s and 30s -- invited out of a context of relationship and faith."
But before this discouraging math that Russians were about 1.5 percent of attendees emerged, CNN played up the Russian influence-peddling sure to unfold:
One Russian official who was invited, Aleksandr Zharkov, told the Russian business newspaper RBC, "It's a very unique situation, because despite all these difficulties we have (in relations with the US), the quota for Russians is very high this year."
Added Zharkov, "It is a sin not to use any platform possible for negotiations between different layers of society."
Two Russian officials said a "Russia house" -- a space to hold informal meetings -- would be organized at the event. However, the Russian government is not sending an official delegation.
The spike in the number of Russians attending the event compared to last year comes amid multiple ongoing investigations into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia as well as continued fallout from Russian interference in the 2016 election.
CNN's reporters also conceded many of the Russians attending the breakfast this year are senior religious figures. Konstantin Bendas, a bishop of the Russian Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith, said he felt the need to go this year because the US-Russian relationship had deteriorated so much. "It's the right time for believers -- Christian people -- to unite for at least a day, bend the knee and pray for peace and unity without politics," Bendas told CNN.
But CNN is all about the politics.
But CNN clearly prodded him to cast doubt on the other Russians: "I suppose the majority of members of the (Russian) delegation don't want to pray; they want to mingle," he said. And many might be attending to "try to solve their own problems, that is -- their name possibly appearing in future sanctions lists."
