After playing a clip of Hillary Clinton being confronted about her dishonesty during a CNN town hall event, on Wednesday’s CBS This Morning, co-host Norah O’Donnell tried to defend the Democratic frontrunner by pointing to the dishonesty of herself and her fellow journalists.
O’Donnell turned to fellow co-hosts Gayle King and Charlie Rose, asking: “Have you guys ever told a lie?” After they both replied that they had, O’Donnell admitted: “Yeah, so have I.” She then explained: “I'm waiting to find the person who’s never told a lie.”
Bringing on New York Daily News columnist Mike Lupica moments later, King pressed him: “Have you ever told a lie, first?” Lupica freely confessed: “Yes! Yes!” King noted: “Just want to keep the record going.”
In their rush to defend Clinton, the morning show hosts were actually dismissing a recent interview the former secretary of state had with their own CBS Evening News anchor. Lupica actually criticized Clinton’s bungling of the question in that sit-down: “...when Scott Pelley asked her that question, all I could think of was the day somebody said to Tom Brady, ‘Are you a cheater?’ And he said, ‘I don't think so.’ The answer is no!”
Rose argued: “But you could lie without knowing you lied.” Lupica quipped: “Yeah, but then – then, Charlie, it becomes, you know, a definition of what is, is.” Rose moved on: “We’re not going there, are we?”
According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of a lie is “to make an untrue statement with intent to deceive.” A person cannot lie accidentally.
Back in October of 2000, CBS helped conceal the lying of then-First Lady Hillary Clinton by completely ignoring the independent counsel's report that she provided false testimony during the investigation into the White House travel office scandal in her husband’s administration.
Here is a transcript of the February 24 exchange:
8:03 AM ET
(...)
NORAH O’DONNELL: Clinton also heard Stephen Colbert react to a CBS News interview where Scott Pelley asked Clinton if she had ever lied.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Clinton & Trust; Democrat Gets Second Chance at Honesty Question]
HILLARY CLINTON [CBS EVENING NEWS, FEB. 18, 2016]: You're asking me to say have I ever, I don't believe I have ever have. I don’t believe I ever had, I don't believe I ever will. I'm going to do the best I can to level with the American people.
STEPHEN COLBERT: How can you be this bad at it? Just say no! Just say no! Just say no! Even – even Richard Nixon knew to say, “I am not a crook!” He didn't say, “It has always been my intention, as far as I believe, I will do the best I can not to be a crook. “Will you lie?” is the home run of campaign questions. You just say no and then touch all of the bases.
CHRIS CUOMO [CNN]: Is that a question that you'd like another shot at answering?
CLINTON: I'll just say no.
[LAUGHTER]
O’DONNELL: With three days left before the primary, Clinton still leads the polls in South Carolina. Have you guys ever told a lie?
GAYLE KING: And has her sense of humor intact.
O’DONNELL: Have you ever told a lie?
KING: Yes.
O’DONNELL: Yes. Have you?
CHARLIE ROSE: Yes.
O’DONNELL: Yeah, so have I.
KING: Yes, I have. I feel better – I feel better telling you that.
ROSE: The pollsters got it right in Nevada – what?
KING: I feel better, Norah, that I’ve confessed! Thank you.
O’DONNELL: I know.
KING: The pollsters got it right –
O’DONNELL: I'm just waiting to find the –
ROSE: Have your kids ever told a lie to you?
O’DONNELL: Yes. I'm waiting to find the person who’s never told a lie.
KING: Oh, okay.
ROSE: Well, Mike Lupica may be it....New York Daily News syndicated columnist Mike Lupica is known for his provocative commentary on sports and politics. His latest article on the 2016 presidential race suggests that Donald Trump’s outsider status is what’s helping him stay ahead. Mike Lupica, welcome back.
MIKE LUPICA: Good morning
O’DONNELL: Great to have you here.
KING: Have you ever told a lie, first?
LUPICA: Yes! Yes!
KING: Just want to keep the record going.
LUPICA: No, but didn’t she sound – when Scott Pelley asked her that question, all I could think of was the day somebody said to Tom Brady, “Are you a cheater?” And he said, “I don't think so.” The answer is no!
ROSE: The answer’s no. But you could lie without knowing you lied.
LUPICA: Yeah, but then – then, Charlie, it becomes, you know, a definition of what is, is.
KING: Is a lie, yes.
ROSE: We’re not going there, are we?
KING: No.
(...)
