As former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli of the Ted Cruz campaign appeared as a guest on Tuesday's At This Hour with Berman and Bolduan, CNN anchor John Berman was called out by his Republican guest for showing "bias" that is "naked to everyone watching," after the CNN host showed skepticism when Cuccinelli denied there was "lying, stealing and bribing" involved in his efforts to court delegates.
At 11:33 a.m., co-anchor Kate Bolduan began the segment by raising accusations by a Donald Trump supporter:
How about these three words: "Lying, stealing, and bribing"? That is what we heard at the top of our show from Trump campaign -- from the Trump campaign, Tana Goertz, she says she's seen bribing firsthand on the part of the Cruz campaign in trying to win over delegates. What do you say?
After Cuccinelli recalled that Paul Manafort of the Trump campaign failed when asked to name such examples, and then listed several transgressions by the Trump campaign, Berman dismissively followed up:
You just ask people nicely to line up and support Ted Cruz. Come on, you're -- the reason that they have you doing this is because you're good at lining up delegates. How are you twisting arms? I'm not saying there's anything illegal, but there's got to be, you know, some art to convincing these delegates to line up like this.
Cucinnelli hit back as he responded:
KEN CUCCINELLI: No, no, you, look, look, when you ask a question that way, your bias is naked to everyone watching, so let's get down to facts instead of your bias.
JOHN BERMAN: No, I'm just saying you're playing the game well.
CUCCINELLI: We ask people nicely. Well, okay, I appreciate that. That's not how you phrased your question. We are asking people nicely. You know what the goodies we're promising people are? They can have their Constitution back. And they can have economic growth and a plan to actually execute it. And a candidate who can go head to head and defend it. ...
Below is a transcript of the relevant portion of the Tuesday, April 19, At This Hour with Berman and Bolduan on CNN:
11:33 a.m. ET
KATE BOLDUAN: How about these three words: "Lying, stealing, and bribing"? That is what we heard at the top of our show from Trump campaign -- from the Trump campaign, Tana Goertz, she says she's seen bribing firsthand on the part of the Cruz campaign in trying to win over delegates. What do you say?
KEN CUCCINELLI, TED CRUZ CAMPAIGN: You know, I call foul and BS. I mean, I was on opposite Paul Maniford of their campaign Sunday, and he made similar allegations. And George Stephanopoulos said, "Well, name one example." He couldn't name a single example. Well, their Gestapo tactics include Donald Trump calling for violence on the streets.Their team threatening intimidation of delegates at their hotel rooms, death threats to the Colorado GOP, threats of frivolous lawsuits from Manafort against individual delegates and about credentials. So they are doing these tactics while accusing others of doing them. We're just building a grassroots campaign that's built on Ted's vision for greater opportunity and freedom. And it's inspiring people to come out, and it's how we're winning.
JOHN BERMAN: You just ask people nicely to line up and support Ted Cruz. Come on, you're -- the reason that they have you doing this is because you're good at lining up delegates. How are you twisting arms? I'm not saying there's anything illegal, but there's got to be, you know, some art to convincing these delegates to line up like this.
CUCCINELLI: No, no, you, look, look, when you ask a question that way, your bias is naked to everyone watching, so let's get down to facts instead of your bias.
BERMAN: No, I'm just saying you're playing the game well.
CUCINNELLI: We ask people nicely. Well, okay, I appreciate that. That's not how you phrased your question. We are asking people nicely. You know what the goodies we're promising people are? They can have their Constitution back. And they can have economic growth and a plan to actually execute it. And a candidate who can go head to head and defend it. ...
