Confronted with accusations of media bias, NBC journalist Kristen Welker actually insisted that there is “no proof” of collusion between journalists and Hillary Clinton. Talking with Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway on Monday's MTP Daily, Welker asserted, “Kellyanne, there is no proof there is any type of the collusion that you're talking about.”
After Conway scoffed, “Oh, my goodness,” the journalist denied “that there is any media bias that you're talking about.” The Republican spokeswoman shot back: “Did you see the journalists donations... that by a margin of 27-1, journalists, working reporters have given money to Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump?”
In fact, this study by the liberal Center for Public Integrity found that 96 percent of 2016 campaign cash from journalists went to Clinton.
And that example is just the start. The recent dump of WikiLeaks documents found that New York Times correspondent Mark Leibovich, in an e-mail to Clinton aide Jennifer Palmieri, said of interview questions for the Democrat: “I wanted the option to use all -- and you could veto what you didn't want. That's why I selected the 5 or 6 I sent to you.”
Politico’s Glenn Thrush, in an e-mail to Clinton campaign operative John Podesta, said, “I have become a hack. I will send u the whole section that pertains to u. Please don’t share or tell anyone I did this. Tell me if I fucked up anything.”
A new study by the Media Research Center found that Trump doesn’t have a single major newspaper endorsement.
“No proof” of “collusion” between Clinton and the media?
A partial transcript is below:
<<< Please consider helping NewsBusters financially with your tax-deductible contribution today >>>
MTP Daily
10/17/16
5:04 pm ET
KRISTEN WELKER: He is the nominee of the Republican Party. Is it responsible to talk about something that he has read about in the past without any proof. As you know, the Brennan Center said that there is about as much chance that somebody is going to go to the polls and impersonate another voter as there is to get hit by lightening.
KELLYANNE CONWAY: Well, that is a liberal outfit. But in any event, the way you ask the question and the way you ask it presumes that you think he is being irresponsible. So let me just answer it this way: He — If you're Donald Trump and trying to get the message out directly to the American people and you’re being stopped every which way, excuse him if he thinks there are different barriers for access to him to talk to the voters. His largest argument is and will continue to be that he just can't get fair coverage. And I think anybody — look— Responsible journalists have actually written columns saying, “Donald Trump defies journalistic effective standards. We can just lay all this down to stop this man.”
5:07PM ET
CONWAY: I tell you, as a campaign manager, if we had a level playing field, if we had a semi-tilted playing field, we’d be ahead in these polls. I agree with Newt Gingrich. But, I’m telling you, we’re just going to cut through all of that and deliver our message directly to the American people. We don’t have a choice.
WELKER: Kellyanne, there is no proof that there is any type of the collusion that you're talking about. And you’re talking about Secretary Clinton's e-mails, the WikiLeaks hacks, we have been reporting on that on days now.
CONWAY: I’m sorry, there’s no proof of what? There’s no proof of what?
WELKER: That there is any media bias that you're talking about.
CONWAY: Oh, my goodness.
WELKER: Kelly, let me just talk to you --
CONWAY: Did you see the journo donations e-mail, the link today that by a margin of 27-1, journalists, working reporters have given money to Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump?
WELKER: Kelly, I'm talking about your candidate who is running for president, and you're citing the polls. our poll shows that Hillary Clinton is up by 11 points. A lot of people believe it's been Donald Trump has done damage to his campaign.
