There are few things more damaging to the liberal media’s credibility than conflicts of interest and false/fake stories. For CNN, it was the latter on Friday’s New Day as co-host Alisyn Camerota treated former Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett to a softball interview, but failed to disclose that Valerie’s daughter (Laura Jarrett) is a CNN Justice correspondent.
If CNN wants to lecture Fox News or anyone else in the media about ethics, perhaps it should lead the way in transparency. And, no, it shouldn’t be assumed all viewers are able to make the connection between Laura and Valerie Jarrett.
The interview itself was gooey and reminiscent of yesteryear, beginning with Camerota invoking the scandal involving hush money, porn star Stormy Daniels, and new Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani. She then wondered “[w]hat is the long-term effects of these attacks on institutions” and welcomed on Jarrett:
CAMEROTA: Joining us now is Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to President Obama and former chair of the White House Council of Women and Girls. She will be headlining the United States of Women's Summit tomorrow.
JARRETT: Thank you, Alisyn, it's a pleasure to be with you. We're so excited about the summit this weekend in L.A.
Camerota first asked about the new jobs report and if the Trump administration should receive “credit” for the 3.9 percent unemployment rate. Jarrett indicated that the Obama administration should receive credit as well.
Somehow, that was the toughest question Jarrett faced. The former Fox News host next wanted to know, in context of her women’s conference, “[w]hat is your message to women at this moment, I mean, particularly this Me Too moment and everything else that's happening?”
After a long, winding answer that a politician would be proud of, Camerota fired off another gushing question on behalf of The Resistance:
I know that you're speaking on a panel about the path for women in politics and it's fascinating to hear the spike of interest of women who are engaged now. Do you think that in this climate with Donald Trump as President, the path for women has gotten easier or harder?
For good measure, here’s Camerota’s two remaining questions from the left about Giuliani, Trump, Cohen, and, of course, Stormy Daniels (click “expand” to see more):
CAMEROTA: So, Valerie, when you watch what's happened, let's just say this week, okay? Coming out of the White House with Rudy Giuliani changing the narrative saying that President Trump did actually reimburse Michael Cohen, his long-time fixer, for this hush money to Stormy Daniels and everything else that's happened this week, what goes through your head?
(....)
CAMEROTA: And but when you hear people like Rudy Giuliani calling the agents who went into Michael Cohen's apartment and office “Storm Troopers,” and all of the things that the President has said about the witch hunt of Robert Mueller's investigation, that's what the President calls it, do you think this is a moment in time that will pass or do you worry that there's some sort of lasting damage to institutions?
(....)
“Former senior advisor to President Obama, Valerie Jarrett, thanks so much. Always great to get your perspective on all of this,” Camerota concluded.
A quick read of Lexis since Laura Jarrett joined CNN in September 2016 that her mother has given seven interviews and, according to the CNN transcript, Laura’s name never came up.
In addition, she provided soundbites to a CNN documentary by Fareed Zakaria near the end of the Obama administration that aired, according to Nexis, on December 7, 2016 and reaired on Christmas Day.
Further, she did the same for the January 16, 2017 edition of The Lead and starred in a two-hour propaganda film (masquerading as a behind-the-scenes documentary) that ran on January 18, 2017.
Say, if things don’t work out for Chuck Todd at NBC, CNN would be a perfect fit.
Update, 2:57 p.m. Eastern: This piece has been updated to better reflect the number of interviews Jarrett has sat for CNN vs. other forms of Jarrett apperances (soundbites and documentary subject).
To see the relevant transcript from CNN’s New Day on May 4, click “expand.”
CNN’s New Day
May 4, 2018
8:46 a.m. Eastern
ALISYN CAMEROTA: The story about the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels continues to change, forcing White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders to dance around her previous denials and the President's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, calls the FBI agents who raided Michael Cohen's apartment and office, “Storm Troopers.” What is the long-term effects of these attacks on institutions?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump White House; White House Faces Major Credibility Crisis]
Joining us now is Valerie Jarrett, a former senior advisor to President Obama and former chair of the White House Council of Women and Girls. She will be headlining the United States of Women's Summit tomorrow.
VALERIE JARRETT: Thank you, Alisyn, it's a pleasure to be with you. We're so excited about the summit this weekend in L.A.
CAMEROTA: I’m going to ask you about that in one second, but the breaking news that we just had moments ago were the new job numbers, the lowest in anybody's memory, 3.9 percent unemployment rate. It's been 15 months of Donald Trump's presidency. Do you give him credit for that?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump White House; Unemployment Rate Falls to 3.9%, Lowest Since 2000]
JARRETT: Look, I think we have to look at it over a longer horizon than that. If you think about what the economy was like when President Obama took office and we were losing 750,000 jobs a month and under his watch, the unemployment rate dropped in half and it's encouraging to see that we're continuing to make progress. We want to see wages go up and I think that's an important focus and I was glad to see you talk about that too. So for workers out there who are back to work today, I think it's very encouraging.
CAMEROTA: Okay, so before we get to what we're seeing this week from the White House between Rudy Giuliani and the President and Sarah Sanders, et cetera, I do want to talk about what you're doing tomorrow and that's headlining this U.S. — this United States of women summit. What is your message to women at this moment, I mean, particularly this Me Too moment and everything else that's happening?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Developments; United State of Women Summit in L.A. This Weekend]
JARRETT: Well, Alisyn, what we're seeing all across the country is an enormous amount of energy and passion and our goal for this summit is to help turn that into action. You're right, you mentioned Me Too and Time’s Up. We have the young students from Parkland. We have the advocates for dreamers. We have so many young people and women in particular who are running for office. According to the Center for American Politics, Women in Politics, over 500 women now want to run for Congress and countless others in other offices and so what we really want to do is to give women the tool kit that they need to empower them to be forces for good and to fight for equity in their own communities and we're going to put the spotlight on what is working and so much is working. There are so many extraordinary women who are fighting on behalf of equity every single day. Let's share that wealth and encourage others to do the same.
CAMEROTA: I know that you're speaking on a panel about the path for women in politics and it's fascinating to hear the spike of interest of women who are engaged now. Do you think that in this climate with Donald Trump as President, the path for women has gotten easier or harder?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Trump White House; White House Faces Major Credibility Crisis]
JARRETT: Look, it's always hard in politics. It's a tough sport and I have enjoyed spending half of my career in public service, but running for office is very difficult, but then there are groups like Run for Something, run by a young woman by Amanda Litman and she's helping people run for office, matching funds, giving them the tools, if they need, to understand how to do it and as I travel around the country, what I've heard is people who are now understand as citizens we have to all engage. That's good news.
CAMEROTA: So, Valerie, when you watch what's happened, let's just say this week, okay? Coming out of the White House with Rudy Giuliani changing the narrative saying that President Trump did actually reimburse Michael Cohen, his long-time fixer, for this hush money to Stormy Daniels and everything else that's happened this week, what goes through your head?
JARRETT: Well, it's impossible to keep up with all the twists and turns and I guess what I would say to you is this, Alisyn and Chris Cuomo mentioned it at the top of the hour, credibility and for the President that I had the pleasure of serving, president Obama there was just nothing more important than his credibility, his honesty, his directness and his transparency with you in the press and, of course, the American people and his own team. And he spent a lot of time and energy and focus on you and not on himself and thinking about what could we do to make our country strong, vibrant, grow our economy, make sure everybody gets a fair shot. And as a result of doing that in his first term, he was re-elected for a second term and so that's the basis of comparison I have.
CAMEROTA: And but when you hear people like Rudy Giuliani calling the agents who went into Michael Cohen's apartment and office “Storm Troopers,” and all of the things that the President has said about the witch hunt of Robert Mueller's investigation, that's what the President calls it, do you think this is a moment in time that will pass or do you worry that there's some sort of lasting damage to institutions?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: New Developments; Effect of Trump Attacks on American Institutions]
JARRETT: I have a lot of confidence in the strength and resiliency of our democracy, and I think that for those who are out there who are frustrated, they should think about what President Obama said when he left office, which is the most important office is that of citizen. We all have the opportunity with midterm elections coming to get out and vote, to make our voices heard, to encourage people who we have confidence in to run for office. I mean one terrific person, Stacy Abrams, is running for Governor down in Georgia. She's terrific. My former staff member, Buffy Hicks is running for — Buffy Hicks is running for assembly out in California. There are countless women around the country and men for whom we should support who share our values and so I don't think we should give up on our democracy. It has withstood a lot of stress tests in the past and I am confident that we will come out stronger if people get out and let their voices be heard and that's a big part of tomorrow is to help people understand how they can make an impact in their own communities, how they can be forces for good.
CAMEROTA: Former senior advisor to President Obama, Valerie Jarrett, thanks so much. Always great to get your perspective —
JARRETT: You're welcome.
CAMEROTA: — on all of this.
JARRETT: Thank you, Alisyn.
