On Thursday First Lady Melania Trump shocked just about everyone with a nearly six-minute statement to the media at the White House, where she denounced what she called, "Lies linking me to Jeffrey Epstein," calling them "mean-spirited and attempts to defame my reputation," and also calling for Congress to hold hearings with Epstein's victims. Of course the left wing media almost immediately started questioning her motives for the announcement, while misrepresenting what she said, as was the case on CNN's The Arena: Saturday.
CNN host Kasie Hunt and her panel either did not know about, or purposely left important context out of the segment. In July of last year, Michael Wolff -- the author of several trashy anti-Trump books that CNN celebrated in Trump's first term -- claimed that Melania Trump was involved in Epstein's social circle before her marriage to Donald Trump, and that's how she met her future husband. A month later, Hunter Biden also claimed that the couple met via Epstein connections. In September, Melania's lawyers had stepped in and there were several retractions of that story as a result. Last October, Wolff sued Melania, over her alleged threat to sue him over his claims.
Not only was none of the above mentioned on The Arena, but Hunt also left out the very reveling opening words of Trump's statement when playing a clip.
MELANIA CLIP: I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell.... . I am not Epstein's victim Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump....I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity.
Trump's missing first few words made very clear why she felt the need to speak out. "The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation."
After choosing not to provide Trump's clear explanation, Hunt speculated on why she chose now to speak out, and then played a Fox News clip from the First Lady's senior advisor, Marc Beckman.
BECKMAN CLIP: Enough is enough. This has been ongoing and it's time for the public to refocus their attention on what achievements our first lady has done. She's helping people over and over again. We want to focus the attention on her good work and what she's accomplished as First Lady of the United States.
CNN legal analyst Elliot Williams was then asked to weigh in, and seemingly did not grasp what Beckman had just said. He just played up the "huge political vulnerability" for Trump.
WILLIAMS: Now, what's remarkable here is the First Lady's advisor there saying enough is enough. Now, trafficking victims, survivors, sex assault victims are probably the one constituency in America that no one has an appetite for saying enough is enough around their handling. So the idea that they thought this was a good idea to send him out there to try to clear the First Lady's name, is even compounding the issue even worse.
Beckman was obviously talking about the accusations against Melania when he said enough is enough, not about the victims of Epstein. In fact Trump called for Congressional hearings with the victims, to take place. But the most bizarre analysis was yet to come from CNN contributor Xochitl Hinojosa.
HINOJOSA: If you're trying to get ahead of something like a story or a book or something, of shoe is going to drop, that is going to be pretty bad for Melania Trump. You have now just given that story even more oxygen, and you have given that story even more credibility as the First Lady is coming out.
What is the logic behind saying that? If Trump is aware of a false accusation or story on the horizon, how can a fair and impartial person interpret a blanket denial in advance as anything other than being forthright and exhibiting confidence in her innocence? But it's CNN, and they want to imply that professions of innocence equal guilt, and that professing your innocence only makes everything worse for you. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
