In a segment on Trump calling the news media “dishonest,” Don Lemon defended his network against charges that any of its journalists might be in cahoots with the Clinton campaign. He said:
“I work for this network and I think this sets the standard for integrity and nothing like that would ever happen at this news organization and probably not at most.”
Lemon was firing back at former campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski, who was citing examples of WikiLeaks hacked emails showing coordination between journalists and the Clinton campaign. It was at this point that Scottie Nell Hughes, chimed in with a delicate, reference to Donna Brazile (Ex-CNN contributor and current Interim DNC Chair)
He said:
“Didn’t we hear about the questions being leaked by one of our contributors to the Hillary Clinton campaign?”
The allegation is that Donna Brazile leaked a town hall question to the Clinton campaign before the first presidential debate. Brazile, who was immediately fired by CNN, claimed that her emails were doctored.
During the live TV program, Hughes’s insinuation sparked a wave of denials:
“No, that’s not true. Nothing was leaked by one of our contributors to anyone. That is something that you would like to spin. That did not happen.” “That came from WikiLeaks,” replied Hughes, doubling down.
Charles Blow almost blew up on live TV, but could only express his disbelief at Hughes.
“This idea that we come on and say things that are not true…” Blow stammered, before face-palming.
Hughes’s comment sparked the fire in Angela Rye, another CNN talking head and former general counsel to the Congressional Black Caucus. She said:
“Time out, Don!” Rye exploded. “Because I’m gonna defend… we’re talking about Donna Brazile… (Hughes denies saying her name)… I’m gonna say her name.”
Rye brought her hands together and reiterated:
“We’re talking about Donna Brazile. Someone who has blazed a trail for many of us and busted the doors wide open…” Let’s take a look at a few ways Donna Brazile has “blazed a trail”:
When she was forced to resign from the Dukakis campaign in 1988 for spreading a rumor that George H.W. Bush had an extramarital affair.
As was shown in a WikiLeaks email, she conspired against Bernie Sanders by leaking a question to the Hillary campaign ahead of a townhall.
Despite claiming to be neutral in public, Brazile showed repeated hostility to the Sanders campaign behind the scenes at the DNC, even saying, “I will cuss out the Sanders camp!”
It continued to get hot on CNN, as Rye shouted down Hughes’ attempt to rebut:
“I am not done, I am not done!” she exclaimed, clapping. “I am not done! Let me finish.” But Don Lemon had to stop her.
He said:
“I have to say this and I have to go. CNN does not provide Donna Brazile with anything. Donna Brazile is not in on any debate anything. You should read your facts [sic] because they’re wrong… You have an obligation… because you do work for CNN, you’re getting paid by CNN to tell the truth. That’s not the truth.”
