About that unusually tense interview between Stephanopoulos, Trump aide
George Stephanopoulos‘ “Good Morning America” interview with White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Monday is an instant milestone in the hostile relationship between the Trump administration and the media. In the discussion about President Donald Trump‘s weekend accusations — offered without proof — that former President Obama ordered Trump’s New York home wiretapped, Stephanopoulos repeatedly interrupted and stopped Sanders when he felt she veered from the truth. It was a crackling exchange unusual for the generally happy terrain of network morning television, and made Stephanopoulos a hero or villain depending on whose social media feed is followed. It was also the second time in a month that the ABC anchor had a notably sharp interview with a Trump administration official. On “This Week” last month, he repeatedly pressed Trump aide Stephen Miller for evidence to back up the claim that there was massive voter fraud in the election. Sanders was also interviewed on NBC’s “Today” show on Monday, while “CBS This Morning” turned down the White House’s offer to have her on. Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” brought presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway on to speak about Trump’s allegations, less than a day after White House press secretary Sean Spicer said there would be no further comment on the issue. It wasn’t clear what changed the administration’s strategy. Stephanopoulos began his interview by asking Sanders whether Trump accepted reports that FBI director James Comey had denied there was any wiretapping of Trump. Sanders said she didn’t believe he did, and started talking about wiretapping reports in other media outlets. “Sarah, I have got to stop you right there,” Stephanopoulos said. The stories she cited did not back up the president’s claims, he said. “What is the president’s evidence?” he asked. Sanders said there was “wide reporting” suggesting that the administration could have ordered wiretapping. Stephanopoulos stopped her to note there was a report of a court-ordered wiretapping, although James Clapper, former director of national intelligence under Obama, had denied that. Stephanopoulos stopped Sanders again when she noted that the unsubstantiated report of a wiretapping order came under the Obama administration and that “all we’re asking is that Congress be allowed to do its job.” “Hold on a second,” he said. “There is a world of difference between a wiretap ordered by a president and a court-ordered wiretap by a federal judge.” Noting that Obama’s representatives, Comey and Clapper had all said there was no wiretapping, Stephanopoulos asked, “is the president calling all three of these people liars?” Sanders said that he wasn’t, but that it was a matter for congressional investigators to look into. She said she considered it a double standard that the media does not believe Trump when he says nothing untoward had happened between him and Russia, while reporters accept denials by the Obama administration on the wiretap accusation. “If the president walked across the Potomac, the media would be reporting that he could not swim,” she said. The interview illustrated the difficulties the media faces in trying to report on the president’s unsubstantiated tweets. There was a furious debate on the “Good Morning America” Facebook page on Monday afternoon between people who cheered the host, a one-time adviser to President Bill Clinton, for calling out untruths, and others who believed he was rude — even suggesting they would boycott ABC’s morning show because they were disgusted by the interview. Many of Trump’s supporters are angered by aggressive questioning because they believe the media did not ask similar tough questions of the Obama administration, said Tim Graham of the Media Research Center, a conservative media watchdog. “You have no right to tell us what the truth is,” Graham said. At the same time, reporters face pressure from Trump opponents who give no quarter, as witnessed by last week’s backlash against television analysts who suggested Trump gave an effective speech before Congress. There are also some who believe the wiretap accusation itself is a way to distract people from the story about Russia, and the media effectively supports the strategy by reporting it. Stephanopoulos said after the interview that his job is to elicit as much clarity as possible, and he believed his interview was an important opportunity to get the Trump administration on the record on these issues. “If I hear something that I know to be untrue, then I think it’s my responsibility to point that out,” he said. Sanders’ interview on “Today” was more peaceful, but still had some tense moments. Savannah Guthrie interrupted Sanders to ask a second time when she wouldn’t answer her question about whether the president had made his accusations solely after seeing media reports. She said she didn’t know. Sanders later repeated the same line about the Potomac River. Conway was given more time to talk on “Fox & Friends,” although she did face pushback on whether Trump associates who had conversations with Russian officials had hurt the president. She drew laughs when she said she wished she had $50 for every time Russia was mentioned in the news. “A drinking game,” one of the Fox anchors joked off-screen. Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
The week ahead for the U.S. House and Senate – Dec. 5-9, 2016
As President-elect Donald Trump continues to fill top positions in his cabinet this week, lawmakers look to begin wrapping up their legislative year by passing a stopgap spending bill in order keep the government running into 2017. Here’s what both chambers are working on this week: U.S. House of Representatives On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives is in session and will consider several bills under Suspension of the Rules. A full list of bills can be found here. On Tuesday, the House is expected to continue with the consideration of several suspension bills. For the balance of the week, the House is expected to consider the following: H.R. 5143: Transparent Insurance Standards Act. The bill prohibits the United States from agreeing to any international insurance standards unless the government first publicly publishes the proposal, seeks public comment and reports to Congress on the impact of those standards on U.S. markets and consumers. It also prohibits the adoption of any international insurance capital standards until after the Federal Reserve issues domestic capital standards for insurance companies. Alabama co-sponsor(s): None WRDA: Negotiators from the House and Senate are expected to reach an agreement on a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA; “wurd-uh”). Generally speaking, a WRDA is legislation that authorizes new water projects for construction by the Army Corps of Engineers. This final WRDA may also be the vehicle to help provide aid to Flint, Mich., whose drinking water system has been contaminated by lead. The bill would likely contain an authorization for that aid and actual funding may be packaged as part of the continuing resolution (CR) that the House will also consider this week. Alabama co-sponsor(s): N/A FY2017 CR: The House is expected to consider a continuing resolution (CR) that will extend current federal funding until sometime after March 2017. The final timeline of the CR is still being determined. Alabama co-sponsor(s): N/A The Senate is in session this week and expected to consider both the 21st Century Cures package and the NDAA that passed the House last week. The Senate will also likely consider both WRDA and the FY2017 CR after House consideration. U.S. Senate The Senate is in session this week and expected to consider both the 21st Century Cures package and the NDAA that passed the House last week. The Senate will also likely consider both WRDA and the FY2017 CR following House consideration.
Officials dismiss Donald Trump’s assertions about NFL and debates
Both the NFL and the Commission on Presidential Debates are rejecting Republican Donald Trump‘s assertions about the fall debates, which the billionaire businessman says have been rigged by his opponents to draw a smaller audience by scheduling two of them at the same time as a football game. Trump began by making an accusation in a tweet posted Friday night: “As usual, Hillary & the Dems are trying to rig the debates so 2 are up against major NFL games. Same as last time w/ Bernie. Unacceptable!” Trump expanded his conspiracy theory when asked about the debates during an interview for Sunday’s “This Week” on ABC: “Well, I’ll tell you what I don’t like. It’s against two NFL games. I got a letter from the NFL saying, ‘This is ridiculous. Why are the debates against’ – ’cause the NFL doesn’t wanna go against the debates. ‘Cause the debates are gonna be pretty massive, from what I understand, OK?” Asked about Trump’s assertion, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy tweeted on Saturday: “While we’d obviously wish the Debate Commission could find another night, we did not send a letter to Mr Trump.” A Trump aide said Saturday that the Republican candidate “was made aware of the conflicting dates by a source close to the league.” The aide was not authorized to speak by name and requested anonymity. The nonpartisan, independent presidential debate commission serves as the event sponsor and sets the participation criteria, dates, sites and formats. The sites and dates for three presidential debates were announced in September 2015. “The CPD did not consult with any political parties or campaigns in making these decisions,” the commission said in a statement issued Saturday. Two of the three debates will be televised at the same time as an NFL game. On Sept. 26, the night of the first debate, ESPN will carry the Monday night game featuring the Falcons vs. the Saints. On Oct. 9, the second debate will air opposite the Sunday night game featuring the Giants vs. the Packers on NBC. The Democratic Party was criticized during the primary race for scheduling debates between Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday nights and holiday weekends, times when viewership is low. The Sanders campaign suggested that was an effort to limit the size of the audience. Trump told ABC: “You know, Hillary Clinton wants to be against the NFL. She doesn’t – maybe like she did with Bernie Sanders, where they were on Saturday nights when nobody’s home.” The Clinton campaign did not comment on Trump’s assertions. In the ABC interview, Trump said three debates were “fine” and that he’d rather have three than one. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows
Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows: ABC’s “This Week” — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump; Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders; Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; Defense Secretary Ash Carter. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Trump, Sanders; Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina; Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Trump; Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson; Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. ___ CNN’s “State of the Union” — Trump; Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul. ___ “Fox News Sunday” — Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows
Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows: ABC’s “This Week” — Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders; Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson; Reps. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., and Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii. ___ NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz; Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Mike Pompeo, R-Kansas. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Reps. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., and Elijah Cummings, D-Md. ___ CNN’s “State of the Union” — 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. ___ “Fox News Sunday” — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
George Stephanopoulos will not moderate Republican debate
ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos won’t moderate a Republican presidential debate next winter, part of the fallout from reports that the network’s top political anchor contributed $75,000 over a three-year period to the Clinton Foundation. Stephanopoulos voluntarily stepped away from the Feb. 6 debate, ABC News spokeswoman Heather Riley said Thursday. It is one of nine debates sanctioned by the Republican National Committee. The co-host of Good Morning America and host of the Sunday morning public affairs program This Week earlier had apologized for not disclosing his contributions to his employer and viewers. The three donations of $25,000 each in 2012, 2013 and 2014 were made to the foundation set up by former President Bill Clinton because of the organization’s work on global AIDS prevention and deforestation, Stephanopoulos said. The network news division said in a statement that “we stand behind him.” Some Republicans have harbored long suspicions about Stephanopoulos because of his past life as a top aide to Clinton during his 1992 presidential campaign and in the White House afterward. Stephanopoulos joined ABC News in 1997, and Riley said the proof of his objectivity as a reporter “is in his work” over 18 years. With Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, running for the Democratic presidential nomination, the issues have been revived for ABC News. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican running for president, told The New York Times that because Stephanopoulos has been close to the Clintons, “that there would be a conflict of interest if he tried to be a moderator of any sort.” The donations to the Clinton foundation were first reported in Politico as $50,000. But in checking back in his records, Stephanopoulos found an additional $25,000 donation in 2012, Riley said. Stephanopoulos has reported on Peter Schweizer‘s book, Clinton Cash, which traces the public involvement of organizations that have donated to the Clinton Foundation. Stephanopoulos interviewed Schweizer on “This Week.” The news anchor said that he thought his contributions were a matter of public record. “However, in hindsight, I should have taken the extra step of personally disclosing my donations to my employer and to the viewers on the air during the recent news stories about the foundation,” he said. “I apologize.” ABC News, in a statement, agreed that Stephanopoulos was wrong not to notify his bosses and viewers but called it an honest mistake. Besides his regular work on the two programs, Stephanopoulos is ABC News’ chief anchor during major breaking stories and on election nights. Republished with permission from The Associated Press.
