CNN to Trump campaign: No ‘enemies’ ad, thank you very much – Washington Post
President Trump's reelection campaign committee released a new television ad attacking Democrats and the media as "the president's enemies." (Donald Trump)
CNN cannot control President Trumps Twitter impulses, which actuate him to retweet a meme of CNN getting pounded at a wrestling event or being overwhelmed by the Trump train. Nor can CNN control Trumps imprudent outbursts, like the way he told CNN correspondent Jim Acosta on Monday at the White House, I like real news, not fake news, you are fake news.
CNN, however, can indeed control the advertisements that are sent over its airwaves.
And its not going to traffic in a promotion from the Trump presidential campaign that features a rather typical bit of media-bashing. The theme of the ad is Let President Trump Do His Job, and it inventories alleged triumphs of his young presidency. Then it flashes a screen populated by head shots of mainstream-media figures, including ABC Newss George Stephanopoulos, CNNs Gloria Borger, CNNs Anderson Cooper, CNNs Don Lemon, MSNBCs Rachel Maddow, MSNBCs Mika Brzezinski, MSNBCs Joe Scarborough and others set against this audio: The presidents enemies dont want him to succeed, but Americans are saying, Let President Trump do his job.'
So: Not only does the ad recycle a Trump slander that the media is the enemy; it also suggests that media figures arent even Americans.
In a statement released Tuesday, Michael S. Glassner, executive director of Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., issued a statement regarding CNNs treatment of the ad: Today, CNN provided further proof that the network earns this mistrust every day by censoring President Trumps message to the American people by blocking our paid campaign ad. Clearly, the only viewpoint CNN allows on air is CNNS, notes the statement. The ad highlights President Trumps many achievements despite the media attacking our President and career politicians standing in his way. While CNNs censorship is predictable, this will not stop or deny our message that President Trumps plan is working for the American people.
Asked about the Glassner statement, a CNN source indicated that the network didnt, in fact, reject the ad. Rather, the network says it asked for some changes, which the campaign requested in writing. Before it received those requested changes, says a CNN source, the campaign issued its statement.
Barbara Levin, a CNN spokeswoman, issued this statement on the changes: CNN would accept the ad if the images of reporters and anchors are removed. Anchors and reporters dont have enemies, as the ad states, but they do hold those in power accountable across the political spectrum and aggressively challenge false and misleading statements and investigate wrong-doing.
Could it be that the Trump campaign people delight in prompting CNNs ad-redaction sensibilities? Maybe so after all, a similar scenario played out in May, when the campaign was promoting an ad that called the media fake news. CNN wasnt having it.
CNN and other broadcasters reserve the prerogative to kill ads that violate their standards or that attempt to humiliate an organization of nearly 4,000 news professionals.
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CNN to Trump campaign: No 'enemies' ad, thank you very much - Washington Post