While CNN and others in the media belatedly expressed anger and shock over former CNN contributor Donna Brazile secretly feeding questions to the Clinton campaign for CNN debates, the interim chair of the Democratic National Committee is entirely unapologetic and, if anything, seems to regret only that she got caught if a recent interview is any indication. CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker called Brazile’s actions “disgusting” but Brazile is claiming that she would do it again.
There are now three troubling levels to this story. First, CNN maintained throughout the primary that Brazile (who was well known as a supporter of Hillary Clinton) was a “neutral” commentator. It was a facially ridiculous claim for anyone familiar with Washington. Second, Brazile then alleged passed along questions to Clinton in what would be a deeply unethical act. Third, Brazile then said that the emails were not real and that she could prove it.
After claiming that she was being “persecuted” and then claiming that the emails were altered, Brazile is now insisting that breaking the ethical rules at CNN was the right thing to do: “My conscience — as an activist, a strategist — is very clear.” Really, because CNN thought its rules (and made to the public and its profession) were equally clear. Indeed, Brazile would repeat (implausibly) every night how she was independent and not a supporter of Clinton.
Brazile now says that it was right and proper to secretly shared questions with just one candidate: “You’re doggone right I’m gonna talk to everybody. Joe, I will never go out on TV or go on radio without the facts. I will ask, I will submit things, I will circulate things, and guess what, I also enjoy the exchange that I have with my colleagues.” Of course, this was not her colleagues. Her colleagues in that capacity were commentators and journalists, not Clinton campaign staffers.
As with her earlier bizarre interview with Megyn Kelly, Brazile seemed to flip rationales and return to the entirely unsupported claim that the emails were altered. First, here is the Kelly interview:
Now Brazile insists: “Had the Republican National Committee been hacked, had the Republican Party’s emails and other assistants been altered and hacked, the country would be in selective outrage if they found out this was from a foreign source.”
As discussed earlier, the media has conspicuously declined to confirm the truth of Brazile’s claim of alteration and have bizarrely not pursued the recipient of the emails, campaign adviser Jennifer Palmieri who is readily available to the media. Of course, no one is asking Brazile to show the original, which she said that she kept. All of that would confirm whether Brazile is the victim of a fraud or repeatedly lying to the media. That would seem to be major story for the acting head of the DNC but there is just crickets in the aftermath of these interviews. The media has also dropped the question of who gave Brazile the questions. CNN simply says that it completed an investigation and cleared everyone.
The actions of Brazile may have been described as “disgusting” and “unethical” but there appears little interest in confirming the underlying facts.
The GOP may have gotten their nominee elected but they are by no stretch of the imagination in the clear. They shouldn’t take this victory as a license to abuse the rule of law. If we can unite this country on one thing it should be to hold ALL public servants to their oaths of office.
Olly, I don’t think the GOP got Trump elected – especially as he threatened the status quo – it was the people. And, yes, we will all hold Trump accountable. I hope he will help get rid of the deadwood on the Hill – starting with Graham.
Autumn,
Obviously the people had to vote but their vote was for the GOP nominee. Trump was the bull in the GOP china shop; he went through THEIR process to get nominated and then elected. We’ll never know how far Trump would have gone without the GOP label but at this point it really doesn’t matter.
Olly, very true and as many “alt/left'” journalists have acknowledged – the GOP was way more honest – they did not resort to nefarious means to block him unlike the DNC and Sanders.
There is only one move that will predict whether or not the next four years will create a disaster or a catastrophe, Trump appointing Palin to an important post. Perhaps Secretary of Geography.
issac,
I don’t care if you make fun of Trump but what I do see in your posts is exactly what has been wrong in the Democratic party for the last 8 years (at least). You are unable to come to terms with the lying, pompous, corrupt idiots that you vote for and support with your money, time and voice. You can’t even make a joke about Donna, For crying out loud, she claimed she was persecuted like the early Christians under Rome! She’s saying all sorts of ridiculous things here that ought to end up on a late night comedy show.
If you want to make our society better than you will need to be able to criticize people who are in the Democratic “leadership” as well as Trump. You will have more fun and be helping to make a just society.
Again, she is a good woman of fine character, who would never stoop to the low level of political hackery.
B Obama has repeatedly said the Republican party is dead. Only now, the Democrats lost this election by about 60 electoral votes. One of the largest landslides in the history of the US. And now, is the disinformation blame game. To the losers, who can’t don’t know how to lose, I say Neiner neiner!
Obama abandoned his commitment to “unprecedented” transparency.
Obama has failed on his promise to close GITMO.
Obama failed to end the war in Iraq and finish the job in Afghanistan.
Obama broke his promise to pursue a “tough, smart and principled national security strategy.”
Obama broke his promise not to raise taxes on the middle-class.
Obama failed to grow the middle-class and Americans’ incomes.
Obama broke his promise to allow Americans to keep their plans and lower costs under Obamacare.
Obama failed to make immigration a top priority and pass comprehensive reform in his first year.
Obama failed to “nail shut” the revolving door of lobbyists working in his administration.
Obama broke his promise to bring both parties together to enact a bipartisan agenda.
PROMISE: President Obama: “Let Me Say It As Simply As I Can: Transparency And The Rule Of Law Will Be The Touchstones Of This Presidency.”
PROMISE: President Obama: “My Administration Is Committed To Creating An Unprecedented Level Of Openness In Government.”
OK, It’s OVER. Bye bye.
Isn’t that what they ALL say? Look at the Clinton’s.
Wikileaks exposed the hypocrisy. Here’s the irony, and I predicted this prior to the election. The MSM although attacking Trump and protecting Hillary, HELPED elect Trump. The Dem party and MSM lost in this election. Now, politics are cyclical and the Dem party will recover. The MSM will not.
She is pitiful!!!!
She gives the Democrats a bad name. The whole party should be dismantled and rebuilt from the American people upward. They hierarchy in the party has lost its way (long ago) and no longer represents who they claim to represent. Out damn Clintons, Braziles, Wassermans, Shultzes, and all other entrenched self servers.
Brazile exemplifies all that is wrong with the Democrats. She does not represent any of the black folk I consider friends as they are honest people.
So I went on hubby’s FB last night and thoroughly enjoyed a bout of Schadenfreude as I read post after post from Hilbots in mourning. These same people ignored every email I sent, every conversation and willingly tossed Bernie aside.
Now, apparently some of them are drying their tears and looking to the future. No, not cleaning out the toxic debris and ideology that infests their party “of the people” but talking about Michelle Obama in 2020. A black and a women! Never mind she shilled for the Hill (the biggest turnout for HRC was in NC when she appeared) and is a corporatist like Barak.
Her $300,000+ job at the University of Chicago entailed “patient dumping” – persuading the poor blacks on the South Side to go to community hospitals for care as many were Medicare recipients which cut into profits.
http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2009/03/michelle_obamas_patientdumping_1.html
These people will never, ever learn.
Tulsi Gabbard 2020
Woman of color, vet, integrity, intelligent
This kind of cheating was a real turn off for me.
Of course she would do it again – cheat and then lie about it. That’s the problem.
This is what the “brothers” I played football with used to call “shuckin’ & jivin’ “.
It is very tempting to holler that this is just more of the “I dindu nuffin!” culture, but the fact is, what she did is more in the line of typical Democratic Party standards. How many times before have I said:
That above statement is not just something clever or cute or snarky. It really is the sad reality of things.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I hate that damn line-break crap in Notepad!!! Let’s try Word Perfect!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Great analogy Squeek. Sad, but accurate. Is the Democratic party even redeemable?
I don’t think so. I think maybe the party died when they chose to support Bill Clinton during the perjury days. Or, when they first cynically promoted the whole Great Society crap. Whatever, at some point, the perpetuation of the party began to be significantly more important than any sort of principles, or the country as a whole. Not uncommon. The same thing happened with the Communist Party in Russia.
Today, the Democrats merely exist to gather more power and money for the Democratic leadership, and their cronies.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Memo to new Attorney General. When you drain the swamp don’t forget all the Brazile’s
Brazile knows better, but I suspect she has been around the political scene long enough to have acquired a distorted sense of reality, not to mention a total absence of responsibility. It is far easier to believe a lie than to live with a painful truth. Any credibility she may have had is gone with the wind.
Oh, Hillary, Bill, Chelsea, Brazile, CNN, MSNBC, Obama and all the rest, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.
Donna is pond scum however she has risen to the top of the Democratic Party. What does that say about the Democratic Party?
Nothing near as deplorable as what Trump says about the Republican Party. Braziles are found everywhere and are not unique nor peculiar to one or the other side. What is unique and peculiar to the Trump mob, however, is the incredible level of hatred, lies, and mindless emotional response. Essentially what this election has illustrated is that mob mentality, a sort of bio feedback tapped into by a carnival barker can result in the election of a buffoon to the Presidency of the greatest power on earth. If Trump was simply huckstering to get into office and he does have a working brain then we might be OK for a while. If Trump is as he presented himself then Bush will be reduced to a footnote eclipsed by an even greater fool and his mob.
OMG, but you are a one-track record! If you want to see an ” incredible level of hatred, lies, and mindless emotional response” and a “mob mentality” just look at the anti-Trump protests. I know I tease you a lot about being an idiot, but I am seriously beginning to wonder if you are just going through some sort of age related mental decline, complete with delusional overtones.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
issac – I heard from a Canadian immigation attorney that you would have no trouble emigrating to Canada. However, most of the Hollywood stars who want to move there are going to be surprised. They have strict immigration laws. Something about having a job.
The great Canadian hockey announcer, Don Cherry, said Canada doesn’t want liberal Americans emigrating to Canada.
Nick – I heard they only take Canadians, people married to Canadians, their kids and people with jobs. Some of those people have jobs sometimes, but not enough to make the cut.
I would not underestimate Trump. There is a method to his madness. As a political neophyte, he nearly single-handedly took down two political family dynasties (Jeb Bush in the primary, Clinton in the general). Even the WikiLeaks emails show the Clinton campaign warning not to underestimate Trump. They said he was a marketing genius on the level of Steve Jobs.
Clinton Derangement Syndrome.
Here in a nutshell is a major reason that people voted for Trump.
Ms. Brazil’s arrogance, dishonesty, mendacity,and partisanship is accepted by Washington and the MSM.
That kind of behavior is not acceptable in the rest of the country.
Hear! Hear!
It goes without saying that by accepting the information Brazile provided, Hillary Clinton is no better than the law student who brings a cheat sheet into the exam room. Great example for youth to follow: it’s not unethical until you’re caught, and even then it’s how you frame your excuse after being caught that counts.
Somebody remind The Donald.
It seems that this behavior is rampant in both parties but the mob only sees it happening with their victims. Nobody remembers the shameful actions of Trump. Well get ready cuz for four years we will be ashamed. Unfortunately the mob takes a while to simmer down.
“Well get ready cuz for four years we will be ashamed.”
Issac,
I believe your shame will exceed four years.
Exactly. Sick of liars, dishonesty and corruption. Brazile should be fired and no media should give her an outlet again.
Gotta avoid upsetting the customer base, doncha know. That’s also why WalMart paid Tracy Morgan so much money. If they hadn’t, WalMart’s customer base would shrink fast and greatly.
This is what “swamp people” like Brazile do.
SO- it’s OK to break the rules if your conscience is clear?!
I am a Christian woman and I will not be persecuted!!
not having much of a conscience to guide you in knowing right versus wrong is a telling characteristic of sociopaths
Will the democrat party learn that they no longer are aligned with the people?
Seeing on dailykos more words after they attacked relentless the Bernie supporters and drove us off the site. They became a mouthpiece for the DNC. It is worth even going there to see if there is some worthwhile discussion after months of totally ignoring the place. I joined in 2006 and made over 1,100 comments but didn’t push hard and get banned like many did.
Glenn Greenwald wrote an excellent piece yesterday and was on democracynow.org which can be viewed later on the web if you missed it this morning
Democrats, Trump, and the Ongoing, Dangerous Refusal to Learn the Lesson of Brexit
Have you seen Kos’s drunk tweet?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CxB1fJQWgAA3jTc.jpg