It was a 20-minute bout worthy of a heavyweight boxing title match — CNN host Brian Stelter vs. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway.
Stelter and Conway left each other bloodied and bruised on Sunday morning’s “Reliable Sources” show.
The former Trump campaign manager, 50, did most of the dodging and weaving amid parries by Stelter, 32, in a 4,700-word exchange:
Stelter: “Given President Trump’s historically low approval ratings, what specific steps are you and your colleagues taking to try to repair Trump’s credibility?”
Conway: “Let me tell you about the numbers that matter to America,” like the “1.5 million jobs created on his watch.”
Stelter: “I think viewers see what you’re doing, pivoting. When I say Russia, you say Clinton. It’s part of the strategy. Would you agree?”
Conway: “I’d be happy to never talk about the 2016 election again.”
Stelter: “The deadline to file his federal tax return was October 18. Do you know if [Trump] has filed his tax returns?”
Conway: “Do you know what it might look like in the future? A postcard or a–“
Stelter: “That’s a great pivot and I respect the pivot, but why will he not release this year’s tax return?”
Conway: “I think Americans want to know about the tax cuts.”
Here’s how some of the judges scored it:
#SundayMorning
Didja See Kellyanne Conway
Serve An Order Of Humble Pie
To #FakeNews CNN’s Brian Stelter? pic.twitter.com/bEBRBGG6VP— AliceInTwitt€rLand???? (@American1765) November 5, 2017
Brian Stelter to Kellyanne Conway: You are spreading misinformation on my program. pic.twitter.com/xnBmSOueye
— Dani Bostick (@danibostick) November 5, 2017
#KellyanneConway literally destroyed #CNN #BrianStelter during interview while he used #creepysmile —> https://t.co/Caq5uSwWrM
— ????Wayne Dupree (@WayneDupreeShow) November 6, 2017
More Bad Journalism
Why did CNN’s Brian Stelter subject us to habitual liar Kellyanne Conway today? Nothing was gained. Nothing was learned.— TRB Jones (@TrbLind) November 5, 2017
I just watched Brian Stelter eat Kelly Ann CONway for Breakfast, spit her out, and feed her to the Dogs!
He brought up Alternative Facts.???? pic.twitter.com/0Rs70B6rvk— Donna Jergentz (@DJergentz) November 5, 2017
Stelter’s defense for hosting Conway:
I’m still catching heat for interviewing Conway yesterday. My 2¢: Non-answers are better than no interview at all. Govt should be accessible https://t.co/oV0kQ2XsaC
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) November 6, 2017