RUSH: It’s freak-out time at CNN. Get this: Apparently the White House had a press briefing this afternoon, a gaggle, and they denied entry to CNN, The Politico, the New York Times and the LA Times. They all showed up for the gaggle and the White House said, “Sorry, you’re not on the list today; you don’t get in,” and they had a freak-out on CNN.

ANNOUNCER: (dramatic music) This is CNN breaking news!

BROOKE BALDWIN: Breaking news here in CNN! I’m Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me. The breaking news is the fact that we have just learned here at CNN that CNN has been blocked from a White House gaggle. Why aren’t we there?

SARA MURRAY: That is a great question, Brooke. We lined up. Uh, we were told there was a list ahead of time, which is sort of abnormal. But we put our name on the list and then when we went to enter, uh, I was blocked by a White House staffer who said we were not on the list.

LITTLE BRIAN STELTER: (breathless) It’s a very troubling first step that we’re seeing from this administration!

JEFF ZELENY: This is just, uh, something that is, you know, the continuation of what this Trump presidency, this Trump administration, how it views the media.

RUSH: It sees the media 20/20! It sees you guy in clear sight. You guys at CNN were disgraceful today with this story that you’ve been running since last night on the White House supposedly ordering the FBI to tell the media to tamp down something. Even CNN is now finally getting around to reporting that the White House is denying they did anything that CNN said. This is what happened starting last night with this headline: “FBI Refused White House Request to Knock Down Recent Trump-Russia Stories.”

Reince Priebus is minding his own business. The FBI guy comes up and says (paraphrased exchange), “Reince, the New York Times story about Trump and the election and the Russians, we know there’s nothing to it. It’s inaccurate.” Reince Priebus is minding his own business and hears this from the FBI guy — second in command, McCabe — tells him this. Priebus says, “What do I do with this?” McCabe says, “I don’t know. We’ve got to think about it. Call me back.” So Priebus calls him back, and then somebody tells the media that Priebus called McCabe — and that’s how the story began: White House called FBI asking them to tamp down stories!

It’s one of the biggest examples of media malpractice that I have seen since Trump was inaugurated. The headline to this story… You know what the headline to the story should be? “FBI Confirms New York Times Story on Trump and Russia Is Inaccurate.” That’s the news! And CNN even admits that that’s part of the story. They ignored that and tried to make this about Priebus calling the FBI asking them to tell the media… When the story is that everything the media has been saying about Trump and Russia, the FBI can’t confirm it’s inaccurate, and they told the White House on Tuesday or Wednesday, whenever it happened this week.

So Trump starts ragging on the media. Grab media site number one, calling the fake news “the enemy of the people.”

THE PRESIDENT: In covering my comments, the dishonest media did not explain that I called the fake news “the enemy of the people.” The fake news! They dropped off the word “fake” and all of a sudden the story became the media is the enemy. They take the word “fake” out, and now I’m saying: “Oh no, this is no good.”

CROWD: (laughter)

THE PRESIDENT: But that’s the way they are. So I’m not against the media. I’m not against the press. I don’t mind bad stories if I deserve ’em. And I tell you, I love good stories. But we won’t —

CROWD: (applause)

THE PRESIDENT: I don’t get too many of them. But I am only against the fake news media or press. Fake. Fake!

RUSH: “Fake. Fake!” He’s never said it is all fake. He’s identified CNN. “No, you’re fake news. No question. No, you’re fake news. No question.” So, there’s a press gaggle this afternoon. I don’t know what the gaggle is. It’s not a formal White House press briefing, or maybe it is. But they’re calling it a gaggle. (chuckles) The White House refused entry to fake news CNN, fake news New York Times, fake news Politico, and fake news LA Times. (interruption) Snerdley is loving this. (chuckling) Snerdley — and of course the New York Times: “This is the first step! This is the first step to tyranny. This is how it happens, Brooke! This is how it happens! This is exactly what Hitler did, you know?”

No, the first thing that Hitler did was national health care, Little Brian.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Well, this is funny. I guess John Kasich just met with Trump in there, and he came out. He was at the microphones. And it was clear that the Drive-Bys wanted him to dump all over Trump because that’s what he did in the campaign. He said (paraphrased), “No, it’s time to get constructive. I stand up for what I believe but it’s time to get constructive. Look, when you’re on an airplane, you kind of root for the pilot, right? So it’s time for us to come together.” The media is disappointed again. (chuckling) They’re already out of their gourds for being denied entry. And I am told that elements of Twitter are literally melting that the White House has gotten rid of the First Amendment! (laughing) The White House threw the First Amendment away today by not letting CNN into the gaggle! So Ari Fleischer is tweeting that everybody should calm down, calm down. I mean, White House staff and presidents meet often with who they want. Just calm down!

Oh, this is… What a day!

Related Links
CNNMoney: White House Blocks News Organizations from Press Briefing

        

                                

                                «Seattle Teacher Surrounded by Sea of Safety Pins
                        
                                        

                        Rush 24/7 Morning Update: Make Them Stop»