Posted on 02/17/2017 9:11:17 AM PST by markomalley
April Ryan, White House correspondent for American Urban Radio Networks, protested that she’s an old-fashioned reporter Thursday after President Donald Trump suggested that she could set up a meeting between himself and the Congressional Black Caucus.
“No, no, no,” she said during the president’s news conference. “I’m just a reporter.”
Interviewed later by CNN’s Brooke Baldwin, Ryan doubled down on the narrative.
“I’m from the old school where we just report,” she said. “I’m not supposed to be the news.”
And she tweeted: “I am a journalist not a convener! But thank you for answering my questions.”
The veteran Washington journalist, however, appeared to a bit more than a chronicler of current events during last year’s presidential campaign. Emails pilfered from Clinton campaign Chairman John Podesta’s email account and published in the fall by WikiLeaks suggest a rather chummy relationship between Ryan and the Clinton camp.
At one point, she even suggested a meeting with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“FYI I also just talked with Marcia Fudge and Sheila Jackson Lee,” she wrote on April 18, 2015, referring to representatives from Ohio and Texas, respectively. “Also, Lets make the black reporters meeting happen asap.”
The email was a followup to a request Ryan made earlier that day for Clinton to meet with black reporters. The subject line read, "Hillary Clinton needs to sit down with black reporters fast. Her efforts in the black community are not resonating."
Ryan wrote: "I would love to be a part of this sit down hopefully in DC."
Ryan was one of a number of journalists invited to an off-the-record dinner at Podesta's home days before Clinton announced her candidacy. The following day, Ryan apologized to Podesta for missing the dinner and asked if Clinton showed up.
"No, but the food made up for it," he answered.
Replied Ryan: "Sounds great. I am going on MSNBC hardball is there anything I should say about Hillary Clinton on the show!"
On April 18, 2015, Ryan asked for help in preparation for her upcoming appearance on "Face the Nation."
Ryan also doled out generous portions of praise for Clinton. She sent an email to Clinton Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri about Clinton's appearance on "Saturday Night Live" in October 2015 in which the Democratic candidate played a bartender named Val while cast member Kate McKinnon impersonated her.
"She dropped the mic tonight!" Ryan wrote in the subject line, adding, "That means she was great!!!! So you may have to keep Val up a bit in a fun kind of way. Very cool!"
A week later, Ryan also wished Clinton good fortune for her upcoming Democratic primary debate.
"BTW, good luck Tuesday," she wrote. "No, Kick Some But Tuesdayt!!!!!"
But even if WikiLeaks had not exposed Ryan's private communications, there is evidence in the public record about her political sympathies. In a September 2015 "Hardball" appearance, Ryan gushed about Clinton.
"You would see a very easy-going woman who would laugh," she said. "A woman who is a woman. You would see a lot of that, I guess like you said, sister to sister come through."
ping
If Trump had this presser carefully organized ahead of time--like who he was going to call upon--he could have Sean Spicer prep him on likely questions and forearm him with background info on those to be chosen.
In that case, it's likely that Trump knew of April Ryan's having arranged meetings for Democrats.
“FYI I also just talked with Marcia Fudge...”
I’m guessing it wasn’t white chocolate.
And I see what you did there. Lewis Carrol has long been suspected. Of pedophilia.
Mike Pence says that Trump is very strategic but gives off an appearance of haphazardness.
Yes, 'just a reporter'... We can assume with 100% accuracy that this revelation will NOT come up on "morning joe'...
Quelle Surprise!
Not just that, she offered to arrange meetings with CBC and Hillary, but now she says she doesn’t arrange meetings (at least not for Trump).
She is smart enough to know when certain lights come on the run and hide.
LOL. She DOES have that ‘lizard’ look.
ping
Very early in my career I was an auditor (CPA) and adopted Columbo's style when digging into client's financial info.
It worked like a charm.
sister to sister..
and liar to liar.
Im sure she and Hillary discussed cookie recipes whenever they connived.
“Very early in my career I was an auditor (CPA) and adopted Columbo’s style when digging into client’s financial info.”
You know Peter Falk WAS a CPA, right?
Sure looks like DJT has her number and has just made his knowledge very public
Like to see he prepares well.
Big Dumb Big Media loses AGAIN.
I didn’t know that.
I’m pretty sure Trump knew her game hence the “can you set up the meeting?” quip.
That presser was masterful. I laughed so hard at times as he just blasted them in the face with double barrel loads of venom and testosterone. FINALLY!!!
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