Let’s say we accept this at face value (I know, I know... CNN) but let’s go with it fro a moment. A real danger of leaks is that the President becomes distrustful of his closest advisors. And in those circumstances, he might start to isolate himself from seeking counsel of others. And that means his decision making is hampered. So a small minded weasel can put some leak out there and smugly smile to himself “oooh, I got him good with that one!” all the while potentially making the nation less safe. They should be found and prosecuted to the fullest possible extent. One would do it I think. Maybe Comey, he admitted it. But jail time, no plea deal.
OK, let’s as you say go with it for a moment.
CNN et al but CNN in particular has now evolved to a Weekly World News outfit. That is, they can tell any lie, no matter how brazen, without consequence. Indeed, the more salacious, the more clicks and viewers they (believe they) attract. This, IMO, is their modus at present. They are probing the limits of the frontiers in just how much they can lie and get away with it. This is their new business model: And to execute it properly, they need to measure just how far they can go.
This kind of lie is really quite perfect, because if it is true, it shows Trump is unstable; it means that his innermost circle of advisors is leaky and since he picked them, he’s a flake. On the other hand, if the story is a complete lie, then at least 4 non-mutually exclusive convolutions spring from it: 1: that his circle is leaky and he does not care/did NOT get furious, when he should definitely get angry at internal leaks; or 2: He’s in bed with Russia and really wants Putin to do well, and 3: He is sneaking his support of Russia behind everyone’s back. 4: Should Trump respond by denying he got angry, then he looks like he got defensive.
So it is complete stupidity, on this we surely agree; but I think CNN is working on perfecting its business model running this kind of “how long have been beating your wife” story.
This is a scientifically calculated false story, IMHO. There is no downside whatsoever in CNN running it. All they have to do is to claim their “unnamed sources” let it go and gave it to the mighty CNN, tellers of truth in an obscure and scary world.