Chris Cuomo to Kellyanne Conway: ‘We are Not a Wall Away from These Made Up Problems’

 

Nothing sends a shiver down the spine of a Mediaite writer/editor quite like hearing CNN’s Chris Cuomo say “Tonight we have Kellyanne Conway on the show.”

Nothing against either person: Cuomo owns a clear-eyed legal mind and is a terrific interviewer. Conway is a world-class subject who possesses an unparalleled ability to seamlessly pivot to the talking point of her choice.  So these interviews may be wildly entertaining to watch unfold, but summing them up is sort of like reporting on the immovable post coming up against the unstoppable object.

Tonight’s topic? What else! The current Congressional negotiations with the Trump administration over the government shutdown and border wall funding. Ms. Conway repeated the many reasons for border wall funding previously presented by President Donald Trump,  while Mr. Cuomo pushed back fairly on assertions that he deemed to be unfair.

To the credit of each participant, the conversation was never disrespectful nor piqued. Conway’s maternal reference of her interview of Christopher seems naturally sweet and not as self-aggrandizing as it might seem in another dynamic.

After Conway reiterated the numerous issues that a wall (or barrier) would resolve (rampant crimes, drugs, and security), Cuomo pushed back, saying “we are not a wall away from these made up problems.”

Not only will the wall not change things, Cuomo said, but the problems that the administration claims that they will solve are not even real to begin with.

According to recent polls, more Americans seem to be in agreement with Cuomo than Conway. But kudos to these two for a good discussion that did not resolve into “Let me finish” and “I didn’t interrupt you” which have become hallmark phrases for the current cable news landscape.

Watch above via CNN.

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Colby Hall is the Founding Editor of Mediaite.com. He is also a Peabody Award-winning television producer of non-fiction narrative programming as well as a terrific dancer and preparer of grilled meats.