CNN Anchors Leap To Defend Maggie Haberman From Trump Attacks During Trial Coverage

CNN anchors leaped to the defense of New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman when attacks by ex-President Donald Trump were read aloud in court during trial coverage.

Tuesday saw the continuation of former Trump attorney/fixer Michael Cohen’s testimony — who is the linchpin in the prosecution’s case that Trump’s alleged falsification of business records constitutes a felony plot to interfere in the presidential election.

The testimony included several references to Haberman — some of them in the form of less-than-complimentary tweets from Trump.

On Tuesday’s edition of CNN’s branded coverage of the trial, co-anchors Jake Tapper and others jumped to defend Haberman, and laughed out loud at Trump’s jabs:

KASIE HUNT: And this, of course, as he is worried, am I still in the fold, am I still in the fold?

And I guess my question — I take your point about all of his crimes, not crimes. You’re sort of alleging maybe they were weaponizing the Justice Department against Michael Cohen.

I think my question is, what was Michael Cohen’s — what is Michael Cohen’s theory of why the president turned on him at this point?

TAPPER: So, in any case, at this point in the narrative, though, Cohen says he believed Trump was communicating to him through these tweets…

HUNT: Right.

TAPPER: … stay in the fold, stay loyal, I have you, you’re a fine person, don’t flip.

So, let me read one of the tweets. I think we’re going to prepare it.

But go ahead, Kasie.

HUNT: Yes, it’s right here: “‘The New York Times’ and third-rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunky who I don’t speak to and have nothing to do with…”

(LAUGHTER)

HUNT: … “are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will flip” — quote, unquote.

And it goes on. And I think there are additional tweets being…

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Maggie Haberman, by the way, a first-rate reporter.

[11:15:00]

(LAUGHTER)

JAMIE GANGEL, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Pulitzer Prize-winning…

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Maggie Haberman. I…

TAPPER: He certainly talks to her a lot.

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: … she’s third-rate.

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: Well, this is what Trump does, right?

I mean, he involves — he involves himself with these — with people. I mean, he does — the idea that he isn’t…

(CROSSTALK)

TAPPER: Here are some of the other tweets.

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: … reporters…

(CROSSTALK)

HUNT: These are the other ones.

TAPPER: So: “They use nonexistent sources” — not true — “and a drunk, drugged-up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account, lawyer who I have always liked and respected. Most people will flip if the government lets them out of trouble, even if it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that, despite the horrible witch-hunt and the dishonest media.”

So, the idea that Cohen says he believes Trump is communicating to him, stay in the fold, stay loyal, I have you, you’re a fine person, don’t flip, it’s pretty clearly stated right there. “I don’t see Michael Cohen flipping.” I mean, that’s — it’s pretty clearly stated there.

Watch above via CNN’s branded coverage of the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial.