On Wednesday, CNN released the audio from a confrontation that took place after Tuesday night’s Democrat presidential debate between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, in which both candidates accused each other of making false statements.
The interaction centered around an anonymously sourced report from CNN on Monday that claimed that Sanders told Warren during a December 2018 meeting that he did not think that a woman could be win in a presidential election.
“I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren said.
Sanders replied, “What?”
“I think you called me a liar on national TV,” Warren insisted.
“No, let’s not do it right now,” Sanders continued. “You want to have that discussion, we’ll have that discussion.”
“Anytime,” Warren responded.
“You called me a liar, you told me, alright let’s not do it now,” Sanders fired back.
WATCH:
CNN releases the audio from the post debate interaction between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren
Warren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV”
Sanders: “What?”
Warren: “I think you called me a liar on national TV”
Sanders: “No, let's not do it right now …” pic.twitter.com/nhendvv5Jb
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 16, 2020
The confrontation between Warren and Sanders came after CNN reporter Abby Phillips asked Sanders during the debate: “So, Senator Sanders, I do want to be clear here; you’re saying that you never told Senator Warren that a woman could not win the election?”
“That is correct,” Sanders responded.
Phillips then immediately turned to Warren and asked, “Senator Warren, what did you think when Senator Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?”
WATCH:
CNN: “Sen. Sanders, I do want to be clear here, you’re saying that you never told senator Warren that a woman could not win the election?"
SANDERS: "That is correct."
CNN: “Sen. Warren, what did you think when senator Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?" pic.twitter.com/BZ1NajmQE9— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) January 15, 2020
CNN was widely attacked across the political spectrum for their blatant pro-Warren bias as the hashtags #CNNisTrash and #CNNisGarbage were top trends on social media on Tuesday night and for most of the day on Wednesday.
Writer Aaron Mate responded to CNN’s release of the audio clip by writing on Twitter: “CNN just aired the post-debate Sanders-Warren exchange. Both accuse the other of calling the other a liar. Warren intitiated. The fact that this was done on stage w/ camera & audio, and the fact that Warren’s camp started this whole thing, makes me wonder if they staged this too.”
Daily Caller reporter Chuck Ross added: “It’s a fair question. Adding to it: did Warren know that CNN would still be recording audio after the debate was over?”
It's a fair question. Adding to it: did Warren know that CNN would still be recording audio after the debate was over? https://t.co/YurxVL6GeG
— Chuck Ross (@ChuckRossDC) January 16, 2020
Jonathan Turley, Constitutional Law Professor at George Washington University, wrote: “CNN has long been viewed as anti-Sanders, but this is incredible. After asking Sanders to repeat his denial, Abby Phillips asserted that Sanders was lying: ‘Senator Warren, what did you think when Senator Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?'”
CNN has long been viewed as anti-Sanders, but this is incredible. After asking Sanders to repeat his denial, Abby Phillips asserted that Sanders was lying: “Senator Warren, what did you think when Senator Sanders told you a woman could not win the election?”
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) January 15, 2020
Federalist co-founder Sean Davis wrote: “That question itself indicts CNN for deliberately running the Warren team’s hit on Sanders, which was unbelievable on its face, w/o verifying whether Sanders ever said it. CNN is neither a news organization nor a neutral arbiter. It’s a propaganda outfit.”
That question itself indicts CNN for deliberately running the Warren team's hit on Sanders, which was unbelievable on its face, w/o verifying whether Sanders ever said it. CNN is neither a news organization nor a neutral arbiter. It's a propaganda outfit. https://t.co/Om9Novhn2p
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) January 15, 2020
Donald Trump Jr. wrote: “How did CNN just pretend that Bernie didn’t totally deny that he said a woman couldn’t win and pretend like it it was a fact just because Warren said so? It’s not like her entire persona isn’t built on lies… Is the fix against Bernie in again???”
How did CNN just pretend that Bernie didn’t totally deny that he said a woman couldn’t win and pretend like it it was a fact just because Warren said so? It’s not like her entire persona isn’t built on lies…
Is the fix against Bernie in again???
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 15, 2020
Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh wrote: “Holy shit. The CNN moderator just openly took Warren’s side, bailed her out, and saved her from having to back up her claims. One of the most biased moments I’ve ever seen in a debate. CNN is an absolute clown show. Amazing.”
Holy shit. The CNN moderator just openly took Warren's side, bailed her out, and saved her from having to back up her claims. One of the most biased moments I've ever seen in a debate. CNN is an absolute clown show. Amazing.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) January 15, 2020