In an interview with Sean Hannity Friday night, Sen. Martha McSally (R-AZ) responded to CNN's outrage over her refusal to answer a question from one of CNN's liberal reporters. McSally called CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju a "liberal hack" earlier this week.
In response, CNN put out a statement, calling "It is extremely unbecoming for a U.S. Senator to sink to this level and treat a member of the press this way for simply doing his job."
A panel of CNN commentators tried to explain McSally's remarks as something other than the liberal media's loss of the ability they once had to make Republicans like McSally grovel at their feet.
On Fox News' Sean Hannity on Friday, McSally continued to defend her decision "to call a liberal a liberal" and said it was more troubling that the liberal media is masquerading as "objective" when they are really "helping with the Democratic agenda."
"I actually thought they understood that they were liberal," McSally began. "They were a part of kind of helping with the Democratic agenda. On a daily basis, you see whatever the Democrat talking points are are the talking points in the liberal mainstream media as you know and I thought they were aware of it but somehow they just check their journalism objectivity at the door. What's been fascinating in response is it seems like they actually think they're neutral. They think they're objective, and that is more troubling -- it's just delusional how they've responded to this. You know, never mind their hyperbolic words about ... did she just have a bad day? Was she emotional? No. I was a fighter pilot. This was a choice I made. I did not crumble under their pressure. I've flown A-10s in combat. I decided to call a liberal a liberal and for whatever reason they couldn't handle it."
The most fascinating thing about the liberal media is that they think they’re neutral. Maybe they check their journalistic objectivity at the door. pic.twitter.com/v6jyQkSsYh
— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) January 18, 2020
CNN reporter Many Raju tweeted about his exchange with the senator on Thursday.
Sen. Martha McSally, a Republican facing a difficult election race, lashed out when I asked if she would consider new evidence as part of the Senate trial. “You’re a liberal hack - I’m not talking to you. You’re a liberal hack.” She then walked into a hearing room.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 16, 2020
Sen. McSally responded to Raju's tweet and defended her response to his question, adding "A) you are B) here's the video."
A) you are.
— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) January 16, 2020
B) here’s the video. https://t.co/zVgk9pBhdf pic.twitter.com/cfFdotLjFK
It's time for CNN to just accept who they are and move on.