UPDATE: CNN stands by Bonifield.
Official CNN statement: pic.twitter.com/Hty8A3XvKA
— Jeremy Barr (@jeremymbarr) June 27, 2017
***Original Post***
Well, for those of you who feel that CNN is shamelessly biased against Republicans, which has only intensified under the Trump White House, Project Veritas’ latest investigation will probably make your blood boil. The investigative group headed by James O’Keefe found that since Trump was inaugurated, Russia has been mentioned 15, 694 times in their coverage of his presidency. So, PV decided to send some of their investigative team members down to Atlanta and speak with CNN’s supervising producer John Bonifield, who was rather candid in saying that the whole Russia collusion story is mostly crap, and that the network pushes it because of ratings.
Concerning the whole collusion story, Bonifield noted that we’re using our spy agencies to influence elections and government abroad, and that you win elections because “you know the game and you play it right.”
“She [Hillary Clinton] didn’t play it right,” he added.
“Then why is CNN constantly like, Russia this, Russia that?” asked the PV reporter.
“Because it’s ratings. Our ratings are incredible right now,” replied Bonifield.
You can argue deceptively edit all you want. You have a CNN Producer on tape calling Russia narrative bullshit for ratings.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 27, 2017
“And the CEO [Jeff Zucker] of CNN said in our internal meeting, he said, good job everybody covering the climate accords, but we’re done with it. Let’s get back to Russia,” he said.
Later in the video, the PV reporter continues on the Russia angle saying “but honesty, you think the whole Russia s**t is just bulls**t?
“Could be bulls**t. I mean it’s mostly bullshit right now. Like, we don’t have any giant proof,” replied Bonifield, who added that we would have known something by now given the leaky nature of the Trump administration.
“And so I think the president is probably right to say, like, look you are witch-hunting me. You have no smoking gun. You have no real proof,” he added.
Also, the video features Bonifield speaking dismissively of ethics in journalism, noting that it’s a business first and foremost.
“But, all the nice cutesy little ethics that use to get talked about in journalism school, you’re just like, that’s adorable. That’s adorable. This is a business, he said.
So they caught Fake News CNN cold, but what about NBC, CBS & ABC? What about the failing @nytimes & @washingtonpost? They are all Fake News!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 27, 2017