The WikiLeaks email dumps have been notable for, if nothing else, demonstrating the cozy relationship between Clinton world and the mainstream media. However, one recently released email from 2009 is showing what can happen when that relationship turns sour.
In an email dated May 4th of 2009, CNN’s Jake Tapper, who was the White House correspondent for ABC News at the time, accuses John Podesta of “intimidating reporters” who report anything the White House disapproves of and suggests that Podesta’s conduct is ‘disgusting.’
The beef began when Think Progress, the publishing arm of Podesta’s Center for American Progress, published a story they knew to be untrue about Tapper. The Think Progress story contended that Tapper reported on a story only after hearing about it on The Mark Levin Show, something Tapper vehemently denied.
“As I told you many times off the record, both in email and on the phone, the premise of your story is just false,” Tapper wrote to Faiz Shakir, vice-president of CAP and editor for Think Progress. You nonetheless wrote it anyway, indicating quite clearly that you don’t care about accuracy or the truth in your reporting.”
“Off the record, Faiz, you should be ashamed for printing something so untrue,” Tapper added. “And John [Podesta] – is this was thinkprogress is? Print anything, damn the facts?”
Tapper then followed up with an email to Podesta, and Jennifer Palmieri.
“What’s the plan? To try to intimidate reporters who ever report on anything the White House disapproves of?” Tapper pointedly asked. “Disgusting.”
Despite their fawning coverage of Hillary Clinton, the exchange of illustrative of the treatment that awaits the media under a potential Clinton administration.