CNN's Berman Hounds Josh Earnest On Obama's 'We Don't Have A Strategy Yet' Remark

Matthew Balan | August 29, 2014
Font Size

[More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.]

CNN's John Berman pressed White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on the 29 August 2014 edition of New Day over President Obama's eyebrow-raising disclosure that "we don't have a strategy yet" to deal with ISIS inside Syria. When Earnest claimed that "we do have a comprehensive strategy for dealing with" ISIS, especially in Iraq, Berman shot back, "ISIS has been in Syria for quite a long time. How can you have a comprehensive strategy for dealing with ISIS at all if it doesn't include Syria?"

The anchor later wondered, "Did the President just announce to ISIS leaders that he has no intention to strike them with military action in Syria in the next few days or weeks?" Earnest asserted that Mr. Obama's remarks sent "a very clear message to everybody around the world." However, Berman wasn't buying his guest's spin:

JOHN BERMAN: With all due respect, I think the fact you're still out this morning talking about it shows that it wasn't exactly a clear message that was sent on Syria. But it I don't want to let you go before talking-

JOSH EARNEST, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: With all due respect, John, anybody who looked at the news conference and looked at the President's opening remarks saw very clearly that he laid out this strategy. So, you're welcome to focus on whatever aspect of the news conference you would like, but if you want to actually understand what the President's trying to communicate, I would encourage you to take a close look at his words.

donate