# CNN calls out Trump as a liar - "Trump falsely accuses Obama of wiretapping his phone" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 4, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423 "2017-03-04T20:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/41 "2017-03-06T19:58:46Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > It’s also a reason that many people do not trust the news media outlets to provide all the facts and nothing but the facts. CNN didn’t even attempt to be impartial. It’s their choice, of course, but this won’t help CNN’s reputation as a trusted news provider. > > Maybe CNN could ask Obama to answer the question? That would be a novel approach. I wouldn’t trust any news source that doesn’t call Trump a pathological liar. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/42 "2017-03-06T19:59:44Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > And how the hell does any of this constitute running the country? It doesn’t. Because he’s not interested in, nor is he capable of running the country. The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/43 "2017-03-06T20:02:37Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > It’s also a reason that many people do not trust the news media outlets to provide all the facts and nothing but the facts… CNN reports facts, and they provide sources for those facts. When they make a mistake, they admit it. Ideally, news outlets ‘report the facts and nothing but the facts’. But they all lean one way or another. And that’s OK. Reputable agencies differentiate between opinions that are supported by facts, and dry facts. Disreputable agencies (such as Fox ‘News’) do not. (Neither will Fox ‘News’ correct themselves, except very, very rarely.) One’s opinion, or a news outlet’s opinion, does not alter facts. > [@doorhinge](#): > > Maybe CNN could ask Obama to answer the question? That would be a novel approach. 45 is the one making the claim. Therefore, it it incumbent upon him to provide the evidence. . ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/44 "2017-03-06T20:03:27Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I wouldn’t trust any news source that doesn’t call Trump a pathological liar. That’s your choice. Since CNN didn’t call Trump a pathological liar, it appears that you don’t trust CNN. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/45 "2017-03-06T20:05:26Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > That’s your choice. Since CNN didn’t call Trump a pathological liar, it appears that you don’t trust CNN. I’ll give them a little time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/46 "2017-03-06T20:09:04Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. The travel ban is being reported on a number of sites. > **[5 differences in Trump's new travel ban](https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/06/donald-trump-new-travel-ban/98801934/)** > > Here are major changes in President Trump's temporary travel ban for a number of majority-Muslim nations. > **[ACLU Will Sue Over New Trump Travel Ban](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/aclu-will-sue-over-new-trump-travel-ban-123021/)** > > Trump's new order doesn't "eliminate the constitutional problems" with the original ban, says the ACLU's Lee Gelernt. > **[Here are 5 things different about Trump's new travel ban](https://www.businessinsider.com/whats-different-in-trump-new-travel-ban-2017-3)** > > The newly signed Monday executive order has a few added caveats to it that its controversial initial rendering did not. > **[Trump just signed a new travel ban. Here's what changed](https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/06/trump-signs-new-travel-ban-targeting-six-countries.html)** > > Trump's new order excludes Iraq and does not apply to green card holders, among other changes. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/new-executive-order-bans-travelers-from-six-muslim-majority-countries-applying-for-visas/2017/03/06/3012a42a-0277-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/new-executive-order-bans-travelers-from-six-muslim-majority-countries-applying-for-visas/2017/03/06/3012a42a-0277-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html) [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html) > **[Trump signs new travel ban, exempts Iraq | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/06/politics/trump-travel-ban-iraq/)** > > US President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Monday that bans immigration from six Muslim-majority countries, dropping Iraq from January’s previous order, and reinstates a temporary blanket ban on all refugees. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/47 "2017-03-06T20:12:42Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. The hope is that the morass Trump has created will significantly slow his ability to do the terrible things his handlers want him to do. This “Russia Thing” is starting to have some legs. Buckle up. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/48 "2017-03-06T20:18:24Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. At what point will you lay the responsibility of what comes out of the oval orifice directly on the originating source? [Front page of CNN about Travel Ban 2.0](http://www.cnn.com/). What makes you say it’s not the emerging story of the day? Should the media drop everything and focus on this new story like an ADD adolescent? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/49 "2017-03-06T20:18:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > CNN reports facts, and they provide sources for those facts. When they make a mistake, they admit it. Ideally, news outlets ‘report the facts and nothing but the facts’. But they all lean one way or another. And that’s OK. Reputable agencies differentiate between opinions that are supported by facts, and dry facts. Disreputable agencies (such as Fox ‘News’) do not. (Neither will Fox ‘News’ correct themselves, except very, very rarely.) One’s opinion, or a news outlet’s opinion, does not alter facts. > > 45 is the one making the claim. Therefore, it it incumbent upon him to provide the evidence. The CNN headline says, “falsely accuses”. Did they conduct a proper investigation to arrive at that conclusion? Or did they just make it up? Several news media outlets reported the story before Trump responded to it. Isn’t it incumbent upon them to provide evidence? Shouldn’t some news organization ask Obama himself to deny the allegation in person? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/50 "2017-03-06T20:19:50Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I’ll give them a little time. Of course you would. I wouldn’t expect anything different. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/51 "2017-03-06T20:24:08Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > The hope is that the morass Trump has created will significantly slow his ability to do the terrible things his handlers want him to do. (post shortened) Is it your hope or the last hope of the Democrat collective? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/52 "2017-03-06T20:26:18Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > Is it your hope or the last hope of the Democrat collective? All Americans who love their country. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/53 "2017-03-06T20:27:50Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The travel ban is being reported on a number of sites. > [5 differences in Trump's new travel ban](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/03/06/donald-trump-new-travel-ban/98801934/) > [ACLU Will Sue Over New Trump Travel Ban](http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/aclu-will-sue-over-new-trump-travel-ban-w470564) > [What's Different in Trump's New Travel Ban - Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/whats-different-in-trump-new-travel-ban-2017-3) > [Trump signs new travel ban targeting six countries](http://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/06/trump-signs-new-travel-ban-targeting-six-countries.html) > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/new-executive-order-bans-travelers-from-six-muslim-majority-countries-applying-for-visas/2017/03/06/3012a42a-0277-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10\_story.html](https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/new-executive-order-bans-travelers-from-six-muslim-majority-countries-applying-for-visas/2017/03/06/3012a42a-0277-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html) > [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/06/us/politics/travel-ban-muslim-trump.html) > [http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/06/politics/trump-travel-ban-iraq/](http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/06/politics/trump-travel-ban-iraq/) More proof that the government’s business continues. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/54 "2017-03-06T20:37:25Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > “Falsely” implies certain knowledge of falsehood, whereas, as I understand it, no evidence has been offered to support the claim, however implausible it may look. So while it may be a bit wordy for a headline, “Unsupported claims” would be the neutral way of putting it, until somebody does some proper investigating and publishes what they find - or most likely won’t, of course. The headline on the CNN piece has changed its language to “baseless claims.” Last update noted was on the morning of Sunday the 5th. So the criticisms in this thread were addressed yesterday morning. EDIT: I see there’s been a change of topic, on preview, but I still think it’s worth noting that CNN changed its characterization. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/55 "2017-03-06T20:37:33Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The CNN headline says, “falsely accuses”. Did they conduct a proper investigation to arrive at that conclusion? Or did they just make it up? You haven’t been paying attention. They presented the evidence that Trump has provided no evidence of his assertion, and presented evidence from government sources avowing that there is no evidence to back up Trump’s assertions. > [@doorhinge](#): > > Several news media outlets reported the story before Trump responded to it. Isn’t it incumbent upon them to provide evidence? Shouldn’t some news organization ask Obama himself to deny the allegation in person? You mean several news outlets reported that Trump had been wiretapped, before Trump claimed he had been wiretapped? How did they do that? And why should Obama dignify a mentally-ill person’s paranoiac ravings with any comment? Ask yourself this: Given that a proven liar/spreader of falsehoods who displays all of the symptoms of narcissistic personality disorder, who has refused to fulfil promises he made during his campaign, who blames others for his mistakes and takes no responsibility for his actions, and who has given ZERO evidence of his assertion, versus every legitimate news organisation that has investigated Trump’s claims and found no evidence to support them, who is more likely to be presenting the more accurate account? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/56 "2017-03-06T20:39:57Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. …I’ll pay no attention to The President behind the Russia Scandal… ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/57 "2017-03-06T20:56:35Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > More proof that the government’s business continues. And a fairly thorough refutation of your suggestion that the mainstream media wasn’t covering it. Now, a non-troll with any shred of intellectual honesty would say “Well it looks like I was misinformed. Thanks for the correction.” Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/58 "2017-03-06T21:03:04Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > At what point will you lay the responsibility of what comes out of the oval orifice directly on the originating source? > … My guess is the 12th of Never. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/59 "2017-03-06T21:08:49Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > …You mean several news outlets reported that Trump had been wiretapped, before Trump claimed he had been wiretapped? How did they do that? > > And why should Obama dignify a mentally-ill person’s paranoiac ravings with any comment? (post shortened) _(Newser) – So where did President Trump’s bombshell accusation that his predecessor tapped his phones come from? The White House tells the Fact Checker blog at the Washington Post that he’s relying on reports "from BBC, Heat Street, New York Times, Fox News, among others.” After an analysis, the Post finds that the two most important ones are from the right-leaning Heat Street and the BBC. (Other reports have cited an article at Breitbart News, but it relies on the Heat Street piece.) The two articles say that US intelligence officials went to the FISA court (which deals with intelligence matters) because they wanted to investigate possible activity between two banks in Russia and a computer server in Trump Tower (which, to make matters more confusing, might actually be located in Philadelphia). Excerpts:_ [How Trump Arrived at His Wiretap Allegations](http://www.newser.com/story/239314/where-trump-got-his-wiretap-allegations.html) And CNN could then report that Obama had no comment, but at least they would have made an attempt to get all the facts before telling the public what the public should believe. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423/60 "2017-03-06T21:27:26Z")
for historical reference - > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > …And how the hell does any of this constitute running the country? It doesn’t. Because he’s not interested in, nor is he capable of running the country. (post shortened) for historical reference - > [@doorhinge](#): > > The news media outlets have chosen to make this their major story of the day. In the mean time, the Trump administration issues a new travel ban. The business of government hasn’t stopped. However, the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled. > [@neofishboy](#): > > And a fairly thorough refutation of your suggestion that the mainstream media wasn’t covering it. Now, a non-troll with any shred of intellectual honesty would say “Well it looks like I was misinformed. Thanks for the correction.” (post shortened) I said that the business of deciding which news stories you can hear seems to have stalled, which is not the same thing as saying the mainstream media wasn’t covering it. It looks like you were misinformed. And the business of government continues to move steadily, albeit slowly, forward. Thanks for playing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-calls-out-trump-as-a-liar-trump-falsely-accuses-obama-of-wiretapping-his-phone/781423.md?page=4)