NewsBusters  |  June 10, 1012

CNN's Candy Crowley: 'Usually You Kind of Give the President a Pass on Leaking Confidential Stuff'

By Noel Sheppard

CNN's Candy Crowley said something Sunday guaranteed to raise eyebrows on both sides of the political aisle.

Near the end of her program State of the Union, and well after a somewhat contentious interview with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) that dealt with amongst other things the recent national security leaks controversy, Crowley stated, "Usually you kind of give the President a pass on leaking confidential stuff" (video follows with transcribed highlights and commentary):

As the segment began, Crowley brought up her previous interview with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and how the rhetoric between him and President Obama has been a bit "nuclear" lately.

CNN's Dana Bash replied, "Everything you were discussing with him with regard to the leaks investigation, yes, there is bipartisan outrage about it, about all of these leaks, but he is the one driving the idea that it is political, that it is to help the President, that it is from the White House"

"By the way," added Crowley, "he wouldn't say, 'No, I don't think the President would do that. I don't think the President would purposely.' I mean, I gave him a chance and he said, 'I don't, I don't really know what the President knows and doesn't know,' which I thought was kind of. Usually you kind of give the President a pass on leaking confidential stuff."

"Usually you kind of give the President a pass on leaking confidential stuff."

Do you remember George W. Bush getting "a pass" in the previous decade for the "outing" of former CIA operative Valerie Plame?

Or was he hounded for years by the Left and their media minions over an issue far less serious than the current one?

It certainly is fascinating how differently leaks are handled by the press depending on what Party controls the White House.

Original article here.