Rob Astorino is a new CNN “contributor.” Called a “friend of President Trump for over 15 years,” Astorino was on with Poppy Harlow to talk about Trump’s insistence that Paul Manafort, a man indicted and then convicted on eight counts of being a complete fraud, is a “good guy.” Astorino, like all Trump supporters before him, resorts to a game I like to call “bullshitting.”
Harlow: I mean, just on that point, Bob, to you, the swamp, right, that the president said he was going to drain, Paul Manafort was convicted by a jury of his peers of some pretty horrible things, right? Of defrauding American taxpayers, and the president still called him a “good guy” who he feels bad for. Isn't that bringing the swamp right along with you?
Astorino: Well, I think what he meant there—and maybe I'll do a Trump translation—he worked with him, he helped him, and so he thinks he's a good guy. He should have said, comma, who did a bad thing.
Wow. Sounds like a real Trump buddy! But like everything associated with Trump, he’s a fraud, too.
Harlow: Okay, I just need to know that you work on the Trump 2020 advisory committee, and therefore you have signed an NDA that includes a non-disparagement clause. So you can't really tell me, then—you really don't believe the president's own words, "he's a good guy"? about Paul Manafort.
So, Trump’s “longtime friend” of “over 15 years” is just some schlub that worked for Trump and is contractually obligated to say he’s a good guy.
Astorino: Are you talking about Paul Manafort?
Harlow: Yeah.
Astorino: No, look, I’ve known people, have you ever met somebody that you knew well or knew or worked with—
Harlow: — That became a convicted felon? No.
[Teehee]
You can watch until the end of the clip below, to see Mr. Astorino try to argue that everybody defrauds the government, so how bad is Paul Manafort really? I strongly believe in free speech, but CNN’s paying him. Shut that down, CNN!
