After news broke of an inauguration day pay-to-play scheme involving access to Trump, Donald's new senior advisor, Kellyanne Conway couldn't come up with any better defense of Trump's son's possible involvement other than to attack Bill Clinton and praise Eric Trump's past charitable work.
The Trump campaign got a lot of mileage after they created a pay-to-play narrative which revolved around the Clinton Foundation and a discredited book that alleged Hillary sold access to the White House.
CNN host Chris Cuomo asked, "Were you aware of that solicitation of what was going on in the sons' involvement?"
Conway said, "...I think we should go back and look at what Don Jr., Eric have done, and what they will continue to do, which is money for charities. The Eric trump foundation is ten years old. It has done enormously great work in many different corners --"
(Apparently helping supply the world with cheaper AIDS drugs doesn't qualify as "enormously great work" under the Trump definition of charity.)
Cuomo replied, "They were selling off a million dollar trip to hunt with the boys and hang out with the president. That sounds like paying for access --"
Conway deflected her way back to Bill Clinton and said, "little bit different," but Cuomo replied, "it's paying money to get to power."
After Conway refused to answer directly and again attacked Bill Clinton, Cuomo asked, "So paying a million dollars to hang out with the president is okay?"
Conway replied, "I didn't say that."
Cuomo said, "I know, you're not answering. You're answering it by going after the Clintons. I'm saying, what's your answer?
Conway replied, "You mentioned the Clinton foundation. You said it was the same. I'm telling you it is absolutely not the same."
The only reason to mention the Clinton Foundation at all is because it was used by Conway to attack Hillary with.
Cuomo replied, "I'm saying you're giving the same defense..."
Conway again slammed the Clintons and to deflect away from the inauguration scam.
Cuomo then said, "It is interesting that Eric Trump is backing away from it now. Don jr. is backing away from it now. If it's all okay, why are they backing away?
Conway then turned to their patented media bias answer and said, "...because they support their father and they know that we'll never get a fair shake in the trump administration and that's unfortunate I think this conversation shows that."
All the Trump lies and exaggerations are coming home to roost.
Trump surrogates like Conway perfected the art of deflection during the campaign, but won't have that leeway anymore.
Many Trump voters don't care about many of the things he stated he'd do or abolish, but that doesn't mean many won't.
The media has a tough job yet again: holding Trump and his team to the words they actually say and policies they actually promoted.
