Trump wants CNN and MS NOW out of the White House — but his ads just moved in

BS BULLETIN:

Trump administration taxpayer-funded ads are now airing on CNN and MS NOW, two networks the president has been battling over White House access.
AdImpact estimates the administration has spent at least $2.87 million running three versions of the campaign, although the exact amount spent on CNN and MS NOW is not publicly available.
The arrangement produces one deliciously Washington result: their reporters can face restrictions at the White House while government-paid Trump spots appear during commercial breaks.

Apparently there is more than one way to get onto CNN.

President Donald Trump has spent the past two weeks fighting CNN and MS NOW over access to the White House.

Meanwhile, his administration has been purchasing airtime on both networks.

You really cannot make Washington better than Washington.

According to advertising data reported by The Washington Post and Mediaite, three taxpayer-funded Trump administration spots are now running across broadcast and cable television.

One 30-second ad features Trump promising to defeat “communism, socialism and Marxism in America.”

Another, called “Final Battle,” features Trump railing against the “deep state,” “warmongers” and “globalists.”

And yes, they end with the disclosure:

“Paid for by the U.S. Government.”

AdImpact estimates the administration has spent at least $2.87 million on the campaign overall.

The bulk of the advertising has run on CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and Fox News, but there is one particularly amusing corner of the buy.

MS NOW reportedly carried 38 spots.

CNN carried 10.

Those would be the same CNN and MS NOW whose journalists have been fighting the Trump administration in federal court over White House access.

Trump announced Sept. 18 that CNN, MS NOW and Politico were being barred from the White House.

A federal judge subsequently ordered the administration to restore their press credentials. The networks eventually regained access to the White House grounds, although the administration has continued restricting CNN from some press-pool duties, including travel aboard Air Force One.

So we have arrived at a uniquely Washington arrangement: CNN reporter on Air Force One? Not necessarily.

Trump commercial on CNN? Absolutely.

A network spokesman said the decision to spend taxpayer money reaching its viewers “speaks for itself,” while stressing that accepting an advertisement does not constitute an endorsement and would not affect its coverage.

The White House defended the campaign as public service announcements intended to remind Americans to “love their country and understand what makes it worth defending.”

Critics — including some Republican lawmakers — have questioned why taxpayer money is being used for spots containing rhetoric so closely associated with Trump’s political campaigns.