NEW YORK (AP) — Kellyanne Conway told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he embarrassed himself following a tense exchange Thursday where he asked the White House counselor to respond to her husband’s criticism of President Donald Trump on television.
Lawyer George Conway has frequently attacked his wife’s boss on social media. MSNBC brought him into the studio Wednesday to serve as an analyst during its coverage of the House impeachment hearings.
Blitzer, toward the end of an in-studio interview with Kellyanne Conway on Thursday morning, said he had a sensitive but substantive question for her.
“I don’t want to talk about your marriage,” he said. “I know there are issues there.”
Conway seemed taken aback.
“What did you say?” she asked. “You don’t want to talk about my marriage but there are issues there? Why would you say that?”
Conway noted that there was no shortage of Trump critics who appear on CNN and MSNBC and wondered why Blitzer brought up her husband.
“Because he’s a legal scholar, he’s a lawyer and he was really going after the president of the United States,” Blitzer said. “He was all over television yesterday.”
Responded Conway: “And the relevance is, come on, wait for it, drumroll, he’s married to me.”
CNN rolled a tape of George Conway criticizing Trump for using foreign policy to advance his own interests. It aired on a split screen, as another camera followed his wife’s reaction.
Kellyanne Conway said it was “his opinion.’’
“What you just quoted is said every single day by other voices,” Conway said. “But you wanted to put it in my husband’s voice because you think somehow that will help your ratings or that you’re really sticking it to Kellyanne Conway. And let me make it very clear, you didn’t stick it to Kellyanne Conway. I think you embarrassed yourself and I’m embarrassed for you.”
MSNBC didn’t bring up Kellyanne when her husband was on the air Wednesday, although anchor Brian Williams gave a knowing reference to “yes, that George Conway,” when introducing him.
