Why Rev. Al Sharpton is where at 10pm has become a major point of contention in the last couple days.
Yesterday FNC anchor Greta Van Susteren asked if Sen. Barack Obama was booking CNN, since she says Sharpton canceled on her because he was asked by Obama’s staff to appear on CNN.
TVNewser reached out to representatives from CNN and Sharpton (who appeared again on CNN last night). “The booking was made directly through Rev. Sharpton’s staff,” said a CNN spokesperson, while we have not heard back from Sharpton.
Politico’s Michael Calderone spoke with Sharpton’s VP of communication, who “adamantly” denied Sharpton spoke with Obama’s staff about the booking.
Now, Van Susteren responds to Calderone:
I am 100 per cent clear on this. I know what he said. I spoke DIRECTLY to Reverend Sharpton — it was not via a spokesperson. He called me shortly after 8pm. He said it to me more than one time in the conversation as the reason why he “had to” do CNN instead of meeting his agreement that he made to me in our 9am phone call. Reverend Sharpton and I have known each other professionally for many years (I like him) and he was attempting to get my blessing for his decision to do CNN and breaking his agreement with me.
…As the 10pm cable news hour turns…