“Can you state categorically that no senior official in this administration has ever lied publicly about any aspect of the Iran nuclear deal?”
That question to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest was asked by Fox News reporter Kevin Corke during the White House Press Briefing on May 9, 2016.
“No Kevin,” Earnest replied, followed by about five seconds of silence.
The awkward exchange was not reflected on the White House public record of the press briefing, scrubbing Earnest’s embarrassing moment.
Here is what the White House version of the transcript looks like:
Why didn’t the White House include the exchange?
According to ABC News, a White House official told them that the line was not included because it was inaudible.
Watch the video of the exchange taken from the official White House video:
Earnest was pressed on the White House description of the “inaudible” audio by Wall Street Journal reporter Byron Tau.
“I was in that briefing, and I recall the question and it seemed pretty audible to me,” he said. “The video also makes it pretty clear. I heard what was being said. Is the White House going to restore that line?”
Earnest replied, “Well, Byron, I think what was true at the time is that there was a little cross-talk.”
It is unclear what “cross-talk” Earnest was referring to.
Watch the video below:
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