PoliticsDonald TrumpCNNcorey lewandowski

Corey Lewandowski's Debut On CNN Is Going Just Awfully

It seems he's more interested in giving out Trump campaign talking points.
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By 

Reporter, HuffPost

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Corey Lewandowski's first week on CNN isn't going so great amid criticism that Donald Trump's former campaign manager is just promoting the candidate and never should have been offered a job at the network.

Lewandowski, who is paid to ostensibly give insightful analysis for the network, simply repeated talking points for the Trump campaign after the business mogul spoke on the economy Tuesday, saying over and over that it was his best speech yet. Lewandowski, who was fired June 20, signed a nondisclosure agreement with Trump that would prevent him from revealing information about the presumptive GOP nominee's presidential campaign. A nondisclosure agreement provided to the AP by a former Trump employee to the campaign contains language that prevents the employee from disparaging Trump and his family.

Journalists watching the appearance immediately criticized Lewandowski.

Washington Post columnist Margaret Sullivan also harshly criticized the network for hiring Lewandowski after he blacklisted several news organizations and physically attacked a reporter while serving on Trump's campaign.

"Even in the highly competitive, ratings-mad, hardball-playing world of cable television, there should be a bridge too far. In hiring Donald Trump’s fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, CNN ran blithely across that bridge and plunged into a sea of muck," Sullivan wrote. "Bringing Lewandowski onboard is an astonishing reward for behavior that should cause him to be shunned by respectable journalistic organizations."

Even employees at CNN are reportedly uncomfortable with Lewandowski's hiring.

Despite his history with reporters, Lewandowski insisted he had a great relationship with the press during an interview on CNN Monday.

“I have great relationships in the media. Those individuals who are embeds get to know me the best. The individuals who I spoke to on a regular basis, the individuals who are on your set here today.”

Editor’s note: Donald Trump regularly incites political violence and is a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and birther who has repeatedly pledged to ban all Muslims — 1.6 billion members of an entire religion — from entering the U.S.

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Before You Go

Republicans Who Have Refused To Back Donald Trump
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney(01 of17)
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"I simply can’t put my name down as someone who voted for principles that suggest racism or xenophobia, misogyny, bigotry, [for someone] who’s been vulgar time and time again,” Romney said in June. “I don’t want to be associated with that in any way, shape or form.” (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Ben Sasse (Neb.)(02 of17)
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"I’m as frustrated and saddened as you are about what’s happening to our country. But I cannot support Donald Trump," he wrote in February. (credit:SAUL LOEB via Getty Images)
Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson(03 of17)
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“When it comes to the presidency, I will not vote for Donald Trump,” Paulson, who served as Treasury secretary under George W. Bush, wrote in a Washington Post op-ed in June. (credit:Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush(04 of17)
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“Donald Trump has not demonstrated that temperament or strength of character. He has not displayed a respect for the Constitution. And, he is not a consistent conservative. These are all reasons why I cannot support his candidacy,” Bush wrote in a Facebook post in May. (credit:Mark Makela via Getty Images)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.)(05 of17)
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The South Carolina senator told CNN in May he would not vote for Trump or Clinton in September.

"I don't believe that Donald Trump has the temperament and judgment to be commander in chief. I think Donald Trump is going to places where very few people have gone and I'm not going with him," he said. (credit:Tom Williams via Getty Images)
Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage(06 of17)
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“If Donald Trump is the nominee, I would vote for Hillary Clinton,” Armitage told Politico in June. "He doesn't appear to be a Republican, he doesn't appear to want to learn about issues. So, I’m going to vote for Mrs. Clinton.”
 (credit:BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI via Getty Images)
Former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft(07 of17)
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“Secretary Clinton shares my belief that America must remain the world’s indispensable leader. She understands that our leadership and engagement beyond our borders makes the world, and therefore the United States more secure and prosperous,” he said in a statement. (credit:Mark Wilson via Getty Images)
Sen. Mark Kirk (Ill.)(08 of17)
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Earlier this month, the Illinois Republican, who is locked in a tough re-election battle, rescinded his endorsement of Trump. He is also running ads against Trump.

"I cannot and will not support my party’s nominee for President,” he said. (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.)(09 of17)
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“As of now, unless he changes significantly, I can’t see myself voting for Donald Trump,” Flake said in June. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Rep. Bob Dold (Ill.)(10 of17)
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"For me, I will not support Donald Trump. Certainly I think there are others that have some pretty significant reservations," the Illinois congressman told WLS in May. “I want to make that I’m clear about this, I’m not going to support Hillary Clinton either. I would write someone in.” (credit:Tom Williams via Getty Images)
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (Fla.)(11 of17)
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“I have no plans of supporting either of the presumptive nominees," he told the Miami Herald in May. (credit:Tom Williams via Getty Images)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.)(12 of17)
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“"In this election, I do not support either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton," Ros-Lehtinen told the Miami Herald in May. (credit:Bill Clark via Getty Images)
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)(13 of17)
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Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said in August she could not vote for Trump because he "does not reflect historical Republican values, nor the inclusive approach to governing that is critical to healing the divisions in our country." (credit:Yuri Gripas / Reuters)
Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.)(14 of17)
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Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) has said he can’t envision himself voting for Trump at this time. “I’ll give him a chance, but at this point, I have no intentions of voting for him,” he said in June. (REUTERS/Enrique de la Osa) (credit:Enrique de la Osa / Reuters)
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)(15 of17)
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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has not said explicitly that he would not vote for Trump. But in a speech at the GOP convention in Cleveland last month, Cruz urged delegates to vote their conscience “up and down the ticket,” signaling his opposition to the nominee. (REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst) (credit:Jonathan Ernst / Reuters)
Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)(16 of17)
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Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has not offered his endorsement yet. While he has signaled his obvious displeasure ― earlier this year he said Trump scared him “to death” ― he could come around in the future if he “heard the right things out of him.” (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri) (credit:Carlo Allegri / Reuters)
Former Under Secretary Of State For Public Diplomacy James Glassman,(17 of17)
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Glassman, who served as under secretary of state for public diplomacy to President George W. Bush said Hillary Clinton was “by far the superior candidate." (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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