Is the White House pulling Kellyanne Conway off TV?


The White House might be temporarily "sidelining" Kellyanne Conway from television after reporters and TV show hosts raised questions about her credibility, CNN reports. Conway has not given a television interview since last week when she claimed National Security Adviser Michael Flynn volunteered his resignation, prompting clarification from White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who said President Trump had asked Flynn to resign.
Conway was reportedly "off message," a person familiar with the discussions told CNN. "Clearly they're having much more of a drama-free week. Having Kellyanne off television is helping them." Another person familiar with Conway's alleged sidelining told CNN: "Trump was using her as an effective surrogate, then she started becoming ineffective, so they're letting the heat cool off."
The White House has flatly denied CNN's reports. "This is another wild goose chase," White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said. "Kellyanne has a number of media appearances this week and also has a large portfolio at the [White House] and is spending significant time focusing on it."
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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