If you want to understand why Donald Trump is able to, in the words of Karl Rove, treat the press like Pharoah whipping slaves you don’t need to go much beyond this clip.

Florida Republican Congressman Francis Rooney was being interviewed the MSNBC’s Katy Tur. Predictably, she starts pushing the anti-Trump meme of the closeness of Trump’s ties to Putin.

Via Mediaite:

Tur pressed Florida Representative Francis Rooney about the number of Donald Trump advisors with close tie to Russia. “I see a lot of folks within Donald Trump’s administration who have a friendlier view of Russia than maybe past administrations did,” she noted.

“Well, I think it was Obama that leaned over to Putin and said, ‘I’ll have a little more flexibility to give you what you want after the re-election,’” Rooney responded.

Tur paused for a moment. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re referring to, Congressman,” she said.

Of course she doesn’t because to have that knowledge would be sacrilege to her man-god. This, of course, is what Rooney was talking about:

As he was leaning toward Medvedev in Seoul, Obama was overheard asking for time — “particularly with missile defense” — until he is in a better position politically to resolve such issues.

“I understand your message about space,” replied Medvedev, who will hand over the presidency to Putin in May.

“This is my last election … After my election I have more flexibility,” Obama said, expressing confidence that he would win a second term.

“I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” said Medvedev, Putin’s protégé and long considered number two in Moscow’s power structure.

This was something that was never followed up on by the American media because they knew, all too well, where it would lead. Obama traded away vital American interests in return for getting Russia to play the role of intermediary to bring Iran to the negotiating table where Obama could complete the destruction of our efforts to keep Iran from getting a nuke.

In an alternate universe, media folk are doing serious, non-self-serving reflections on why public trust in them has collapsed. https://t.co/rVD2SOWiSo

— Sean T at RCP (@SeanTrende) February 20, 2017

https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/833782156472221696

https://twitter.com/omriceren/status/833772567483781120

https://twitter.com/JesseKellyDC/status/833792710326833152