Chris Cuomo defended his interview with convicted felon and former Trump campaign manager, Paul Manafort, on Tuesday after online critics took aim at the former CNN anchor for offering Manafort a platform.

Manafort spoke with Cuomo on his podcast, The Chris Cuomo Project, in a sweeping interview covering topics from Donald Trump’s potential 2024 presidential campaign to President Joe Biden signing the Inflation Reduction Act.

Cuomo replied to a Twitter comment slamming the interview, saying, “So you didn’t listen. Didnt watch. And already know what you think.”

“That’s why there is no progress. Change the game. Listen to who and what you oppose. You will sharpen your own arguments. Censoring is not the answer,” wrote Cuomo in a reply to a Twitter user who called the interview “Pathetic.”

So you didn’t listen. Didnt watch. And already know what you think. That’s why there is no progress. Change the game. Listen to who and what you oppose. You will sharpen your own arguments. Censoring is not the answer https://t.co/7qO1eKPFOA

— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) August 23, 2022

Cuomo, who is attempting a comeback after being fired from CNN in December 2021, will join NewsNation in the fall as a prime-time host. Cuomo has made breaking through partisan barriers part of his comeback message, something he hit on while talking with Manafort.

In a clip promoting the interview, Cuomo asked Manafort, “You don’t see Trump is outside the realm of like, you really think he’s going to change things for the better systemically? We saw that when he was in office?”

“I think the policies of Trump during his presidency were good for this country. I think the economic strategy, all stratas of the economic cycle improved in this term. You know, we became energy independent,” Manafort responded.

“I mean, you know, the list, I don’t need to go through the list,” Manfort continued. “Yes,” interjected Cuomo.

“The point is that I believe Trump symbolizes something that if we destroy that symbol, we will, the American people will just fall back into accepting whatever,” Manafort added.

“That’s no good, because the real thing that came out of the Trump experience that I think has real value is our leaders have to remember who this country is,” jumped in Cuomo.

“And I know that there are a lot of people who will say, no, they voted for Trump. This is what they get. I think that people have to develop a nuance of understanding that the desperation is real,” he continued, offering a defense of Trump voters.

“White fright in certain manifestations is real. Whether it’s justified or not, it’s real. When people are afraid and they get desperate, they want help, and that you shouldn’t punish people for wanting help and being desperate. Their choice of Trump, I think, speaks to a paucity of leaders, but that would be the real shame, is that if those people are forgotten and that fear isn’t addressed, I think we have worse days,” Cuomo concluded.

Manafort, who was pardoned by then-President Donald Trump after being convicted on a wide range of fraud and international conspiracy charges, also predicted Trump will run again.

Cuomo kicked off the interview by asking for Manafort’s analysis of Trump’s electoral calculus regarding 2024. Manafort argued that Trump is likely more emboldened than ever to run again after the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago.

Watch the full clip above

The post Chris Cuomo Hits Back at Critic Calling His Paul Mananfort Interview ‘Pathetic’: ‘That’s Why There is No Progress’ first appeared on Mediaite.

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