'Silly, sad, and desperate': CNN's Avlon blasts Trump's 'pathetic' attempt to threaten the network for bad polls

On CNN's "OutFront" Wednesday, fact-checker John Avlon slammed President Donald Trump for his legal letter to CNN demanding an apology for reporting on a poll showing him losing to former Vice President Joe Biden.

"Have you ever seen a campaign demand a retraction or an apology over a poll?" asked host Erin Burnett.

"No, absolutely not, and certainly not a president," said Avlon. "Because it is absurd on its face. It's silly, it's sad, it's desperate, and it is not a little pathetic, but it is consistent with the president's impulse. February 2017, he tweeted out any negative polls you see are fake news.' And this is his impulse, he rails against data he doesn't like, and his subservient staff is trying to please the boss. It's pathetic."

"He's deeply upset," said Burnett. "Why?"

"Because it makes him look bad. Because there's no credible polling that shows him beating Joe Biden at this point," said Avlon. "Think about this. The president is ordering his staffers to do this because he's furious, because he's thin-skinned, so his lawyers try to yes him to death and do it, but guess what, Mr. President, they're laughing at you behind your back because they know it is absurd. You're the clients. You're the audience of one. But it is a sign of weakness, not strength, that he's doing this today."

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