CNN just hired the guy who ran Donald Trump’s CNN-hating campaign

It's natural for top political aides to jump to the media after being fired. They need new jobs, after all, and news outlets want analysts with first-hand insights. When Sen Ted Cruz (R-TX) dumped communications director Rick Tyler in February, for instance, MSNBC picked him up almost immediately. But Corey Lewandowski's hiring by CNN seems a bit less natural than most.

We would even venture to say that it could be problematic on a couple of levels. First, Donald Trump's former campaign manager, who was relieved of his duties June 20, obviously brings knowledge of the presumptive Republican presidential nominee that few can match. But he also brings unparalleled baggage, including an incident in which he reportedly pushed a reporter from the channel that now employs him — CNN's Noah Gray — away from Trump as the reporter tried to ask a question. Lewandowski had previously threatened to "blacklist" Gray, saying he would revoke the reporter's access to campaign events. More broadly, Lewandowski ran the campaign of a candidate who has repeatedly disrespected CNN's reporting. Trump has taken to calling the cable channel the Clinton News Network lately, reviving a disparaging nickname that dates to the 1990s.