Page 4 - David Cornstein News Today

Went to visit him in budapest the week before last, but let me tell you, in hungary hes making some waves. a controversial character. take a look. it was an independence day to remember hosted by one of president trumps oldest friends, the u.s. ambassador to hungary david cornstein. like the president, cornstein enjoys putting on a show. sunger paul -- singer paul anka flown in to serenade viktor orban. >> it is my distinct pleasure and great honor to introduce my partner and my friend the prime...

Been unthinkable, but under president trump the u.s./hungarian relationship is blossoming once again. and thats in no small part due to the appointment of ambassador david cornstein, an 81-year-old jewelry magnet from new york city with no relevant political experience beyond a decades old friendship with the president. >> i became a diplomat. who the hell would have figured that. i became a diplomat. >> reporter: political appointees on both sides of the aisle are often inexperienced and someti...

A blow that will last much longer than cornsteins tenure and have repercussions far beyond hungary. >> really fascinating to hear this story, but political appointees as we know are often inexperienced, so how is this situation different? >> reporter: thats an important point, alisyn, on both sides of the aisle. president obama famously appointed a producer of the soap opera "the bold and the beautiful" to be his ambassador to hungary. this is nothing new. the difference is traditionally, even i...

Clarissa ward reports. >> reporter: it was an independence day to remember. hosted by one of president trumps oldest friends, the u.s. ambassador to hungary, david cornstein. >> reporter: like the president, cornstein enjoys putting on a show. singer paul anka was flown in to serenade the guest of honor, hu hungarys far right authoritarian leader, viktor orb orban. >> and it is my distinct pleasure and my great honor to introduce my partner and my friend, the prime minister of hungary our guest ...

President. he was instrumental in arranging a white house visit for orban, despite protests from both parties. >> pretty like me a little bit controversial but thats okay. thats okay. youve done a good job. >> one of orbans many controversial moves has been to forced u.s. accredited graduate school central european university out of hungary. cu president says while cornstein publicly vowed to help, privately he kor pitorban >> i dont knunderstand, to tel you the truth. somehow i think mr. cornst...

That shouldnt be the issue. >> for the government here his apointment has been a gift, appearing to demand no real concessions. >> for the past two years since the coming of the new ambassador, we believe its a new chapter we have opened. the previous chapter was unnecessary burdened with the kind of ideological debates and pressure that was coming from the democrats, and was basically derailing u.s. hungarian relationships. >> cornsteins office declined a cnn request for an interview citing the...

>> its my great honor to introduce my partner and my friend, the prime minister of hungary, our guest of honor, victor orban. >> four years ago, such a fawning display would have been unthinkable, unpresident trump, the u.s. hungarian relationship is blossoming once again. and thats in no small part due to the appointment of am ambassador david cornstein, an 81-year-old jewelry magnet from new york city with no relevant political experience beyond a decades old friendship with the president. >> ...

Were married 50 years. and we have a good relationship, but we have our days where theyre not so good, and we disagree upon certain things. the same thing thats true with the prime minister. >> but thats a close relationship, then. >> its a good relationship where we have established the trust with each other, and where i can tell him where i think hes making a mistake with what hes doing in a respectful manner. >> ambassador cornstein soon asked us to stop recording but off camera we asked him ...