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now a cnn exclusive. dozens of newly revealed text messages between fox host sean hannity and former president trump's white house chief of staff mark meadows provide real time insight into the role hannity played in the days and weeks after the 2020 election. cnn's special correspondent jamie gangel has more. >> reporter: some of those messages are between mark meadows and sean hannity. he is one of the most frequent texters in the logs. what we see is hannity both giving advice to the white house and also getting guidance from meadows. just for context, hannity doesn't see himself as a journalist. he sees himself as a tv host and entertainer. he is certainly someone trump considers a friend and who has been called the shadow chief of
entity, the fact that it's not related to his news gathering activity is also important. >> most trump allies have refused to engage with the committee. ones at this level, like mark meadows or steve bannon. assuming that hannity refuses, and we don't know what he's going to do. i should be clearer with that. most people that the committee has asked to speak to have cooperated, but some top-level people have not. if hannity doesn't cooperate, is there a strong case for criminal contempt of congress? executive privilege doesn't apply but at the same time, he is a member of the press. and even if the committee is saying, hey, we're not trying to get involved with your press gathering, your news-gathering operation, that comes very close if not going over a line in terms of a journalist talking to people in the white house. >> so on one hand, jake, what
he's a performer, a guy who, you know, comes on the air, and basically spouts an opinion and interestingly, you know who doesn't think that sean hannity is a journalist, sean hannity because he said on his radio show in 2016, he said, literally, i am not a journalist. i am a talk show host, and i don't think dr. phil would be saying he's a journalist and deserves the protections of a journalist. it's interesting to see how they counter this. i don't think they can claim he's a journalist now. >> the committee is asking for volu voluntary cooperation. it's not a subpoena. if hannity doesn't cooperate, though, and i'm not sure why he would for a whole bunch of just public relations issues and it appeals to his audience that it doesn't, do you think they would subpoena him? >> that's a good question, anderson, and i don't think we know the answer to that yet. it's incredibly important the committee start in this way. they have to start with the least inclusive method which is
dr. oz is trying the most obvious route. he's a tv star with a day job. and he was changed in his positions over and over. and any story, any negative thing seen about him in the media he is trying to say the s fake news and the regular republican. so the problem it doesn't seem to be working. that quote you said from that republican is something that a lot of them are saying. they're not so sure about dr. oz. especially when you have david mccormick, likely to be seen as a maga darling. to have the old trump acolytes on his team. that is going to be the struggle for dr. oz. you can't just be a celebrity and then all of a sudden become the next donald trump. there are other things that have to happen. him going on hannity doesn't seem to be enough. you have lots of other aspects of the republican party and the
to me. i mean, it shouldn't be but it is. >> it's always been extraordinary with him. remember, anderson, that he actually campaigned for trump. he was out publicly campaigning for trump. and this is a guy allegedly on a news network. and i think it's going to be interesting, isn't it, because he probably will try to come back with some sort of i need first amendment protects as a journalist and really, he's never been a journalist. he's -- he's a performer. he is a guy who comes on the air and basically spouts an opinion. and interestingly, you know who doesn't think that sean hannity a journalist? sean hannity because he said on his radio show and -- and -- in '16, 2016, he said literally, i am not a journalist, i am a talk-show host. and i don't think dr. phil would be, like, saying he is a journalist and -- and deserve protections of a journalist. so it is going to be very interesting to see how they counter this because i don't think they can claim he is really a journalist now. >> andrew, the committee is asking for voluntary cooperation. i mean, it's not a subpoena. if hannity doesn't cooperate,
he doesn't represent our brand. >> jillian: isn't free speech part of the issue there? >> jesse: if i don't like the message of someone being unpatriotic reps and in their franchise. >> greg: if i set on the five that i wanted to throw the football around during the show, i would be fired because that's not my role. >> jesse: hannity doesn't. >> juan: you stole my line, yet another hillary clinton scandal over pay for play allegations, that report up nex next.
he doesn't represent our brand. >> jillian: isn't free speech part of the issue there? >> jesse: if i don't like the message of someone being unpatriotic reps and in their franchise. >> greg: if i set on the five that i wanted to throw the football around during the show, i would be fired because that's not my role. >> jesse: hannity doesn't. >> juan: you stole my line, yet another hillary clinton scandal over pay for play allegations, that report up nex next. for their own frequent heartburn. and all day, all night protection. when it comes to heartburn, trust nexium 24hr.
news show. would he have done that without sponsorship on his radio show? it's arguable. there's no real smoking gun but it's an interesting connection to raise that i think his viewers and listeners should be aware of here. >> well, its a conclusion that bill owe o'reilly came to with me and msnbc. he clearly stated that i'm being paid by unions, although they advertise on my website that is bleeding into my coverage on this show. i mean, come on, what's happening on fox news? is he saying that hannity doesn't do that? no, hannity does put his sponsors all over the work that he does. and so, i have a question about politico because i want to clear something up. politico wrote the story about me -- you didn't do it, some other reporter did -- i was paid by the unions. is hannity being paid? >> hannity's certainly accepting advertising revenue from tea
you, i do, i do, i do. hannity last week, i challenged hannity to a debate. and it turns out, hannity doesn't have the guts to go head-to-head with me when it comes to obama care. in fact, he released a statement saying, to be blunt, i really have better things to do with my time than attempt to educate a total buffoon. really? the insults just keep coming. but, of course, the facts of obama care stay the same. hannity claims that i am looking for attention? excuse me? i've been in this business for 35 years. i've got all the attention i want, radio and tv. i can't do anymore. sean, this is about the people. it's not about you and me. it's about the facts. it's important to point out, in all of hannity's recent attacks on me, he has never once mentioned one fact that i was wrong on. he has never once come out and defended the lies i've called him out on. now, he says he doesn't have any time for me. yet he sure as hell loves
and david, thank you both for being here. >> great to be here. >> now, joy, rush denied the report today, and hannity doesn't seem concerned. and we want to be clear. this could be just a negotiating tactic in a business sense. but how big of an impact would it be in the political world if it were to happen, joy? >> well, you know, for rush limbaugh, it would mean losing some of the major market, including wabc in new york, which obviously would reduce his viability in terms of advertising. and the big problem for limbaugh has been that his advertising has taken a huge hit since those sandra flick comments, and hannity as a result as well. they are not popular with advertisers who don't want to hear from women and from younger people who don't like that kind of talk. and by the way, limbaugh's audience is essentially older. they're not in that prime younger demographic. they're really older. they're more rural. they're not as attractive to