James Comey has been front and center the last few days since his book “A Higher Loyalty” was released. If Comey wanted to use the book as a way to make the case for his veracity, starting off on the wrong foot with the ABC interview is an excellent strategy. However, when CNN’s Jake Tapper asks if the book tour is ruining his credibility, you gotta know you’re doing it wrong. 

Is Comey's book tour ruining his own credibility? https://t.co/GI05MjiKB6 @thelauracoates David Urban @JFKucinich @PaulBegala on @TheLeadCNN

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 19, 2018

Let’s roll tape, shall we?

Why would he ask this? In part because of the so-called memos that Comey wrote, the ones in which he admits that CNN was pushing for a cool “news hook” that would take down President Trump.

Newly released memos written by former FBI director James Comey indicate that an early 2017 briefing for then-President-elect Donald Trump about the contents of an infamous dossier was held so it could be leaked to media outlets eager to report on the dossier’s allegations. In multiple memos, Comey specifically mentioned that CNN had the dossier and wanted a “news hook” that would enable the network to report on its most salacious allegations even though they had not been verified.

“I said the Russians allegedly had tapes involving him and prostitutes at the Presidential Suite at the Ritz Carlton in Moscow from about 2013,” Comey wrote of his conversation with Trump in a classified memo that was released in redacted form late Thursday. “I said I wasn’t saying this was true, only that I wanted him to know both that it had been reported and that the reports were in many hands.”

A few key points made by Ben Shapiro regarding the memos put quite a few more holes in Comey’s credibility.

• Comey wanted a special counsel thus the memos were leaked.
• The memos would’ve hindered the Mueller prosecution, yet DOJ releases them now?
• Comey held Trump to a different standard, admits he never wrote memos about ANY of his dealings with Obama officials.
• Comey absolutely “hearts” Andrew McCabe which, given recent events, doesn’t help Comey’s credibility one iota.
• Supposedly there was nothing classified about the memos, yet some portions are redacted. Why?
• Obstruction is not a factor in the memos.

This entire Twitter thread about the memos is a must read. Here are just a couple of key points regarding the memos:

3-"The [Comey] memos also made clear the "cloud" President Trump wanted lifted was not the Russian interference in the 2016 election cloud, rather it was the salacious, unsubstantiated allegations related to personal conduct leveled in the dossier." (cont)

— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) April 20, 2018

8-"The memos show Comey was blind to biases within the FBI and had terrible judgment with respect to his deputy Andrew McCabe. On multiple occasions he, in his own words, defended the character of McCabe after President Trump questioned McCabe." (cont)

— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) April 20, 2018

Here’s the thing: Comey himself admits in his book that “ethical leadership” is very important, even though he’s by far an expert on what it is. Gee, YA THINK?

Keep in mind that Comey is doing a great job of saying one thing to one person and the opposite to another.

Comey told Stephanopulos it was “possible” the Kremlin has incriminating info about Trump. Stephanopoulos said that was “stunning”. Comey just told @jaketapper it was “unlikely but possible”. That’s a substantial walk back.

— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) April 19, 2018

Yes, that is quite the substantial walk back. Not only that, but Comey insists that Trump was legitimately elected (yes, Hillary, go ahead with Round 78 of blame Comey for your election loss), and he bears no animus towards him. Uh huh…RIIIGHT.

Here’s something else regarding those memos and CNN’s involvement in the news release of the dossier:

So Comey, at Clapper’s expressed behest, told Trump that CNN was “looking for a news hook” to publish dossier allegations. He said this in the briefing of Trump that almost immediately leaked to CNN, which provided them the very news hook they sought and needed.

This briefing, and the leaking of it, legitimized the dossier, which touched off the Russia hysteria. That hysteria led to a full-fledged media freakout.

Keep in mind that Finding #44 by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence’s Russia report found that James Clapper, who is now a CNN security analyst, was found to have provided “inconsistent testimony” regarding his contacts with the media; especially CNN.

So, yes, in reviewing the evidence thus far, I’d say the answer to Jake Tapper’s question is a resounding YES. With one caveat.

It is James Comey HIMSELF who is hurting what little credibility he has left, and is putting another spike in CNN’s credibility as well.