CNN’s Zeleny: ‘Hard to Imagine’ Obama Would Have Commuted Manning If Manning Wasn’t Transitioning

On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Situation Room,” CNN Senior Washington Correspondent Jeff Zeleny stated that Chelsea Manning’s transition from a man to a woman “certainly played into” President Obama’s decision to commute Manning’s sentence, and “Without that, it’s hard to imagine, I think, this president would have done that.”

Zeleny said, “I think a question that this president the White House will have to answer here — will answer, and I think it’s an important one, if — how much was the personal story of Chelsea Manning involved in this, because the outcry from the left was so strong on this. And she’s having a difficult time in federal prison, no question. But, to me, that is a central question here. Without that, you have to wonder if the outcome would be the same. I think it might not be.”

He added, “[B]ecause she transitioned from a man to a woman, I think all of that certainly played into this. Without that, it’s hard to imagine, I think, this president would have done that.”

(h/t Mediaite)

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