Editor's note: While boasting about freedom of speech, the White House earlier this month declined to allow the nation's top health officials to appear on CNN and discuss the coronavirus pandemic, in what was seen as an attempt to pressure the network into carrying the White House's lengthy daily briefings in full.

According to CNN, Vice President Mike Pence's office, which is responsible for booking the officials on networks during the pandemic, said it would only allow experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci or Dr. Deborah Birx to appear on CNN if the network televised the portion of the White House briefings that includes the vice president and other coronavirus task force members, with a Pence spokesperson noting, "When you guys cover the briefings with the health officials then you can expect them back on your air."

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