Dean Baquet
Executive editor Dean Baquet is defending the decision amid criticism from readers and the whistleblower's lawyers.
Executive Editor Dean Baquet denies being cowed by the president but says his newspaper "should have played it bigger."
An internal investigation at the paper concluded that Thrush had acted offensively but "does not deserve to be fired."
"Every time he tweets it drives subscriptions wildly," says Dean Baquet.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
“It’s egregious,” Lewandowski said.
Dean Baquet also called CNN's hiring of Corey Lewandowski "outrageous."
The paper's top editors plan to rethink pretty much everything.
But he acknowledges the Washington bureau should have been consulted more.
"Our goal is to have audience that is robust and deeply engaged.”