(Credit: AP/Erik Kabik) Green Party candidate Jill Stein was adamant Saturday morning that her candidacy in no way influenced the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. In an interview with CNN’s Michael Smerconish, Stein batted down the suggestion that she tilted the race in favor of President Trump. She also addressed the Russian dinner event she attended with President Vladimir Putin. ‘Let’s be clear, that was a conference,” Stein said after CNN showed an image of her sitting next to the Russian president.