Acosta—Another Look

For John, BLUF:  When your ego gets to big it can blot out even the sun.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Jim Acosta violated one of the oldest rules of journalism

From The NY Post, Columnist Michael Goodwin, 7 November 2018.

Here is the lede plus five:

The conduct of a handful of so-called reporters during President Trump’s news conference was disgraceful beyond measure. This is not journalism, this is narcissism.

Naturally, the boorish Jim Acosta of CNN was the instigator. As is his habit, Acosta doesn’t ask questions — he makes accusations and argues. Almost daily, he does it with the press secretary; Wednesday, he did it with the president.

“I want to challenge you,” Acosta began after Trump called on him. Trump realized he’d made a mistake, murmuring, “Here we go,” and Acosta didn’t disappoint.

He insisted that despite the president’s use of the word “invasion,” the caravan of Central American migrants “is not an invasion.”

He adopted a lecturing, I-know-best tone to declare that “they’re hundreds and hundreds of miles away; that’s not an invasion.”

Trump’s response should not have been necessary: “Honestly, I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN.”

He could have gotten his point across with well framed questions.  He might even have worked with a fellow reporter to do follow-up questions.  But, no, not Mr Acosta.

Regards  —  Cliff