You know what’s wrong with CNN’s Jim Acosta? Just about everything.
As a play off of Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high,” I suggest that “When THEY go low, they bring in Jim Acosta.” Among the White House press corps – where arrogance and bias are common commodities – Acosta stands apart as the state-of-the-art example.
His hatred for President Trump, Republicans and conservatives is legendary. But it is his sense of self-privilege that makes him a stand out within the ranks of the press corps. He is not only disrespectful of everyone associated with the Trump administration – he is contemptuous of his colleagues. As a media inquisitor, he is a line jumper — a grandstander that makes himself the center of attention by demanding the floor.
One can recall how he shouted out obnoxious questions as Trump was on the platform with Kim Jong-un in North Korea – and did the same from the back of the room when Trump was sharing the stage with yet another head-of-state. Rather than asking questions, Acosta prefers to enter into arguments with the people at the podium – unless they are Democrats, of course.
Due to too many overcharged ego genes, Acosta loves to perform for the cameras. In broadcasting his confrontational approach, he proves himself to be a very small person trying to look big through the magnification of the lens. There was a time when the White House temporarily dropped live camera feed during a White House briefing. Acosta was professionally paralyzed — unable to perform his job. In fact, his most notable reporting at the time was grousing about the lack of television coverage.
He uses his platform to insist that the press is not the enemy of the people. And when it is yet again explained to him – even by the President himself – that it is a reference only to those who peddle that very biased and dishonest news – Acosta continues to allege his false assumption. In one briefing session, Acosta repeatedly demanded of Press Secretary Sarah Sanders the names of those individuals and organizations that Trump considers the enemies of the people. While Sanders chose not to provide a list, she could have at least inquired if Acosta had any mirrors in his home.
Like the rude and disruptive teenager, Acosta finally got himself kicked out of the classroom. In this case, he had his White House press corps credentials pulled. Until they are restored – and I see no reason they should be — he will need a tourist ticket to get past the front gate.
As one might ask of a frequently naughty child – “and what did he do this time?”
He got into yet another news conference kerfuffle with the President, and when Trump attempted to move on to other reporters, Acosta kept up his belligerent screed and refused to surrender the Microphone in his hand. Finally, a female White House aide attempted to retrieve the microphone. Acosta rejected the effort.
When she made a second attempt to take the microphone, Acosta karate chopped her arm. Had some Republican done that to a young female reporter, it would have been a BIG story – maybe even calls for a resignation or a criminal complaint. After all, it was legally assault and battery on a woman. Of course, that only applies to Republicans. Democrats have a general permission to abuse women – think Kennedy, Clinton, Ellison, etc.
When Sanders pulled Acosta credentials and cited his hitting the White House aide, CNN went into full fake news mode – accusing Sanders of lying. Interestingly, the portion of the confrontation that did not appear on CNN did appear on FOX – and he clearly karate chopped the girl’s arm. It can be seen in the photo atop this commentary in which Acosta’s left hand is clearly in contact with her arm – and the blurred hand proves that it was not a simple touch.
When it comes to Acosta, the official view of the CNN management – as previously presented in those frequent obligatory defensive statements – is that he is a great journalist. He goes after the story. He is only doing his job.
Hogwash!
The news media is held in very low regard among the American public – polls establish that although they are rarely reported by the news media. Acosta is one of the major reasons. If journalism requires a minimum standard of objectivity, fairness, civility and honesty, Acosta is no journalist.
So, there ‘tis.
