Trump vs. The Media: The War Continues

David Bauder, Media Writer for The Associated Press wrote:NEW YORK — President Trump's combative relationship with the media deteriorated further Wednesday with a news conference where he called some reporters rude and accused a PBS reporter of posing a racist question when she asked him about white nationalists.

"It's such a hostile media," Trump said during his post-midterms news conference at the White House, after ordering reporter April Ryan of the American Urban Radio Networks to sit down when she tried to ask him a question.

The president complained that the media did not cover the humming economy and was responsible for much of the country's divided politics. He said that "I can do something fantastic, and they make it look not good."

His exchanges with CNN's Jim Acosta and NBC News' Peter Alexander turned bitterly personal, unusual even for a forum where the nature of their jobs often put presidents and the press at odds.

"I came in here as a nice person wanting to answer questions and I had people jumping out of their seats screaming questions at me," said Trump, who talked for nearly 90 minutes despite the run-ins with reporters.

Acosta and Trump began sparring after the CNN White House correspondent asked him about why a so-called caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border was emphasized as an issue in the just-concluded midterm races. Acosta questioned Trump calling the migrants march an invasion and Trump defended the term.

"You should let me run the country," Trump said. "You run CNN and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better."

When Acosta pressed on with another question, Trump said "that's enough!" and a White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta.

After Acosta asked about the investigation of Russia's involvement in the 2016 election and Trump tried to turn to Alexander.

"CNN should be ashamed of itself having you work for them," the president said. "You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn't be working for CNN. The way you treat Sarah Sanders is horrible. The way you treat other people is horrible. You shouldn't treat people that way."

Alexander came to his colleague's defense. "I've traveled with him and watched him," Alexander said. "He's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us."

"I'm not a big fan of yours, either," Trump replied.

"I understand," Alexander said, attempting to ask a question. At that point, Acosta stood back up and began mentioning, without a microphone, the explosive devices that were recently sent to CNN and some of the president's political opponents.

"Just sit down," Trump said. "When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people."

CNN, through its public relations department Twitter feed, said that Trump's attacks on the press have gone too far.

"They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American," CNN said. "While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere."

Trump made several references in his news conference to how he feels mistreated by the press. He said he's damned by the press for having either too few, too many or just the right amount of press availabilities.

He turned specifically on reporter Yamiche Alcindor of PBS' "NewsHour." She said that "on the campaign trail, you called yourself a nationalist. Some people saw that as emboldening white nationalists..." Trump interrupted her, calling it a racist question. Alcindor pressed on. "There are some people who say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you say to that?"

Trump talked about his supposed popularity with black Americans, and said he's more interested in advancing America's interests than having a globalist point of view.

"To say that, what you said, is so insulting to me," he said. "It's a very terrible thing you said to me."

Alcindor moved on to a different topic. Later, via Twitter, she said that she has interviewed white nationalists who say they are more excited by Trump than they have been about other presidents. "Even if President Trump doesn't intend it, some see him as directly appealing to the racists," she wrote.

On CNN, anchor Jake Tapper said that there was nothing racist about her question and that Trump's reaction was unfathomable.

Trump told Ryan repeatedly to sit down when she attempted to ask Trump about charges of voter suppression. He said she was rude for interrupting another reporter, although he did briefly answer one of Ryan's questions.

Joe Concha of The Hill wrote:

The White House on Wednesday faced swift backlash after it announced its suspension of CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta's press credentials following an extended verbal confrontation between Acosta and President Trump earlier that afternoon.

In a statement Wednesday night, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders claimed Acosta "[placed] his hands on" a young female White House intern who attempted to take a microphone from him.

"We will ... never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable," said Sanders. "As a result of today's incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice."

Acosta also took to Twitter to call Sanders' assertion that he put his hands on the intern, "a lie."

This is a lie. https://t.co/FastFfWych

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 8, 2018

Twitter users, including many journalists, were quick to challenge Sanders' claim that Acosta had touched the intern, slamming the White House's decision to yank the reporter's press credentials.

This is not what happened. You could have banned him simply for refusing to abide by any of the normal rules of the press room. No need to state something happened that didn’t. https://t.co/p9hgtVE8eZ

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) November 8, 2018

I sat next to Acosta at the press conference today. The White House intern came to take the microphone to the next reporter called on for a question, and Acosta, right or wrong, refused to give it to her when she reached out to grab it. https://t.co/ZHi7sbEKUf

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 8, 2018

A) there's video showing that's not what happened B) Trump has been accused of sexual assault/harassment by over a dozen women so please spare us the false outrage https://t.co/ke6pWBd0Qv

— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) November 8, 2018

This is video of the White House intern attempting to wrench the mic away from @Acosta. He is not “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job,” as @PressSec claimed. Suspending his pass over this is a blatant abuse of presidential power. pic.twitter.com/zSmIQF0xKv

— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) November 8, 2018

I was seated next to ⁦@Acosta⁩ at today’s press conference and did not witness him “placing his hands” on the young intern, as the White House alleges. He held on to the microphone as she reached for it. The ⁦@Reuters⁩ pictures below depict what happened accurately. pic.twitter.com/nO68Hf4eQM

— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) November 8, 2018

News the White House pulled Jim @Acosta’s credentials is not an attack on one journalist but all of the press. There should be complete solidarity. This is a moment for any Republican who says they believe in the Constitution to stand up.

— Dan Rather (@DanRather) November 8, 2018

The free press has been around for centuries. What changed in the last 2 years was the emergence of a leader openly hostile to a free press.

If you're blaming Acosta, you're part of this shameful attack on a freedom that belongs not to the press itself, but to us as a people. https://t.co/h6VUebYKNT

— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) November 8, 2018

To be clear, several things can be true:

1) Acosta is sometimes a grandstander

2) He didnt attack the female intern

3) His press pass shouldnt be revoked

4) It's laughable the press secretary for this president pretends this WH cares about people putting their hands on women

— Jamie Weinstein (@Jamie_Weinstein) November 8, 2018

I don't think Acosta's actions today were as horrible as people are making out, but his insufferable grandstanding and nonsensical Qs are selfserving. CNN employs  journalists who can ask tough questions w/o making the story about them.

— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) November 8, 2018

Acosta was rude to Trump and disrespectful to the WH staffer, but he didn’t assault anyone. I don’t think his actions warrant credentials being suspended, but it’s hard to have sympathy for a man who was basically asking for it.

— Sara Gonzales (@SaraGonzalesTX) November 8, 2018

Well. She could have been carrying a pen. I hear those are very dangerous. https://t.co/IGIYxEMexc

— Michelle Fields (@MichelleFields) November 8, 2018

CNN said in a statement that Acosta "has our full support" and backed up Acosta's statement that Sanders "lied" in her "fraudulent" explanation by citing an incident "that never happened."

Tonight the White House revoked @Acosta’s press pass. CNN’s response to @PressSec and @realDonaldTrump: pic.twitter.com/EY2iFLvP3P

— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 8, 2018