Is this freedom of the press?
As so often happens with any and all things Trump, the Jim Acosta comedy has now become one of those “the sky is falling” issues.
Frankly, the banning of one grandstanding actor from White House press conferences is an item of non-interest to most people, but somehow the media, including usually sensible Fox News, sees it as a constitutional sin.
Here’s what we, us, the ordinary viewers see. CNN has not been banned from attending White House functions. Any of their other reporters, camerapersons or other employees that had “hard passes” apparently still have them. So, what’s the big deal?
The whole thing seems to be less about the First Amendment and more about people having, if not any respect for the President, at least some sense of decorum and respect for the office and the White House.
Mr. Acosta could and can write about what happened as much as he wants, as could CNN, so it is hard to see what press freedom has been attacked or curtailed.
Pressers are, according to the media, to inform the public. There was nothing informative about Acosta’s little act, other than to prove he’s a narcissistic camera hound.
Just to put this in perspective, what would you expect the President to do if Acosta whipped it out and peed on the podium to show his disdain for Trump? Because that’s exactly the attitude he projects.
From our point of view…good riddance to bad rubbish.