R-E-S-P-E-C-T                                             

By Hank Silverberg

Respect is something you earn. It does not come automatically with a title like President of the United States or White House Correspondent.    

Much has already been written and broadcast this week about the confrontation between President Trump and CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta.  Mr. Trump has long expressed his disdain for both Acosta and his network, so the hostility should not come as a surprise to anyone. But the forum, the White House briefing room during a news conference, produced a disgraceful sideshow. 

First let me say, having covered events in Washington for two decades, I have been involved in many news briefings where one reporter oversteps the boundaries and dominates the questioning. The general rule is, one question, one follow-up and then it moves on to someone else. You hope to get a second chance to ask another question later on. What you don’t expect is for the White House press staff to direct some unsuspecting intern to pull the microphone out of your hands. You might hear some complaints from your colleagues after the event for hogging the questions, but you don’t expect the White House to pull your credentials over an incidental touch.

In fairness to the White House, they  had a right to complain about Acosta’s showboating. He went a question too far. But it was understandable, since the President didn’t answer his first two questions, and instead chose to attack him. Trump also attacked NBC’s Peter Alexander, when he defended Acosta and tried to ask one of Acosta's questions again. The President said plainly to Alexander, “I don’t like you either.”  

So then came the worst part. The White House pulled Acosta's White House credentials for his contact with the intern. And to back that up, the White House presented what turned out to be a doctored video. The entire White House Communications staff lost their argument about Acosta’s behavior and their credibility (if they had any left), because the video was apparently concocted by the conspiracy wackos at “Infowars.” They alleged that Acosta hit the intern with his hand. He didn't. He just yanked the mic back and his hand hit her arm gently. 
(see an analysis of the doctored video on this link) 

https://www.denverpost.com/2018/11/08/acosta-video-distributed-by-white-house-doctored/

We all saw the action on live TV. The doctored video was obvious.

What may also have been missed in that news conference, other than the President’s totally slanted, positive spin on the negative election results for his party, was Mr. Trump’s treatment of the rest of the media.

Elsewhere during that news conference he told April Ryan, from the American Urban Radio Networks, to “sit down” several times as she tried to do her job. He called the highly respected reporter “a loser.” Later he called on PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor, who then asked a very pointed and specific question. She wanted to know Mr. Trump’s concept of being a “Nationalist.” Trump has said he is a "Nationalist" several times, leading some to label him racist because of the term’s connection to “White Nationalists.” It was a fair question. The term “Nationalist” may mean something else to Mr. Trump. Alcindor was giving him a chance to clarify. His response: “That’s such a racist question,” calling it “insulting” after giving a very non-specific answer before moving on.  

 Fast forward to the next day, in front of the White House, where Mr. Trump was departing for his trip to France. There were a number of questions about his firing of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his appointment of Matthew Whitaker to fill in. Abby Phillip, CNN’s other White House Correspondent, asked a question that was on a lot of people’s minds.

   “Do you think Mr. Whittaker will reign in the Mueller Investigation?"

It was a perfectly appropriate question about the new acting Attorney General and the Special Counsel, who has been investigating the Trump Administration. The President’s response:

 "What a stupid question. But I watch you a lot. You ask a lot of stupid questions."

 The exact exchange is in the link below: 

https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/trump-snaps-at-cnns-abby-phillips-for-asking-if-whitaker-will-reel-in-mueller-what-a-stupid-question/

There’s a pattern here that some people may have missed.

Ryan, Alcindor and Phillip are all black women. Watch the President’s tone and body language as he addresses them,  and then listen to what he said. You can judge for yourself, but to me and many others he appears to have a dislike for black, female reporters more than reporters in general and takes every opportunity to demean them with words like “loser” and “stupid.”

Trump complains he gets no respect from the media. It appears to me his behavior and lack of respect for the media goes beyond one overly aggressive cable news correspondent. It goes beyond complaints of prior presidents about negative media coverage. From day one of his campaign, he has attacked the press and shown little respect for the institution or the First Amendment. He has shown a total lack of understanding of the role of the press in our Republic. 

Respect is earned, Mr. President. So far, you have put nothing in the bank to earn it.  On point, you have shown very little respect to political opponents, the media or frankly, the majority of the American people.  

Finally, some last words on this topic. There was a great deal of reaction to what happened at that news conference. I am appalled that any journalist would not protest the pulling of Acosta's credentials over something so trivial as this. When President Obama even mentioned the idea of pulling the credentials from Fox News because of negative stories, there was a quick uproar from the whole Press Corps and the idea was quickly scrapped. That did not happen this time.  Some at Fox News actually seemed pleased. In general, on social media and elsewhere, some people defended Acosta, others criticized his behavior. But one comment made me burst out laughing. It came from Fox News talking head Sean Hannity, who has made a career out of making things up and promoting a right wing agenda. He called Acosta “a self-serving liberal hack with zero journalistic integrity.” You may remember it was just last week when Hannity got on stage with Trump at a campaign rally, pretty much giving his endorsement to the President and the GOP. That highly partisan act was more than even Fox News executives could take. They said it "crossed the line." They disciplined Hannity, keeping him off the air on election night.

So there was Sean Hannity preaching "journalistic integrity"? I burst out in a belly laugh at that one. Thanks for the humor, Sean. We can all use the amusement.  

(Your comments and suggestions are welcome)

(If you would like signed copies of my books, please contact me at hanksilverberg@gmail.com for details on how to get one. "The Campaign" is also available at Amazon.com)