The president-elect just verbally body slammed CNN’s Jim Acosta like it was Wrestle Mania. To justify the whack, Trump supporters immediately compared the event to President Obama’s shutdown of Daily Caller reporter Neil Munro.
The two episodes seem similar at first glance with a leader of the free world (or one in waiting, in Trump’s case) locking horns with a member of the free press both times. But after that, the similarities cease, revealing a false equivalency.
The Munro story begins on a sunny June day in 2012. Obama was giving a speech in the Rose Garden. “Mr. President,” Munro shouted in the middle of the remarks, “why do you favor foreign workers over Americans?” Provocative? Undoubtedly. A legitimate question? Of course. Was it asked in the proper time and place? Absolutely not.
Eventually, the president answered. At the end of his speech, an annoyed Obama returned to Munro’s question again.
Viral hysteria ensued about Munro’s conduct, not the president’s policy proposal. Labeled a heckler, he was dismissed as a hack reporter. And though Obama answered his question, it went largely unnoticed. Instead, the headlines focused instead on the break with decorum.
At best it’s a mistake (Munro insisted he thought the speech was over). At worst it was a stunt. Either way, it bears no resemblance to what happened today during Trump’s press conference.
Today in the ballroom of Trump Tower, Acosta asked for clarification about a story that’s been sweeping the country. The journalist didn’t interrupt or taunt. He didn’t even bring up the issue; the president-elect did. Acosta simply shouted out a question like the other hundreds of reporters.
Immediately, the president-elect shouted back. “You’re fake news!” Trump said before describing Acosta’s report as “not worth the paper it’s been printed on.”
At issue is a CNN story published Thursday that cites, but doesn’t endorse, an unverified intelligence report. It simply notes that intelligence chiefs presented both Obama and Trump with claims of Russian efforts to compromise the president-elect with lewd allegations.
Ultimately, the outcome of the two episodes could provide the biggest difference. Munro never suffered official retaliation. He held onto his press pass and continued to pepper administration officials with questions. Acosta wishes he was so lucky.
“I’m not going to give you a question,” Trump bellowed. “I’m not going to give you a question. You are fake news!”
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
