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12 of the Top Trump Jabs at the Media in His Marathon Press Conference
NewsBusters.org ^ | February 15, 2017 | Curtis Houck and Scott Whitlock

Posted on 02/16/2017 4:27:53 PM PST by Kaslin

On Thursday, President Donald Trump held a marathon press conference, covering a whole host of topics and questions from journalists inside and outside the establishment media. 

Both during and afterward, the media meltdowns were palpable. On both social media and television, they lamented the President’s repeated attacks on their negative coverage of his administration and what he deemed to be fake news as a result of their “level of dishonesty” that’s “out of control.”

Without any further adieu, here’s the top 12 moments from the nearly-two-hour presser of the President laying into the liberal media.

12 of the Top Trump Jabs at the Media in His Marathon Press Conference

1. During his prepared remarks, Trump denounced the media that largely reside in Los Angeles, New York, and Washington D.C. but claim to represent the rest of the country. However, the President admitted that this is anything but the truth:

Unfortunately, much of the media in Washington, D.C., along with New York, Los Angeles in particular, speaks not for the people, but for the special interests and for those profiting off a very, very obviously broken system. The press has become so dishonest that if we don’t talk about, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people. Tremendous disservice. We have to talk to find out what’s going on, because the press honestly is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.

2. Trump offered this aside about recent coverage in The New York Times concerning allegations his campaign team were in contact with Russian officials: “The failing New York Times wrote a big, long front-page story yesterday. And it was very much discredited, as you know. It was — it’s a joke.”

3. Trump admitted that he “enjoy[s] this back and forth that I guess I have all my life” with the media, but also realized that he’s “never seen more dishonest media than frankly, the political media.” 

I mean, I watch CNN, it’s so much anger and hatred and just the hatred. I don’t watch it any more because it’s very good — he’s saying no. It’s okay, Jim — it’s okay, Jim — you’ll have your chance. But I watch others too. You’re not the only one so don’t feel badly. But I think it should be straight. I think it should be — I think it would be frankly more interesting. I know how good everybody’s ratings are right now but I think that actually — I think that’d actually be better. People — I mean, you have a lower approval rate than Congress. I think that’s right.

5. Trump finally allowed Acosta to have his turn and the CNN correspondent wanted to try and clear the air. However, Trump wasn’t having it:

ACOSTA: Just for the record, we don't hate you. I don't hate you. I just want to pass that along. 

TRUMP: Ask — ask Jeff Zucker how he got his job, okay?

ACOSTA: If I may follow up on some of the questions that have taken place so far here, sir, and I don't know which microphone to hold here. I've got three microphones. 

TRUMP: You do have other people and your ratings aren't as good as some of the other people that are waiting.

ACOSTA: They're pretty good right now, actually, Mr. President. 

6. This one needed no further introduction as he laid into CNN and other networks for the venom they’ve displayed (while complimenting the Trump-friendly Fox & Friends):

The tone is such hatred. I’m really not a bad person, by the way. No, but the tone is such — I do get good ratings, you have to admit that — the tone is such hatred. I watched this morning a couple of the networks. And I have to say, Fox & Friends in the morning, they’re very honorable people.

7. If you thought Trump was done, you were severely mistaken. After chastising the media industry and specifically CNN, the President went even further during his Acosta exchange by calling out Don Lemon and his show, CNN Tonight:

Well, you look at your show that goes on at 10 o’clock in the evening. You just take a look at that show. That is a constant hit. The panel is almost always exclusive anti-Trump. The good news is he doesn’t have good ratings. But the panel is almost exclusive anti-Trump. And the hatred and venom coming from his mouth; the hatred coming from other people on your network. 

“The public gets it, you know. Look, when I go to rallies, they turn around, they start screaming at CNN. They want to throw their placards at CNN,” Trump added.

8. Predicting the headlines for Friday morning, Trump provided his two cents: “Tomorrow, they will say, “Donald Trump rants and raves at the press.” I’m not ranting and raving. I’m just telling you. You know, you’re dishonest people. But — but I’m not ranting and raving. I love this.”

9. At the end of his latest duel with Acosta, Trump withdrew his labeling of CNN as “fake news” but instead, he offered a new nickname:

ACOSTA: Just because the attack of fake news and attacking our network, I just want to ask you, sir — 

TRUMP: I'm changing it from fake news though.

ACOSTA: Doesn’t that undermine —

TRUMP: Very fake news. 

10. This one was particularly intriguing as Trump invoked the late Howard Cosell in this swing at the media and their torpedoed credibility:

The public doesn’t believe you people anymore. Now, maybe I had something to do with that. I don’t know. But they don’t believe you. If you were straight and really told it like it is, as Howard Cosell used to say, right? Of course, he had some questions also. But if you were straight, I would be your biggest booster.

11. Trump had called on each of the “big three” networks and cable networks by the waning moments, so a BBC reporter snuck in a question. What the BBC reporter probably didn’t expect was a rhetorical eye-roll from the President:

BBC REPORTER: Could I just ask you — thank you very much, Mr. President. The trouble —

TRUMP: Where are you from?

BBC REPORTER: BBC.

TRUMP: Here’s another beauty.

BBC REPORTER: That’s a good line. Impartial, free and fair.

TRUMP: Yeah. Sure.

BBC REPORTER: Mr. President —

TRUMP: Just like CNN right?

4. In the first of multiple punches lobbed at CNN, Trump denounced the “anger and hatred” coming out of the network. With Jim Acosta begging to respond, Trump told him to calm down, reminding the media that many Americans view them less favorably than even Congress:

12. The final, eyebrow-raising exchange was his mocking of American Urban Radio Networks correspondent April Ryan. As soon as Trump called on her, he admitted to the chagrin of Ryan that “this is going to be a bad question, but that's okay.”

Ryan later pushed Trump to hold meetings with the Congressional Black Caucus and Congressional Hispanic Caucus, so Trump responded by informing the liberal reporter that she should “set up the meeting” since they’re probably “friends of yours”:

TRUMP: Do you want to set up the meeting?

RYAN: No — no — no. I'm not —

TRUMP: Are they friends of yours?

RYAN: I'm just a reporter.

TRUMP: No, no, set up the meeting.

RYAN: I know some of them, but I'm sure they're watching right now.

TRUMP: Let’s go. Set up a meeting. I would love to meet with the Black Caucus.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: bbc; cabletelevision; cnn; cnntonight; conservativesrepubs; cyperalerts; donlemon; doublestandards; foreign; foxfriends; jimacosta; libsdemonrats; media; mediabiasdebate; msm; newyorkslimes; nonenglishmedia; othercnn; presidenttrump; press; radio; trump
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To: Kaslin

“TRUMP: Very fake news. ”

There was laughter from SOME in the press corp AT CNN on that one.

Very disconcerting for CNN, tide is turning.


21 posted on 02/16/2017 4:46:38 PM PST by JPJones (George Washington's Tariffs were Patriotic. Build a Wall and Build a Wall of tariffs.)
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To: xzins

They were snarling at the Gipper and he smiled back. Then they went out and called him stupid and dangerous at the same time. He was a sleeping dolt or an evil madman, depending on what media source you read or watched.

This guy is amazing. The closest thing to him was Jesse Helms, and no president has ever stood up to them like this.


22 posted on 02/16/2017 4:46:56 PM PST by Luke21
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To: Kaslin

His best press conference ever! He was in complete control - he should do one once a week.


23 posted on 02/16/2017 4:49:18 PM PST by alicewonders
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To: JPJones

The best part in my opinion was when he told Major Garret I don’t have to tell you what I am doing with North Korea, and I don’t have to tell you what I am doing with Syria. He told him also that he knows about the Russian spy ship out in the Atlantic near the US Coast, but he was not going to tell him what he was going to do.


24 posted on 02/16/2017 5:06:19 PM PST by Kaslin ( Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible)
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To: JPJones

but they had no problem when obama their cult hero went after FOX and other more republican outfits!!!


25 posted on 02/16/2017 5:06:48 PM PST by manc ( If they want so called marriage equality then they should support polygamy too.)
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To: Fu-fu2

Best presser ever.


26 posted on 02/16/2017 5:07:41 PM PST by Kaslin ( Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible)
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To: Kaslin

During the campaign we had several in the media claiming it was their duty to take him out. Some outlets put a notice on every article calling Trump the worst names the left can think of -racist, sexist, hater etc. There was not much in the way of media push back on that, assent through silence yes but also the way they reported showed their agreement. Now he is POTUS and we expect to believe that they are going to fairly characterize the news they choose to report? Let’s not forget they decide what to print and put on air. Then they decide how to characterize it, and what to say about it and who to invite to comment on it. So afaic they made this bed and they have to lay in it. Or lie in it, as it were.


27 posted on 02/16/2017 5:08:32 PM PST by monkeyshine
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To: Kaslin

During the campaign we had several in the media claiming it was their duty to take him out. Some outlets put a notice on every article calling Trump the worst names the left can think of -racist, sexist, hater etc. There was not much in the way of media push back on that, assent through silence yes but also the way they reported showed their agreement. Now he is POTUS and we expect to believe that they are going to fairly characterize the news they choose to report? Let’s not forget they decide what to print and put on air. Then they decide how to characterize it, and what to say about it and who to invite to comment on it. So afaic they made this bed and they have to lay in it. Or lie in it, as it were.


28 posted on 02/16/2017 5:08:32 PM PST by monkeyshine
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To: Gene Eric
TRUMP: Ask Jeff Zucker how he got his job, okay?

What is Trump referring to?

Trump is pointing out that Zucker's rise at NBC was due to the success of "The Apprentice" – which was due to Trump – which ultimately gave Zucker the juice to land his current position.

29 posted on 02/16/2017 5:10:45 PM PST by M. Thatcher
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To: Kaslin

30 posted on 02/16/2017 5:13:28 PM PST by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: Gene Eric
TRUMP: Ask Jeff Zucker how he got his job, okay?

What is Trump referring to?

Trump is pointing out that Zucker's rise at NBC was due to the success of "The Apprentice" – which was due to Trump – which ultimately gave Zucker the juice to land his current position.

31 posted on 02/16/2017 5:13:41 PM PST by M. Thatcher
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To: Luke21

He’s a fighter. I laughed when he said he enjoys this stuff. And he was. You could see it. They didn’t know what hit them.


32 posted on 02/16/2017 5:13:48 PM PST by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Those who truly support our troops pray for their victory.)
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To: Gene Eric
TRUMP: Ask Jeff Zucker how he got his job, okay?

What is Trump referring to?

Trump is pointing out that Zucker's rise at NBC was due to the success of "The Apprentice" – which was due to Trump – which ultimately gave Zucker the juice to land his current position.

33 posted on 02/16/2017 5:18:37 PM PST by M. Thatcher
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To: JPJones

I am not really sure of BBC’s slant, but I would presume they are very liberal and not reporting what is really going on at home, and maybe abroad.


34 posted on 02/16/2017 5:23:50 PM PST by The_Media_never_lie ( Agenda driven news is fake news.)
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To: GnuThere

Expect to see a large number of these folks checking into psychiatric hospitals with PTSD!


35 posted on 02/16/2017 5:24:49 PM PST by Portcall24
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To: Kaslin

36 posted on 02/16/2017 5:24:55 PM PST by Geronimo ( Trump, sump pump, bump...)
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To: stars & stripes forever

compost crap


37 posted on 02/16/2017 5:29:54 PM PST by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda�Divide and conquer seems to be working.)
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To: poinq
Chuck Todd said that its not funny to have the President delegitimatize the press. I think the press did that. Trump is just pointing it out.

I noticed the same thing with the last question, which implied that he was causing great division in the country. He replied that the country has been divided for a long time, since before Obama's terms, and that he didn't cause it, but wants to try to fix it.

38 posted on 02/16/2017 5:30:55 PM PST by Albion Wilde ("January 20, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.")
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To: The_Media_never_lie

“I am not really sure of BBC’s slant, but I would presume they are very liberal and not reporting what is really going on at home, and maybe abroad.”

Like the rest, the BBC has jumped the shark.


39 posted on 02/16/2017 5:32:56 PM PST by JPJones (George Washington's Tariffs were Patriotic. Build a Wall and Build a Wall of tariffs.)
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To: JPJones

Oh, he set them up for that one and the WHAM!

Imagine millions and millions watching were unable to hold back their laughter over that one.


40 posted on 02/16/2017 5:34:59 PM PST by Hostage (Article V)
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