Jim Acosta Is a Preening Showboat But He Deserves First Amendment Protection

“A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to restore the press credentials of Jim Acosta of CNN, handing the cable network an early win in its lawsuit against the president and members of his administration.

Presiding over one of the first major tests of press rights under President Trump, Judge Timothy J. Kelly of United States District Court in Washington ruled that the White House had behaved inappropriately in stripping Mr. Acosta of his press badge shortly after a testy exchange at a news conference last week.”

The New York Times

Stripping CNN journalist Jim Acosta of his press credentials because he`s stubborn and obnoxious was a grave violation of the First Amendment, and I am delighted with the federal judge`s ruling.

Donald Trump may be the only person who`s happier than me, Acosta is the perfect foil. He`s the perfect sap for the White House`s anti-press crusade, every time Trump or Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tango with Acosta the president`s base salivates with glee. Trump`s followers hatred of reporters is only slightly less than their revulsion of gays and feminists.

Trump didn`t need to resort to the nuclear option to silence the preening CNN reporter, he could simply ignore him and not call upon him to ask any questions.

Acosta`s fellow White House correspondents probably despise him more than Trump, he hates relinquishing the microphone and attempts to turn every question into a mini-interview. Acosta is as reluctant to give up the microphone as a crack head is to let go of his crack pipe.

I`m betting that at the next White House press briefing Acosta will be called upon to ask a question, he`s catnip for Sanders and Trump.

Acosta doesn`t need another rebuke from Trump or Sanders, but his employer should counsel him to ask his question, and a follow-up if necessary, and try not to turn every press conference into the Sanders and Acosta circus.