Mon June 19, 2017 — CNN’s White House correspondent Jim Acosta lost his mind on live television yesterday. (Well who doesn’t on CNN?) Jim was vexed that the White House did not allow audio or video recordings of the daily press briefing with Sean Spicer.
Being his belittling self, Donald Trump called Jim a “real beauty” during the campaign, and yesterday what we saw on tv was real ugly. Jim, mouth agape, fists clenched, was near hysterics, repeating over and over, “This is the White House! The White House!”
“I guess this White House doesn’t want their answers saved for posterity,” posited Jim. Oh please – it’s for one day! No one was banned from attending; the White House didn’t cancel the briefing; Spicer probably just wanted some privacy before he gets fired<1>
A little peace and quiet on a Monday – well he still had to deal with the rabid reporters and dumb questions; we just did not get to hear them live. And Jim was quite upset about this, saying “Maybe I’m old fashioned but the White House should have these on tv – [not having video] wouldn’t be tolerated at a city counsel meeting.” (I wish it would be tolerated, sir, I might even watch a local access cable tv channel if it didn’t constantly show neighbors yelling at each other about playground budgets.)
We have to go way back in history to find a time when the White House Press Briefing wasn’t shown live on tv everyday. All the way back to – December 2016. Remember these press briefings were never shown live daily until the Bill Clinton scandals in 1998 – now that was must see television! Watching Mike McCurry find hundreds of different ways say “No comment,” was insightful.
How did we ever survive without audio or video before this? What did reporters have to do then? Their jobs? (Reporters writing things down and reading it back. Sad!) Does Jim realize television only came into existence during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations; the 33 presidents before them (and their reporters) had to go without. Acosta would really go after someone if we told him that during the Truman administration reporters weren’t even allowed to quote the president. No quoting! (Horrible!)
Of course White House administrations always held some kind of press briefing, but they were never televised live; only if something bad happened. Really bad. And even then I remember presidents showing up themselves to calm the masses or spin the story.
“What world do we live in, ” Acosta continued, “this is the White House – The White House! – and we are not allowed audio/video press conferences!? It’s pointless with just transcripts – smart people understand this.” Take that, lawyers, with your stupid case files, reading trial notes from a court reporter – Not watching it on tv like us intellectuals, are you? Stupid!
In my mind I pleaded with Jim not to hold back anymore, get his freak on during live tv. “It’s like bad reality 
television now, we’re not even covering the White House.” There you go, pace yourself. “I mean, we are at the point where Sean Spicer is useless.” Whoa! Low blow, Acosta! Spicer’s body isn’t even cold yet (in fact, his transition from press secretary is yet to be announced). You can’t win if you don’t show up, Spicey.
Clearly Jim is upset, in general yes, but at this technology-free press conference in particular. Maybe we caught Jim on a bad day, or maybe he was looking forward to get in a question or two and record the answer “for posterity” (he banged that drum throughout his tirade). So pretell what would he ask if given the chance? He said this, “Does the President believe in climate change, and where are the secret tapes?”
Ka-Boom! Pulitzer Prize, baby!
With all that is going on in the world, with all that was happening on this particular day – the Healthcare repeal and replace bill, tax reform, the 7 Navy sailors who died in a collision, the kid who came back from North Korea DOA, the Syrian fighter jet the US shot down, the Russians announcing they will treat US war planes as “targets,” the Iran missile launch, terrorist attacks in London and Paris on the same day….to name a few – Jim steps up and asks those idiotic question? You’re kidding, right?
Swing, and a miss.
The terror attacks are enough to deal with on a regular day, nevermind potential war-mongering by Russia and North Korea. But wait, let’s re-align our priorities here; Maybe if Jim Acosta asks nice enough, (and it’s on camera), puts just the right amount of product in his hair, smiles (for the camera) and asks in his best anchorman voice, maybe – there’s a chance – Sean Spicer would tell the whole world where they keep the tapes. That’s journalism, Jim Acosta style.
<1> Monday night it was leaked that WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer may get replaced at the podium.
