Bill O’Reilly blasted CNN’s Jim Acosta, saying the network’s White House correspondent’s confrontation with President Donald Trump at a recent press conference was “embarrassing and unnecessary."
In his weekly column, published to his website Wednesday, before the White House announced action against the reporter, O'Reilly concluded that "the Trump administration would be in the right if it pulled Acosta’s credentials.
"The well is simply filled with too much poison and presidential press meetings are being disrupted by the CNN-driven carnival."
“CNN is the lowest rated cable news network even though it has embraced a 'hate-Trump' posture. Every on-air person in the organization well understands they are encouraged to incorporate a negative tone into anything Trump
“Skilled journalists know that you can be persistent without being disrespectful. A reporter might not like the president, but he or she should always respect the office. That doesn’t mean you forgo tough questions, I never did that, but it does mean you think about your tone and phrasing.
“Mr. Acosta does not do that. He apparently wants to goad Donald Trump into a confrontation.”
O’Reilly said Acosta interjected an accusatory tone and his own opinions in questioning the president in an attempt to make the president look bad.
“Predictably, President Trump lashed out at Mr. Acosta calling him rude and a bad person,” he said. “That’s gold for CNN as it hits the internet all over the world, and Acosta gets to play the victim.”
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