CBS assigned blame for the verbal battle between Donald Trump and CNN’s Jim Acosta at Wednesday’s press conference. Even though Acosta started the exchange by yelling at the President-elect, it was Trump who “lashed out” to “punish" a reporter. ABC saw the incoming President as “seeking retribution.”
Regarding the sleazy Russia claims made by BuzzFeed and repeated by CNN, Major Garrett on Wednesday’s Evening News spun, “The President-elect also lashed out at a reporter from CNN, the first news organization to report that the Russian hacking assessment included the unverified claims.”
Opening the show, anchor Scott Pelley used the same language, insisting, “At his first post-election news conference, Donald Trump lashes out at U.S. intelligence... reporters... and the candidate he defeated.”
On Thursday’s CBS This Morning, Garrett, who was also at the press conference, decided that Trump was now “punishing” journalists: “Clashing with the reporter from CNN, Mr. Trump punished the network for reporting he was given a condensed version of the unsubstantiated rumors about the Russian blackmail plot.”
On NBC’s Today, Hallie Jackson wondered:
HALLIE JACKSON: So what got him [Trump] so fired up? A 35-page incendiary document first made public by BuzzFeed, which is partially funded by the parent of NBC News. That document, according to intelligence and law enforcement sources, had been initially privately prepared to smear Trump. Reviewed and “dismissed out of hand” as “deceitful,” they say.
A network graphic chided, “Trump Rails Against Media.” Jackson continued, “The President-elect fired up and firing off barbs, with the news conference turning into a kind of media smackdown.”
The previous night’s NBC Nightly News hyped the “combative exchanges.” Anchor Lester Holt fretted, “Tonight, meet the press. A fiery Donald Trump comes out swinging. His first news conference in six months.”
World News Tonight anchor David Muir described Trump as “angry.” Reporter Jon Karl warned, “Not just angry, David, but seeking retribution. He wanted to make CNN pay a price for breaking that story."
Partial transcripts are below:
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World News Tonight
1/11/17
DAVID MUIR: Tonight, fireworks at Trump Tower. The president-elect Donald Trump, his first news conference since July. Blasting unconfirmed reports being investigated by U.S. intelligence about Russia and whether Vladimir Putin has material on the new president to blackmail him. And what we now know about that report. Brian Ross standing by. And that very tense moment today with a reporter.
...
DAVID MUIR: the president-elect angry about the headlines that broke on CNN.
JON KARL: Not just angry, David, but seeking retribution. He wanted to make CNN pay a price for breaking that story. It's a sign that Donald Trump who had very tense relations with the news media during the campaign, will continue to play hardball with reporters.
...
CBS This Morning
1/12/17
GARRETT: Clashing with the reporter from CNN, Mr. Trump punished the network for reporting he was given the condensed version of the unsubstantiated rumors about the Russian blackmail plot.
TRUMP: I'm not going to give you a question. I’m not going to give you a question. You are fake news.
CBS Evening News
1/11/17
SCOTT PELLEY: He comes out swinging.
DONALD TRUMP: I think it was disgraceful.
PELLEY: At his first post-election news conference, Donald Trump lashes out at U.S. Intelligence.
TRUMP: That’s something that Nazi Germany would have done and did do.
PELLEY: Reporters.
TRUMP: I’m not going to give you a question.
PELLEY: And the candidate he defeated.
TRUMP: Do you honestly believe that Putin would be tougher on Putin than me?
....
GARRETT: The president-elect also lashed out at a reporter from CNN, the first news organization to report that the Russian hacking assessment included the unverified claims.
TRUMP: Your organization is terrible.
JIM ACOSTA: You're attacking or news organization. Can you give us a chance to ask a question, sir.
TRUMP: Go ahead. Quiet. Quiet.
Nightly News
1/11/17
LESTER HOLT: Tonight, Meet the Press. A fiery Donald Trump comes out swinging. His first news conference in six months. Combative exchanges over his business conflicts, Russian hacking, U.S. intelligence and slamming the circulation of unverified allegations against him. Tonight, what NBC has learned that the President-elect was and was not told.
