Bob Woodward, associate editor of The Washington Post, weighed in on the lawsuit that CNN has filed against President Donald Trump over the suspension of reporter Jim Acosta’s White House security pass.
Woodward, famous for this reporting on the Watergate scandal, called the lawsuit a “negative” for CNN. Woodward is the author of the controversial book Fear: Trump in the White House that the President has since called “made up.”
“In the news media there has been an emotional reaction to Trump … too many people for Trump or against Trump have become emotionally unhinged about this,” Woodward said at the Global Financial Leadership Conference in Naples, Florida, NBC’s Dylan Byers tweeted.
“The remedy [isn’t a lawsuit], it’s more serious reporting about what he’s doing.”
“Trump is sitting around saying, ‘This is great.’ … When we engage in [Trump’s strategy], we’re taking his bait,” Woodward said.
CNN filed a federal lawsuit (pdf) in a district court in Washington on Nov. 13 demanding that the White House return Acosta’s press credentials.
The suit was filed against Trump and five other White House officials—John Kelly, William Shine, Sarah Sanders, Randolph Alles, and “John Doe,” or the Secret Service member who took Acosta’s pass away on Nov. 8.
CNN claimed in the lawsuit that Acosta and the media outlet’s First Amendment rights of freedom of the press and their Fifth Amendment rights of due process were violated over the suspension of Acosta’s press pass.
“We have asked this court for an immediate restraining order requiring the pass be returned to Jim, and will seek permanent relief as part of this process. While the suit is specific to CNN and Acosta, this could have happened to anyone,” the network said in a statement. “If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials.”
Confrontation in the White House
The White House announced on Nov. 7 that it was suspending Acosta’s press pass after what it called “disrespectful” conduct from Acosta as he refused to release the microphone to other members of the press during an hour plus press conference with Trump. The White House said in a statement that Acosta’s “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern” was “absolutely unacceptable.”
At the time, Acosta had been debating with Trump over the implied meaning in the word “invasion,” which Trump has used to describe the approaching migrant caravans. Acosta said Trump’s choice of words “demonized immigrants” who were moving through Mexico in hopes of entering the United States and claiming asylum.
After about a minute of questioning, during which Trump responded four times to Acosta, the CNN correspondent refused to give up a microphone, violating protocol. The general protocol is that reporters ask one question and a follow-up.
A female White House intern then attempted to take the microphone off Acosta so she could pass it on to other reporters. On her third attempt, Acosta blocked the intern’s arm, refusing to let go of the microphone.
After Acosta’s suspension was announced, CNN claimed that Acosta had not touched the intern, despite the video of the incident. The network repeated that claim in the lawsuit.
GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who was in attendance at the press conference on Nov. 7, later wrote on Twitter commenting on the incident, “We all value a free press, but it’s unfortunate that some reporters seem more interested in getting their own cable show than doing their jobs. The media grandstanding has gone overboard.”
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders decried the CNN lawsuit as grandstanding by the news network and said the administration will be mounting a legal defense.
“The White House cannot run an orderly and fair press conference when a reporter acts this way, which is neither appropriate nor professional,” Sanders said on Nov. 13.
“The First Amendment is not served when a single reporter, of more than 150 present, attempts to monopolize the floor. If there is no check on this type of behavior it impedes the ability of the president, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business.”
The judge over the case has said the ruling is to come on Nov. 15.
Trump, who calls CNN “fake news,” has not appeared on the news network since August 2016.
Zacahary Stieber of NTD News contributed to this report.
