White House Press Secretary refused to state that the news media is not the "enemy of the people," as the president has claimed, at a press briefing on Thursday. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Aug 02, 2018
Given an opportunity to say unequivocally that American journalists are not "the enemy of the people," as President Donald Trump has declared, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined on Thursday.
\u201cDo not miss or minimize this: the spokesperson for the US President will not utter the words the \u201cpress is NOT the enemy of the people\u201d.\u201d— Jim Sciutto (@Jim Sciutto) 1533232852
\u201c.@PressSec Sarah Sanders, the White House PRESS secretary, declined multiple times to say, on camera, that the press is NOT the enemy of the American people.\nI've known 7 WH press secs, both parties. It would've been unthinkable for this Q to come up, let alone not get answered.\u201d— Jackie Calmes (@Jackie Calmes) 1533233305
CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, whose harassment by Trump supporters was applauded by the president earlier this week, asked Huckabee Sanders to disavow Trump's infamous comment--one of many attacking the character of reporters, as well as their right to do their jobs.
"It would be a good thing if you were to say right here at this briefing that the press--the people who are gathered in this room right now, doing their jobs every day--are not the enemy of the people. I think we deserve that," said Acosta.
"I think the president has made his position known," said Huckabee Sanders before pivoting to her own attack on the media. "It's ironic that not only you and the media attack the president for his rhetoric when they frequently lower the level of conversation in this country."
Watch:
\u201cAcosta Asks Sanders to Say that Press is **NOT** Enemy of the People. Sanders Responds with Anti-Press Tirade. 1/2\u201d— Josh Marshall (@Josh Marshall) 1533233243
Huckabee Sanders' main focus during her remarks focused on negative coverage she has received, especially in the midst of the family separation crisis, during which she has vigorously defended the administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy.
She also blamed the White House press corps for allowing comedian Michelle Wolf to comment on the lies Huckabee Sanders has told on behalf of the president in an act at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, which Trump supporters widely claimed focused on the press secretary's physical appearance.
In addition to calling the press the "enemy of the people" and "really bad people" who peddle "fake news," Trump himself has attacked the physical appearance of numerous journalists, including MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski, NBC's Megyn Kelly, and the New York Times' Serge Kovaleski.
At the rally where Trump supporters surrounded and yelled, "CNN sucks!" at him on Tuesday, Acosta expressed concern about the president's steadily escalating attacks on the press.
"I'm very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt," Acosta tweeted.
He shared more distress over Huckabee Sanders' refusal to stand up for the rights of the press on CNN after the briefing.
"It is not right, it is not fair, it is not just, it is un-American to come out here and call the press the enemy of the people....I don't know why this press secretary doesn't [know that]," Acosta said. "I mean, she got yelled at in a restaurant in Virginia... She ought to hear some of the things that were said to me the other night in Tampa. She ought to read some of the things that are said about my colleagues on CNN."
\u201c"I'm tired of this," @Acosta says. "It is not right" to call the press the "enemy of the people." Watch this clip.\u201d— Brian Stelter (@Brian Stelter) 1533233597
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Given an opportunity to say unequivocally that American journalists are not "the enemy of the people," as President Donald Trump has declared, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined on Thursday.
\u201cDo not miss or minimize this: the spokesperson for the US President will not utter the words the \u201cpress is NOT the enemy of the people\u201d.\u201d— Jim Sciutto (@Jim Sciutto) 1533232852
\u201c.@PressSec Sarah Sanders, the White House PRESS secretary, declined multiple times to say, on camera, that the press is NOT the enemy of the American people.\nI've known 7 WH press secs, both parties. It would've been unthinkable for this Q to come up, let alone not get answered.\u201d— Jackie Calmes (@Jackie Calmes) 1533233305
CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, whose harassment by Trump supporters was applauded by the president earlier this week, asked Huckabee Sanders to disavow Trump's infamous comment--one of many attacking the character of reporters, as well as their right to do their jobs.
"It would be a good thing if you were to say right here at this briefing that the press--the people who are gathered in this room right now, doing their jobs every day--are not the enemy of the people. I think we deserve that," said Acosta.
"I think the president has made his position known," said Huckabee Sanders before pivoting to her own attack on the media. "It's ironic that not only you and the media attack the president for his rhetoric when they frequently lower the level of conversation in this country."
Watch:
\u201cAcosta Asks Sanders to Say that Press is **NOT** Enemy of the People. Sanders Responds with Anti-Press Tirade. 1/2\u201d— Josh Marshall (@Josh Marshall) 1533233243
Huckabee Sanders' main focus during her remarks focused on negative coverage she has received, especially in the midst of the family separation crisis, during which she has vigorously defended the administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy.
She also blamed the White House press corps for allowing comedian Michelle Wolf to comment on the lies Huckabee Sanders has told on behalf of the president in an act at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, which Trump supporters widely claimed focused on the press secretary's physical appearance.
In addition to calling the press the "enemy of the people" and "really bad people" who peddle "fake news," Trump himself has attacked the physical appearance of numerous journalists, including MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski, NBC's Megyn Kelly, and the New York Times' Serge Kovaleski.
At the rally where Trump supporters surrounded and yelled, "CNN sucks!" at him on Tuesday, Acosta expressed concern about the president's steadily escalating attacks on the press.
"I'm very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt," Acosta tweeted.
He shared more distress over Huckabee Sanders' refusal to stand up for the rights of the press on CNN after the briefing.
"It is not right, it is not fair, it is not just, it is un-American to come out here and call the press the enemy of the people....I don't know why this press secretary doesn't [know that]," Acosta said. "I mean, she got yelled at in a restaurant in Virginia... She ought to hear some of the things that were said to me the other night in Tampa. She ought to read some of the things that are said about my colleagues on CNN."
\u201c"I'm tired of this," @Acosta says. "It is not right" to call the press the "enemy of the people." Watch this clip.\u201d— Brian Stelter (@Brian Stelter) 1533233597
Given an opportunity to say unequivocally that American journalists are not "the enemy of the people," as President Donald Trump has declared, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined on Thursday.
\u201cDo not miss or minimize this: the spokesperson for the US President will not utter the words the \u201cpress is NOT the enemy of the people\u201d.\u201d— Jim Sciutto (@Jim Sciutto) 1533232852
\u201c.@PressSec Sarah Sanders, the White House PRESS secretary, declined multiple times to say, on camera, that the press is NOT the enemy of the American people.\nI've known 7 WH press secs, both parties. It would've been unthinkable for this Q to come up, let alone not get answered.\u201d— Jackie Calmes (@Jackie Calmes) 1533233305
CNN correspondent Jim Acosta, whose harassment by Trump supporters was applauded by the president earlier this week, asked Huckabee Sanders to disavow Trump's infamous comment--one of many attacking the character of reporters, as well as their right to do their jobs.
"It would be a good thing if you were to say right here at this briefing that the press--the people who are gathered in this room right now, doing their jobs every day--are not the enemy of the people. I think we deserve that," said Acosta.
"I think the president has made his position known," said Huckabee Sanders before pivoting to her own attack on the media. "It's ironic that not only you and the media attack the president for his rhetoric when they frequently lower the level of conversation in this country."
Watch:
\u201cAcosta Asks Sanders to Say that Press is **NOT** Enemy of the People. Sanders Responds with Anti-Press Tirade. 1/2\u201d— Josh Marshall (@Josh Marshall) 1533233243
Huckabee Sanders' main focus during her remarks focused on negative coverage she has received, especially in the midst of the family separation crisis, during which she has vigorously defended the administration's "zero tolerance" immigration policy.
She also blamed the White House press corps for allowing comedian Michelle Wolf to comment on the lies Huckabee Sanders has told on behalf of the president in an act at the White House Correspondents Association dinner, which Trump supporters widely claimed focused on the press secretary's physical appearance.
In addition to calling the press the "enemy of the people" and "really bad people" who peddle "fake news," Trump himself has attacked the physical appearance of numerous journalists, including MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski, NBC's Megyn Kelly, and the New York Times' Serge Kovaleski.
At the rally where Trump supporters surrounded and yelled, "CNN sucks!" at him on Tuesday, Acosta expressed concern about the president's steadily escalating attacks on the press.
"I'm very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt," Acosta tweeted.
He shared more distress over Huckabee Sanders' refusal to stand up for the rights of the press on CNN after the briefing.
"It is not right, it is not fair, it is not just, it is un-American to come out here and call the press the enemy of the people....I don't know why this press secretary doesn't [know that]," Acosta said. "I mean, she got yelled at in a restaurant in Virginia... She ought to hear some of the things that were said to me the other night in Tampa. She ought to read some of the things that are said about my colleagues on CNN."
\u201c"I'm tired of this," @Acosta says. "It is not right" to call the press the "enemy of the people." Watch this clip.\u201d— Brian Stelter (@Brian Stelter) 1533233597
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.