Veteran Reporter Bob Woodward: CNN Lawsuit Isn't Answer to Jim Acosta's Ban From White House, It's Better Reporting

The Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward arrives at Trump Tower in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

The media has lost its mind on President Donald Trump, and older reporters are seeing it pretty clearly.

Washington Post editor Bob Woodward, best known for his time reporting on the events of Watergate, has been watching the unfolding drama between the Trump administration and CNN in regards to former White House reporter Jim Acosta, and he believes CNN is going about striking back at Trump all wrong.

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According to The Hill, Woodward believes the press isn’t thinking clearly, becoming far too emotional toward Trump instead of staying impartial:

“In the news media there has been an emotional reaction to Trump,” Woodward said, later adding, “Too many people for Trump or against Trump have become emotionally unhinged about this.”

“The remedy [isn’t a lawsuit],” he argued. “It’s more serious reporting about what he’s doing.”

Woodward believes that many in the press have too much “smugness” and want to inject more commentary than facts, causing the public to lose trust:

Woodward has cautioned reporters covering the president in recent months, once telling The Atlantic that the American people “see the smugness” of some in the press and that “following the facts” without injecting feelings and opinions into reporting is one way to help regain the trust of the public.

Woodward is no fan of the Trump administration, however, his judgment on the current reactions to the Trump administration seem spot on. Trump drives the press to unprofessionalism and is able to do so due to the infestation of ego the press has.

Woodward’s observation isn’t the first time the media’s own pride has been noticed by someone who’s worked in the field. Oddly enough, Jon Stewart, formerly the host of the Daily Show, also made the same observation when it comes to how the press reacts to Trump.

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According to Stewart, the media’s own narcissism makes them vulnerable to Trump’s jabs, causing them to react poorly, instead of just focusing on the story itself and leaving their egos at home:

“But I think the journalists have taken it personally,” Stewart said. “They’re personally offended and wounded by [Trump]. He baits them and they dive in — and what he’s done well I thought was to appeal to their own narcissism, to their own ego.”

“The journalists stand up and say ‘We are noble. We are honorable. How dare you, sir!” And they take it personally,” Stewart later added. “And now, he’s changed the conversation to not that his policies are silly or not working or any of those other things. It’s all about the fight. He’s able to tune out everything else and just get people focused on the fight.”

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