Jake Tapper, Journalists Condemn Fox News’ John Roberts For Not Defending CNN Against Trump’s Attacks
President Donald Trump drew a line in the sand Friday at a presser with British PM Theresa May when he refused to take questions from “fake news” CNN.
A predictable slight from Trump at this point. But when Fox News’ John Roberts didn’t correct him and decided to charge ahead and ask his question, journalists and defenders of a free press were absolutely horrified.
.@johnrobertsFox had an opportunity to speak up after Trump trashed CNN and NBC, but he didn’t because that would break with Fox’s strategy.
He was once a real reporter, now he aids and abets a propaganda operation for a living
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) July 13, 2018
Old enough to remember when other networks came to the defense of Fox News WH correspondents during the Obama years. Such did not happen here.
Lesson for the kids out there: no one should ever try to do the right thing with the expectation it will ever be reciprocated. https://t.co/Ym7E94k2Wz
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 13, 2018
That was not a proud moment for @johnrobertsFox
— David Frum (@davidfrum) July 13, 2018
The U.S. president doing this abroad is like giving authoritarian leaders around the world, who put reporters in jail, who try to quash a free press, a green light. https://t.co/JxANJ42YJa
— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) July 13, 2018
Would be nice if @johnrobertsFox would’ve started his question there by saying he believes CNN is a real network too. Not a good look.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) July 13, 2018
That Fox doesn’t push back on this, and shows no sign of discomfort at being treated as the president’s pet network, tells you all you need to know https://t.co/aiua2w0zMI
— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) July 13, 2018
Shout out to all the other reporters who gave the mic to CNN after John Roberts didn’t.
— john r stanton (@dcbigjohn) July 13, 2018
Of course, John Roberts of Fox didn’t use his time to defend CNN. Why would state TV go to bat for journalism? https://t.co/xccrMb1mMJ
— Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) July 13, 2018
John Roberts of Fox is an asshole for taking the mike off a Trump attack on a free press. He should have declined
— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) July 13, 2018
In fact, the official Fox News account decided it was appropriate to tweet out President Trump’s comment, as if it’s some badge of honor (it’s really not):
President @realDonaldTrump: “@CNN is fake news. I don’t take questions from CNN.” pic.twitter.com/HMT09CmLXz
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 13, 2018
Watch above, via – oh crap – Fox News.
[image via screengrab]
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