Twitter Excoriates Matt Schlapp Over Comment That Journos Shouldn’t Call Trump Out For Lying: ‘That’s Literally Our Job’

Jon StreetApr 30th, 2018, 3:35 pm
 

American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said Monday that journalists shouldn’t call out the president or those who speak for him if they are lying.

Schlapp made the statement on CNN’s New Day following the controversy over comedian Michelle Wolf‘s comments about White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. Schlapp used the national platform on CNN to call out Wolf for what many perceived as jokes criticizing Sanders’ appearance.

CNN hosts Alisyn Camerota and Chris Cuomo confronted Schlapp over his outspoken disdain for Wolf’s comments compared with his near silence when then-candidate Donald Trump seemingly mocked a disabled journalist. Schlapp said that “if” Trump was mocking a disabled journalist, then it was “reprehensible.” But, Schlapp added, no one knows if that is the case.

Beyond Sanders’ appearance, though, Wolf also commented on the press secretary’s “lies.”

Schlapp inartfully made the point that journalists and comedians, like Wolf, too often accuse elected and appointed officials of “lying,” even in cases where there isn’t necessarily any proof of the intent to mislead.

“We have big political disagreements in this country, and I think it’s wrong for journalists to take that next step. Granted, she [Wolf] is a comedian, but plenty of journalists do it as well, is they take the next step. Just present the facts. Let the American people decide if they think someone was lying,” Schlapp said.

“Journalists should not be the ones to say that the president or his spokesperson is lying because what that does to 50 percent of the country is it makes them feel like they’re not credible to listen to anymore,” Schlapp added.

Schlapp’s comment drew plenty of criticism on Twitter, especially from journalists:

https://twitter.com/joshscampbell/status/990956050734985216

https://twitter.com/LynnComella/status/990984173987876865

https://twitter.com/jbillinson/status/990927465743835136

https://twitter.com/matthewjdowd/status/990984693301547008

[Image via screengrab]

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