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Watergate Journalist on Acosta’s Case: Media "Emotionally Unhinged" About Trump

Trump’s crusade against “fake news” reached a new level when CNN's White House Correspondent Jim Acosta was deprived of his “hard pass” to the White House because the journalist allegedly “physically refused to surrender a White House microphone”. CNN sued the White House, saying it had violated its First and Fifth Amendment rights.
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Bob Woodward, who is famous for reporting on the Watergate scandal in the 1970's, criticized CNN's approach in dealing with US President Donald Trump's attacks on the American media, saying that instead of suing the White House and Donald Trump, media outlets have to offer "more serious reporting about what he is doing".

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Taking part in the Global Financial Leadership Conference in Naples (Florida), Woodward accused the news media of their "emotional reaction to Trump", saying that "too many people are emotionally unhinged" about the US President.

Last Tuesday (Nov.13) CNN filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and several White House aides for the "revocation of Acosta's credentials", according to the official CNN complaint.  Citing the US Bill of Rights, CNN made a list of demands, including the "immediate restoration of Acosta's press credentials" and "a declaration that the revocation of Acosta's press credentials was unconstitutional".

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White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, commenting on the CNN's lawsuit, said that the White House will "vigorously defend" itself. In the official statement, Sanders highlighted that the First Amendment to which CNN refers "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 behaviour it impedes the ability of the President, the White House staff, and members of the media to conduct business", added Sarah Sanders.

Earlier November 7, during the press conference following the US midterm elections, CNN's reporter Jim Acosta challenged Trump, asking him about the migrants' caravan, refusing to return the microphone to a female staffer while Trump ignored his questions. After, what Trump called, a failure to "treat the White House with respect" Acosta was banned from taking part in the White House press briefings. 

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