CNN’s Jim Acosta Defends His Network: ‘We Are Not the Opposition Party’

“We are just trying to get at the truth,” says White House correspondent

CNN's Jim Acosta
CNN

CNN’s Jim Acosta is defending his profession and his network against verbal attacks that have come from the White House.

He said Wednesday that it’s un-American to “go after” certain journalists, including himself and those at his network.

Acosta’s comments came during a panel at a Newseum symposium in Washington D.C. titled “The President and the Press.”

“I don’t think it is American to go after a segment of the News Media,” said the White House correspondent.

During the panel discussion, Breitbart’s Charlie Spiering defended Trump’s infamous, unverified tweet accusing President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower, saying it had an “element if truth.”

Acosta shot back: “I’m not talking about an element of the truth, how about just the truth? Why can’t we just have the truth?” The CNN reporter added: “I was with Steve Bannon the other day where he referred to us as the opposition party once again. We are not the opposition party, we are just trying to get at the truth.”

Acosta continued: “And when you have a side of the News Media that just insists time and again that, you know that CNN is out to get the president or out to get certain people in this country, I think it just does a tremendous disservice to all Americans.”

Acosta has been a frequent target of President Trump, who has pointed him out and referred to him as “fake news” on multiple occasions. Bannon, who is a top Trump advisor and former Breitbart boss, often refers to the media as the “opposition party.”

Acosta then turned his attention to fellow panelist and Fox News host Bret Baier.

“Brett knows because Brett is a pro who does a great newscast every night on Fox News, I watch it all the time when I’m not watching Wolf Blitzer,” Acosta said.

“You can DVR us,” Baier replied.

“I can DVR you, and I probably have. But listen, we have got to get to a point in this country where we’re not demonizing one another and going after each other and cutting each others throats because we don’t agree with one another,” Acosta said.

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