The LaSalle GOP was ready to abandon ship when Donald Trump was elected U.S. president, but after Trump's recent pillorying of the press, the group is jumping on the bandwagon.
“I didn't get to see this [in real time],” the LaSalle GOP posted on the organization’s official Facebook page. “I have to admit that over the last year I've gone from ‘not Trump’ to ‘he's saying some good things’ to ‘oh my gosh he didn't say that’ to ‘maybe Trump’ to ‘absolutely Trump.’"
During the videotaped news conference posted by C-SPAN, Trump focused his attention on the media, criticizing the handling -- and perhaps slanting -- of its coverage of his presidential performance so far.
When CNN reporter Jim Acosta questioned Trump’s credibility on matters pertaining to fake news, Russia and leaks, the president responded, “I want a very strong defensive mechanism. I don’t want to be hacked [like the DNC was].”
Trump said Hillary Clinton should have revealed that she had been given debate or town hall questions in advance and called out CNN for the leak.
“You said that the leaks are real, but the news is fake,” Acosta said. “It seems that there is a disconnect there. If the information coming from those leaks is real, then how can the stories be fake?”
“The reporting is fake,” Trump said, adding that although the public can’t always tell the difference, he can.
“I was actually proud of that man today,” the LaSalle GOP post said. “That guy is up against an evil cabal of media, ultra left socialists, some of the aristocracy leaders from both parties and an embedded civil service bureaucratic army, many [of] who[m] are completely lacking moral rudders.”
Trump said he could tell which way a media member leaned. He told Acosta: “Look at your show … That is a constant hit. The panel is almost always exclusive[ly] anti-Trump.”
“I watch it; I see it; I’m amazed by it,” he said. “I just think you’d be a lot better off … by being different.”
Using the ongoing news conference itself as an example, the president reminded the audience that he enjoys interaction with the press -- it's how he won the election.
“Remember, I used to give you a news conference every time I made a speech … every day,” he said to some laughter. “No, that’s how I won! I won with news conferences and speeches. I certainly didn’t win by people listening to you people.”
Trump simultaneously complimented Fox News and admitted that he’s not perfect, asserting that Fox had the most honest morning show, even when it points to him doing something wrong.
“I’m just telling you, you’re dishonest people," Trump said, anticipating how he would be portrayed as ranting and raving at the conference.
When Acosta rose for a final question, the president interjected: “Very fake news, by the way."
“Aren’t you concerned, sir, that you are undermining people’s faith in the First Amendment, freedom of the press, the press of this country when you call stories you don’t like ‘fake news,’" Acosta said. Why not just say, ‘It’s a story I don’t like?’”
“I know what’s good [and] what’s bad,” Trump said. “I want to see an honest press. The public doesn’t believe you people anymore. Now, maybe I had something to do with that; I don’t know.”
The president also defended his administration against charges of being out of control, saying it was experiencing “zero chaos” and running like “a fine-tuned machine.”
“I would be your biggest fan in the world if you treated me right,” he said. “But you’ve got to be at least a little bit fair.”
Trump concluded by encouraging reporters to look at their own material and check it for bias.
“There were a lot of good, capable Republican candidates in the primary, but none of them could have stood up to the trash talkers, talking heads and constant assaults this man, his wife and even his children have already received,” the LaSalle GOP stated via Facebook. “Donald Trump was made for this job at this time and this place. Our country is just so lucky and blessed to have this man, warts and all.”
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