Appearing on CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik lambasted President Obama for his attacks on a free press, saying the President was “trying to criminalize reporting.”
Responding to criticism of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump’s criticisms of the political press, Zurawik responded, “What happened to the press under Obama was really deadly.”
“If, when we say what a threat Trump is to the press, and he is, all the things you listed I agree,” Zurawik said. “But so far, nothing rivals what President Obama did to James Risen, did to James Rosen, and did to the AP. Trying to criminalize reporting. They called Rosen a criminal co-conspirator. Eric Holder wrote that to get the subpoena. They subpoenaed Risen. Ask Risen what he called him. He said he’s the biggest threat — the Obama administration was the biggest threat to the press in a generation.”
Zurawik concluded:
Admit that, as we denounce Trump, and conservatives will feel better about this. We can’t let him have a — you know, now President Obama’s very nice to the press cause he’s thinking about legacy, and it’s donned on him we’re going to be writing that legacy, at least in the first or second draft. But I’m serious. What happened to the press under Obama was really deadly.
And when you talk about delegitimizing – and I agree with Katrina. She’s absolutely right. Think back to 2010 what he tried to do to Fox when he didn’t let them into some briefings and when he launched a campaign on Reliable Sources before your time, against Fox trying, cut it from the herd, delegitimize it. A lot of people might feel it should be, but that’s not the argument.
The executive does not say what a legitimate member of the press is, and he tried to do that. That’s much more dangerous.