Politics

Bloomberg Columnist Says CNN Boycotting White House Christmas Party Is ‘Chicken S***’

CNN New Day Jim Acosta 7-6-17/YouTube Screenshot/MediaViralNews

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Jack Crowe Political Reporter
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Bloomberg columnist and veteran journalist Albert Hunt referred to CNN’s boycotting of the White House Christmas party as “chicken shit” during a journalism ethics summit Monday.

Hunt, who spent four decades at The Wall Street Journal, cited the decision to boycott the White House’s annual media Christmas party as an example of the modern press corps’ self obsession and aggrandizement.

“The press should realize that the story isn’t about us … When Jared Kushner goes to CNN and says cut 25 percent of stats, that’s a big deal,” Hunt said during his address at the Poynter Ethics Summit. “When CNN announces that they’re not going to the White House Christmas Party, that’s chicken shit.”

CNN announced that its correspondents would not attend the party, which took place Friday, due to Trump’s unusually combative relationship with the media.

“CNN will not be attending this year’s White House Christmas party,” a CNN spokesperson told Politico Tuesday. “In light of the President’s continued attacks on freedom of the press and CNN, we do not feel it is appropriate to celebrate with him as his invited guests. We will send a White House reporting team to the event and report on it if news warrants.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who often spars with CNN’s Jim Acosta in the briefing room, celebrated the news, tweeting Tuesday night, “Christmas comes early! Finally, good news from @CNN.”

Acosta, who has established himself as a prominent critic of the Trump administration, also spoke at the gathering of high profile reporters and editors and implored his fellow journalists to “resist” when journalism is attacked.

“We are not part of ‘the Resistance’ but … if journalism is attacked, we should resist. That is up to us,” Acosta said.

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