Isn't it the job of a reporter to ask awkward questions?

@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
November 8, 2018 4:22am CST
I find the attitude of President Donald Trump towards certain reporters to be both odd and disturbing. We had an example yesterday when he not only refused to answer a reporter's questions at a press conference but insulted him and later ensured that his credentials to attend future press conferences were revoked. What was this man's crime? To ask a question for which the President did not have a prepared answer and which - if answered truthfully - might have embarrassed him? But isn't that what a free press is there to do? To hold the powerful to account and make them justify their deeds and words? It is not there to give a President every opportunity to spout garbage about how wonderful he is and how terrible everyone who opposes him is. What strikes me so forcibly, and surely I am not alone in thinking this, is that if President Trump is so thin-skinned about answering awkward questions, he must have an awful lot that he wants to keep hidden from public gaze. This is coupled with his statement that he will happily co-operate with a Democrat-led House of Representatives as long as they stop trying to investigate his past and asking for something as simple as making his income tax returns public - which previous Presidents have had no problem with. When you exert so much energy on avoiding the questions, is it any wonder that people are so convinced that the answers must be very interesting indeed?
6 people like this
6 responses
@ilocosboy (45155)
• Philippines
8 Nov 18
If he can't answer awkward question, learn from the spokesperson of President Duterte, he will learn a lot.
2 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
8 Nov 18
Please enlighten us as to what this particular person does?
@ilocosboy (45155)
• Philippines
8 Nov 18
President was actually endorsing a senatorial candidate in one occasion, too bad that candidate was not part of senatorial line-up of their political party. When reporter asked the presidential spokesperson why the president endorsing not their candidate, "maybe he's not endorsing him for senator, maybe he's endorsing him for other purpose", he said. Another incident was when asked why the Davao city (the place of the president) got the number cases of rapes in the country, the answered was "because too many beautiful girls in Davao"
@NJChicaa (127195)
• United States
8 Nov 18
Jim Acosta was just doing his job. That's what the free press does. Donald Trump is a big baby and he thinks that he should be an absolute ruler which is certainly is not. It is a disgrace that they revoked his press pass to the White House. This administration has been quite a dark period in this country's history.
2 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
8 Nov 18
I see they're trying to make out that Acosta physically assaulted a White House staff member who had been told to get the microphone off him, and that is the reason for his credentials being removed. This all took place in front of TV cameras! Call that an assault? Mind you, we all know that the Mall was full to bursting on Inauguration Day, because Donald said it was! Cameras only ever give us fake news!
2 people like this
@NJChicaa (127195)
• United States
8 Nov 18
@indexer Trump is a liar. His press secretary is a liar. They think we are stupid.
@crossbones27 (53005)
• Mojave, California
8 Nov 18
I guess you can take it as awkward but we call them tough questions which definitely makes our leaders awkward as it should if they being true leaders. I am still amazed how so many have not been tracking how he has gotten worse and taking freedom away everyday. I said it goes quick and most will not even see it. I am sure people from a far can see it.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
8 Nov 18
In the UK the Prime Minister has to face an hour of questioning every week in the House of Commons from MPs on all sides of the House. This session is televised, so every sign of tension on the PM's face can be viewed and analysed by the whole nation! The questions are selected by the Speaker - who in the UK is not a politician but an independent MP. All this means that the MP cannot choose what questions she gets - although she is quite good at giving evasive answers!
3 people like this
• Mojave, California
8 Nov 18
@indexer Interesting sounds like a good idea and yeah the best politicians are slippery. It would not work with him. He has a way of not evading but destroying everything in his path. Why now the election is over can't wait for Muellers report because that guy does not play and Trump has been able to do most of the talking while Mueller quietly just does his job but imagine in his mind the alarms are going off non stop in his head. Trump is about to get a nightmarish call to truth that will have his base ducking under the blankets. Since they both hate truth, the tables about to turn.
2 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
8 Nov 18
@crossbones27 The ancient Chinese curse was "may you live in interesting times". It would appear that Donald Trump has just been cursed by a Chinaman!
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14816)
• Ireland
8 Nov 18
@indexer irritating reporters are the only means I have of posing my questions to authority. Long may they irritate.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (35173)
• United Kingdom
8 Nov 18
Oh I'm sure there are lots of interesting answers to be unearthed, and hopefully they will be in due course!
@Namelesss (3364)
• United States
8 Nov 18
Nothing this man says or does surprises me anymore. His mental acuity is lacking big time.
2 people like this