When Reporters Look for a Fight, What Happens When They Get One?

Last week media was overflowing with reports about Greg Gianforte, the candidate in Montana accused of  body slamming and assaulting “innocent” news reporter Ben Jacobs (who claimed no responsibility in the fray).  Bologna!   Mr. Jacobs asked Mr. Gianforte a question twice; both times Mr. Gianforte told him there was no time for an adequate reply and referred him to a person who could help.   “Yes, but…” Mr. Jacobs kept saying, and he continued to press Mr. Gianforte for a reply.

For the record, Ben Jacobs is the same reporter who tweeted in 2014 he had an “overwhelming urge to punch” conservative Benji Backer (who was 16 at the time).  So despite Jacobs’ physical appearance, this is a man who obviously has violent tendencies somewhere in his brain.

Attention news media:  You have no Constitutional right to a reply or a comment from anybody at any time.  You are merely American citizens, just like the rest of us; you have no special or additional entitlement that permit you to persist, pressure, badger, or intimidate any other person.  Obviously you never learned that “No means No” or even basic manners and courtesy from your parents.  And in the case of ‘old school’ candidates like Gianforte, the term ‘push comes to shove’ might get taken literally.

We the People are finished with you; many of us do not watch television news, and most of us do not read newspapers.  We recognize and have had enough of your extrapolations, exaggerations, selective reporting, and absolute lies.  We are tired of Republicans being portrayed by you as inept, inadequate, uneducated, diseased and crazy, and Democrats always above reproach.  We are well aware that you are the tail that wags the Democrat Party dog.  Mr. Gianforte did not want you in his face, and neither do we.

Speaking for myself, it was refreshing to see a reporter “sized down.”  Mr. Jacobs and his ilk neither recognize nor comprehend the language of courtesy, thus Mr. Gianforte merely  communicated in a way that Mr. Jacobs’ understands.   Mr. Gianforte has been charged with assault; I say wear it like a badge. And, by the way, he won the special election.