CNN White House reporter Jim Acosta is getting a new role now that President Donald Trump has been vanquished, moving to the anchor desk on weekends and working as chief domestic correspondent on weekdays.
“On to the next adventure,” Acosta proclaimed Monday on Twitter. He added that he will miss his White House colleagues, “but I know they’ll be great covering the Biden administration.”
On to the next adventure! After eight years at WH, I’m moving into a new role as anchor on weekends and chief domestic correspondent for @CNN, a new challenge I’m very excited about. Will miss my WH colleagues. But I know they’ll be great covering the Biden admin. See you soon!
Acosta has been one of the most visible and aggressive members of the White House press corps in the era of Donald Trump, in many cases shouting over the president or using his question opportunities to make mini-speeches with left-wing talking points. At one point in 2018, he was banned from the White House after physically preventing a female intern from taking away a press-briefing microphone as he repeatedly refused Trump’s demands to end his turn.
Even a major ally, the Washington Post, acknowledged that Acosta “grandstands,” though the newspaper lobbied for CNN to sue the Trump administration over the bank. Acosta succeeded in attracting so much attention that he landed a book deal last year, chronicling what he called “a dangerous time to tell the truth in America.”
Acosta’s reassignment marks a shift in tone as mainstream media outlets pivot to covering Democrat President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. The post-Trump era also figures to create challenges as news networks look for ways to replace audiences that tuned in primarily to hear their hatred of Trump corroborated.
“Jim Acosta being moved out of the White House as Trump leaves is the least surprising news here,” podcast producer Steve Krakauer tweeted. “His job has been eliminated. The Resistance inside the White House beat is over.”
Jim Acosta being moved out of the White House as Trump leaves is the least surprising news here. His job has been eliminated. The #Resistance inside the White House beat is over… https://t.co/BZ2EHLkFrP
Former Republican congressional candidate Kimberly Klacik offered a translation of Acosta’s announcement: “Simply put, my job was to harass President Trump, and now CNN has no idea what to do with me, but my contract isn’t up yet.”
Simply put, my job was to harass President Trump & now CNN has no idea what to do with me but my contract isn’t up yet.
Another observer lamented that viewers won’t get to watch the contrast that would be evident if Acosta covered Biden press briefings: “I’d have liked to watch you simpering and licking up to Biden. It would have showed the partisanship clearly, as if it wasn’t obvious already.”
What a shame. I’d have liked to watch you simpering and licking up to Biden. It would have showed the partisanship clearly, as if it wasn’t obvious already!
But those anti-Trump viewers who found comfort in CNN’s broadcasts congratulated Acosta on his new role. “Thank you for being an oasis of sanity and aggressive pursuit of truth in a sea of alternative facts,” writer and filmmaker Andy Ostroy said.
Major congrats Jim @Acosta! Well deserved! And thank you for being an oasis of sanity and aggressive pursuit of truth in a sea of ‘alternate facts’… https://t.co/xAovvUZr40
Another writer, Emma Clarke, told Acosta, “You deserve a medal for your reporting during the Trump administration. Thank you for your hard work and courage.”
You deserve a medal for your reporting during the Trump administration. Thank you for your hard work and courage.
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