‘Righteous’ journalists not entitled to criticize Trump until they clean up their act: Brent Bozell

News organizations were quick to condemn Donald Trump’s feisty press conference on Tuesday, which included both clear information and updates about his donations to military charities, along with some choice descriptions for his treatment by a “dishonest” and “shameful” press. Retaliatory headlines followed.

“Trump launches an all out attack on the press” noted CNN. “Trump’s crazy, insane, nonsensical, bonkers and anti-democratic press conference,” declared The Washington Post. “Trump taunts media to its face,” said Politico.

But one veteran media observer says such critical reactions are not justified.

“The media were right to ask questions about Trump’s distribution of funds to veterans groups. But hold the righteous indignation, folks. This is a press corps that has absolutely refused to hold Obama accountable for anything (think: IRS, VA, Solyndra, Fast and Furious and so many other scandals) while also refusing to investigate any clouds swirling around Hillary Clinton (think: Benghazi, Clinton Foundation, email scandals, etc.),” wrote Brent Bozell — founder of the Media Research Center, a conservative press watchdog — in an op-ed Thursday.

“Indeed, it’s a courtesy reserved for both Clintons, going back to the very beginning of their national careers (think: Whitewater, Filegate, Troopergate, Kathleen Willey, Paula Jones, and the rape of Juanita Broaddrick, to name but a few unsolved mysteries because no one in the press wanted to investigate them),” Mr. Bozell continued.

“Every single one of these scandals is more important than the disposition of funds from a fundraiser, and it must be noted that Trump did account for the millions he raised and contributed. When the media begin to ask serious questions of Hillary Clinton, then and only then will they have the right to pass judgment on Donald Trump,” he concluded.

Mr. Trump had one powerful media presence on his side, however. Talk radio host Rush Limbaugh described the encounter between the candidate and journalists on Tuesday as “the kind of press conference Republicans voters have been dying to see for who knows how many years.”