OPINION:
Greg Gianforte, Montana’s Republican hopeful for the congressional seat vacated by Ryan Zinke — who’s now President Donald Trump’s secretary of Interior — had a little bit of an altercation with one of the reporters who questioned him at his campaign headquarters in Bozeman. And given the special election is Thursday, one might say the unpleasantries came at a quite inopportune time.
The GOP is sweating, in other words. Moreover, altercation is probably an understatement.
Word is, Gianforte grabbed the guy, Ben Jacobs of the Guardian, with both hands by the neck and body slammed him to the ground, where he proceeded to jump atop him and pound him with fists. Allegedly. But it’s being denied by the Gianforte campaign.
One witnessing Fox News reporter who said the scene unfolded that way also said Jacobs “scrambled to his knees and said something about his glasses being broken,” The Washington Post reported.
Gianforte, meanwhile, has been cited for misdemeanor assault.
Gianforte’s story is a bit different. He said he was approached by Jacobs, who asked questions about the Obamacare reform bill. Gianforte said he first told Jacobs he’d talk to him later, and then told Jacobs to speak with his spokesman.
Gianforte’s spokesman, Shane Scanlon, released a statement about the event that went this way, The Post reported: “[Jacobs] aggressively shoved a recorder in Greg’s face and began asking badgering questions. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg’s wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It’s unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene.”
Audio provides some insights into what transpired, as well.
“I’m sick and tired of you guys,” Gianforte can be heard saying, The Post reported. “The last guy that came in here did the same thing. Get the hell out of here. Get the hell out of here. The last guy did the same thing. Are you with the Guardian?”
Jacobs replies: “Yes and you just broke my glasses.”
Gianforte: “The last guy did the same damn thing.”
Jacobs: “You just body-slammed me and broke my glasses.”
Gianforte: “Get the hell out of here.”
Whom to believe?
Well, either way, Gianforte lost it. The audio makes that clear. Gianforte, a Republican, ought to know he’s under the spotlight held by a largely liberal-leaning press. If he can’t stand the heat in the comfort of his own campaign headquarters, how’s he going to fare in the comparative hot seat of Capitol Hill politicking?
Call it a teachable moment. You can’t be grabbing reporters around the neck and body-slamming them to the ground just because they ask pesky questions in overly aggressive manners. It just isn’t done — it’s not polite. Not saying Gianforte is guilty of doing this — though he was cited for misdemeanor assault, so he certainly got physical with the journalist to some degree. But in general, note to all Republicans, particularly Republicans hoping to win high political offices that put them under the mainstream media gun: Take care. Beating reporters is just not good optics, no matter how you look at it.
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