CNN’s Jim Acosta “had a moment” with one of President Donald Trump’s supporters at a rally in Florida.
But unlike his past encounters at one of the president’s rousing events, the CNN correspondent was not booed or called names. Instead he was offered an apology.
Had a hell of a night in Fort Myers. This man apologized for giving me the finger at a rally earlier this year in Tampa. Really. We had a moment. pic.twitter.com/Kfm0J0TbsC
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 1, 2018
A man named Merlin, wearing a red Make America Great Again hat, approached Acosta after the Fort Myers rally on Wednesday and told him he had something to say.
“I just wanted to apologize for flipping you off in Tampa,” he said, referring to another Florida city Trump rally earlier this year.
“I got carried away. I was asking for facts and not opinions,” he continued.
“That’s all we want,” a woman named Eileen, who stood beside him in a USA hat, interjected.
“I did get carried away so I just wanted to apologize,” Merlin said as Acosta, off camera could be heard saying “thank you.”
“Thank you very much. I accept your apology and I hope I get to see you again,” Acosta replied.
“Yep, absolutely,” the man replied as he walked away.
Acosta earlier had tweeted that the president again referred to the press as “the enemy of the people” at Wednesday’s event.
At rally in FL, Trump refers to press as “the enemy of the people.”
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 1, 2018
Acosta had shared footage from the Tampa rally which was held on July 31. The moment Merlin flipped off the CNN reporter can be seen at 10 seconds and again at 25 seconds into the video.
Just a sample of the sad scene we faced at the Trump rally in Tampa. I’m very worried that the hostility whipped up by Trump and some in conservative media will result in somebody getting hurt. We should not treat our fellow Americans this way. The press is not the enemy. pic.twitter.com/IhSRw5Ui3R
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) August 1, 2018
CNN’s chief White House correspondent apparently does enjoy engaging with Trump supporters though, despite the hostilities.
“It gives them a chance to get things off their chests. But I also get an opportunity to let them hear directly from me,” he told the Washington Post last month. “I don’t have any hard evidence that I’ve changed any minds. But I do, from time to time, hear from supporters who tell me they don’t think we’re the enemy of the people. . . . My parents were blue-collar. So I can relate to a lot of these folks.”
Acosta tweeted out the video of the apology Wednesday and said of the encounter with the Trump supporter: “We had a moment.”
Twitter users weighed in on the moment, with many convinced this would not be the scene if the tables were turned.
That’s all we want, Jim. Facts and to be treated fairly.
— Remember Kavanaugh (@FFFFFFFedUp) November 1, 2018
An apology is always a cool thing ????
— Protest Radio (@ProtestRadio) November 1, 2018
So, when should we expect an apology from Don Lemon?
— MoneyMan$$$ (@Stuber32) November 1, 2018
That was nice of him, and you were gracious to accept his apology.
— Freddie Johnson (@Freddie24495909) November 1, 2018
Dear @Acosta
you accepted an apology from a MAGA
its now *your turn* *to* apologize to a MAGAI know it’ll be tough – but .. you accepted an olive branch
it is now on you to extend an olive branchCall it .. “deescalation” .. *EVERYONE* needs to tone it down..
-> your turn
— Federal Spy Guy (@FederalSpyGuy) November 1, 2018
Yeah, this is what conservatives do. Now about your buddy Don saying “something needs to be done” about white men. Waiting on that apology.
— Mitch (@mitch_won) November 1, 2018
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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