Ed Henry: CNN's Acosta Too Opinionated for WH Correspondent

An "overreacting" CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta crossed the line and was "overdoing it" in his pundit-like criticism of the White House press briefings not allowing video or audio recording this week, Fox News chief national correspondent Ed Henry said Sunday.

"I think he is," Henry told Fox News' "MediaBuzz" host Howard Kurtz when asked if Acosta's commentary amid a news report "crossed the line." "Look, frankly, everybody is overreacting to this whole issue of White House briefings – getting lost in all kinds of side issues. The real issue is the credibility of the White House press secretary and, quite frankly, the credibility of correspondents as well."

Henry considers Acosta "a friend, and I like him as a colleague."

"But yes, I am going to be honest and direct, Howie, he's overdoing this," Henry added to host Kurtz. ". . . If you're going to be a reporter and going to be a correspondent, his opinions are no longer coming from pundits, it's coming from White House correspondents."

Despite Acosta's lack of White House correspondent professionalism, being unable to keep his opinions out of his reporting, Henry does agree with Acosta's opinion in holding on-camera press briefings.

"Wake up, Sean Spicer," Henry said. "This is 2017. The American people expect transparency. Get in front of a camera and answer the tough questions."

It might seem to casual observers as if Henry is breaking the same unwritten journalistic ethics rules as Acosta in expressing his opinion on this situation, but Henry's opinion was presented as a pundit on a media commentary program, while Acosta's opinions were presented, unchained in a news report of the daily White House press briefing.

Henry is author of "42 Faith: The Rest of the Jackie Robinson Story." 

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