British TV host and columnist Piers Morgan weighed in on the news of criminal charges against Corey Lewandowski, campaign manager to Donald Trump, by mocking Michelle Fields for pressing assault charges.
On Tuesday afternoon, Morgan took to Twitter, calling the criminal complaint “utterly pathetic” and telling Fields to “toughen up.”
That's it?
This constitutes a criminal charge of 'battery'?
How utterly pathetic. https://t.co/FYgow4cAjr— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
If a male reporter tried to claim this was 'battery', he'd be rightly mocked.
Toughen up, @MichelleFields. https://t.co/JuysRTwRTJ— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
These tweets provoked a wave of outrage from Fields’ defenders.
It was 5 ribs, actually. https://t.co/zwxTfsMelm
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
Now THAT'S battery.
By a Segway. https://t.co/DnqcOvmTmt— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
Morgan reiterated his point by comparing Fields’ complaint to veteran women in broadcast news, such as Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters.
Can you imagine Barbara Walters, Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer claiming 'battery' for this? Just ridiculous. https://t.co/JuysRTwRTJ
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
Then he continued to quote and mock angry tweets, including a missive from former Breitbart News Senior Editor-at-Large Ben Shapiro.
That's verbal battery.
I'm pressing charges. https://t.co/1Mxnjkkbeh— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
Mate, I really wouldn't get into an aesthetic argument with that head.
Now pipe down. https://t.co/jQt9A2l0vo— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
That's racist. https://t.co/33HSx7RWwR
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) March 29, 2016
Morgan later wrote a full column on the subject for the Daily Mail. He says he has “watched the video multiple times and cannot conceive any sensible interpretation that he is committing any kind of deliberate assault.” He then claims that if Fields were a man, the press would laugh at rather than rally behind the criminal charges.
[J]ournalism’s a rough old game. You dish it out, you have to take it.
But this debate boils down to this: if a male reporter cried ‘battery’ after such a trivial incident, he’d be an absolute laughing stock.
Why should a female reporter be taken any more seriously?
By making such a grotesque mountain of such a tiny molehill, Michelle Fields has embarrassed herself and let down her profession.
Toughen up, young lady – or choose a different job.
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