CNN reporter to Obama: 'Why can't we take out these bastards?'
Speaking in Antalya, Turkey at the G-20 summit on Monday, President Obama carefully called for continued commitment to Syrian refugees and asked for the Muslim community to redouble their pushback against extremism. But when it was CNN Senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta's turn to ask a question, he perhaps let his frustration get the best of him.
"A lot of Americans have this frustration that they see the United States has the greatest military in the world, it has the backing of nearly every other country in the world when it comes to taking on ISIS. I guess the question is, and if you'll forgive the language, but why can't we take out these bastards?" he asked.
Obama clearly wasn't thrilled. "Well Jim, I just spent the last three questions answering that very question, so I don't know what more you want me to add."
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After a good scold, the president continued: "We are going to continue to pursue the strategy that has the best chance of working, even though it does not offer the satisfaction I guess of a neat headline [...] It's important we get the strategy right."
Acosta said later that he had wanted to "ask something that's on all our minds. Plain and simple." Hopefully he got his answer.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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