Donald Trump attacks media; calls CNN "Clinton News Network"

Washington, August 2: Lashing out at American media, Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump termed CNN as "Clinton News Network" and called the New York Times "dishonest" for allegedly favouring his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. "You look at CNN, it's called the Clinton news network.

All day long, Trump, Trump -- all day long, CNN, Trump, Trump, such a bad guy," Trump yesterday said at a town hall in Columbus, Ohio.

Targeting the New York Times, Trump said, "the New York Times is really, really dishonest, and it's failing. I don't think they'll be in business more than two or three years. Look at their numbers. They're failing".

The Republican presidential nominee alleged these newspapers write stories favouring his rival Hillary Clinton.

"Crooked Hillary they write beautifully about," he alleged. Trump accused CNN of "inaccurate information", and said he won't be doing any of their shows until they "straighten up". "I think their ratings are going to go down really sharply now. They've been asking me to go on for months. I won't do their shows.

When people finally realise that I'm not doing their shows they stop watching. That's what happens," Trump said. Trump alleged media outlets, except Fox are very tough on him.

"Fox has at least been fair. So at some point, at some point we're just gonna keep barrelling through," he said. Referring to the recent decision of his campaign to revoke the press credentials of the Washington Post, Trump said the newspaper "got a little bit better lately".

The billionaire from New York who claims to have 22.5 million followers on Twitter and Facebook, said that he would continue to use Twitter.

"You know who says don't use Twitter? Your enemies. Why wouldn't I use it? Why wouldn't I -- if I have all these millions of people, and it's a great way to get a message out. "So when they write falsely, or say something totally false on the Today Show, or Good Morning America, I've put out a tweet. And you'll see all over television -- we have breaking news," he said.

"I may be tweeting from bed. OK? It's true. It's instantaneous. If I put out a beautiful, long, perfectly scripted press release like I did yesterday nobody puts it out. If I put out a 140-character tweet they go crazy. They break into every story. So you got to use it," Trump added.

PTI