What a Politician Means When He Asks for "Professionalism and Respect" From the Press

It means this: "Act like stenographers. Take down what I say and don't you dare ask me no inconvenient questions."

That was on full display last night when a thuggish congressman from Staten Island threatened to throw a reporter from a balcony for asking questions that the congressman didn't want to answer. Questions about such things as criminal investigations of the congressman, his campaign and his girlfriend for violating the law on campaign donations.

Reporters are supposed to ask questions that discomfit politicians. If a Republican thug like Rep. Grimm wants to talk to reporters that will not upset him, he should confine his interviews to the "news outlets" serving the Murdoch Empire.