Media Bias: CNN's Acosta makes comment about Trump's 'lack of leadership' amid COVID-19 crisis

With the Neutral Zone Infraction, Just the News tries to do its part to maintain the line between fact and opinion in American journalism by blowing the whistle each week on an egregious example of slanted coverage by reporters. This week's offender: Jim Acosta.

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Jim Acosta on Thursday's episode of "The Situation Room" made a comment about the president's "lack of leadership" amid the coronavirus crisis.

Acosta, who has previously earned Just the News's Neutral Zone Infraction award, suggested that if President Trump had approached the coronavirus crisis with more gravity, GOP convention plans may have been able to proceed.

Aspects of the convention were shifted to Florida because North Carolina would not guarantee that it would definitely permit a large crowd at the August convention. But the president this week announced the cancelation of the Florida convention plans due to the coronavirus.

"But yet if he had been more serious about the virus months ago, this situation could be in better shape than where it is right now. He might even be able to have his nominating speech in Jacksonville or have a normal convention down in Charlotte, had he taken this seriously all along," Acosta said. 

"And so the president is finding himself to be a victim of his own leadership, his own lack of leadership throughout this pandemic," Acosta said, adding that "the chickens are coming home to roost for this president."

Acosta's reference to Trump's "lack of leadership" and his suggestion that the president failed to exhibit adequate seriousness regarding the pandemic both represent opinions and therefore fall outside of the purview of straight news reporting.

Just the News has reached out to CNN for comment but has not yet received a response.