Jim points out the hypocrisy in the media’s treatment of Khan and Smith. But Trump’s reaction has been foolish in the extreme. I believe Trump said the other day that someone counseled him not to punch down in response to the DNC speakers. As a sheer matter of politics and outside of the merits of the Muslim ban etc., this is why you don’t punch down — Trump is diminishing himself and elevating Khan. It also goes without saying that you should always treat Gold Star parents respectfully, no matter how much you disagree with them. A note of genuine graciousness at the beginning would have served Trump well. You never know which of these controversies are total media creations and which will bite. Trump’s Russian hacking statement struck me as the former (he pretty clearly was being sarcastic — the line about being richly rewarded by the media was the tell), but this feels like it could cut.