Jim Acosta was not here for Sarah Huckabee Sanders' "innocent victim" game today. After she hemmed and hawed her way through a series of excuses about how the White House did not properly vet Dr. Ronny Jackson before Trump decided he should be the head of an agency he is probably unqualified to lead, she decided to tangle with Acosta over the free press.

Just ahead of where this video begins, Jim Acosta asked Sanders about Trump's waffling on the Ronny Jackson nomination, noting that Trump suggested Jackson may not have the experience to run the Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Sarah stomped. "That's not what the president said. I think you're taking some of his words out of context."

Cue Sanders Scold: "I know you don't appreciate when people take your words out of context. I'd appreciate it if you not do that to the president. If he didn't think he had the experience, he wouldn't have nominated him. he said that had been one of the questions people had posed about him."

Pssssst. Roll tape. Here's the actual video of what Trump said, if anyone is curious.

Now we begin with Acosta's unhappiness at Sanders' snark about the press.

With more than a little incredulity in his voice, Acosta asked, "Are you trying to say this administration is a champion of a free press?"

"I certainly think we support a free press but we also support a fair press and I think those things should go hand in hand and there's a certainly responsibility by the press to report accurate information," Sarah snarled.

Acosta parried: "Is there a responsibility on the part of the president?

Cue tone policing. (Aside: I would really hate to be one of her kids and have to be scolded in that monotone laced with the tears of victimhood.)

"I think people do their best every day to provide fair and accurate information," she scolded. "It's one of the reasons I'm standing here taking your questions and a lot of times taking your questions in a tone that's completely unnecessary and, unneeded and frankly doesn't help further the conversation or help the American people get any more information in a better way, which is your job and my job and that's what I'm trying to do."

Acosta had the last word, though. "The president's tone toward the press is not helpful at times and i think that's plain to see."

I think it is, too.