Donald Trump sidesteps Hillary Clinton, says he's running against 'the crooked media'

Donald Trump signaled on Saturday that he's more interested in fighting the media than challenging his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

The Republican presidential nominee appeared to ramp up his crusade against the press at a campaign rally in Connecticut, calling out The New York Times for a feature story that detailed turmoil within the billionaire's election campaign.

"Honestly, I'm not running against crooked Hillary Clinton, I'm running against the crooked media," Trump said.

The real-estate mogul has made no secret of his disdain for the media.

The subject has been a cornerstone of his bid for the White House since it launched last year. In June, the Trump campaign revoked The Washington Post's press credentials. Trump indicated he may do the same to The Times.

"Maybe we will start thinking about taking their press credentials away," he said while calling it a "failing" newspaper.

A tenuous relationship

Despite railing against various news outlets, newspapers, reporters and others among the press, Trump has been an ever-present figure on camera and in print.

The Huffington Post's Michael Calderone noted that Trump has given more than 70 interviews to The New York Times since stepping into the election race last June. The GOP candidate is also known for doing call-in interviews on cable networks.

At his campaign rallies, Trump routinely litigates the many controversies that have roiled his campaign and calls the media "dishonest" for covering those happenings. Trump blasted "liars" in the media last month for reporting on his praise of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during an event in North Carolina.

Lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties have accused Trump of being unable to withstand scrutiny.

Criticism for all

The press wasn't the only group Trump targeted on Saturday. He had words for Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy as well - making fun of the Democratic governor's first name and calling him incompetent.

Malloy spoke against Trump's candidacy in a New York Times interview in July, saying the brash New Yorker's campaign "echoes the rise of fascism in Europe before World War II."

The real-estate magnate even briefly turned against his audience inside the sweltering auditorium at Sacred Heart University on Saturday, saying "I will never ever forgive the people of Connecticut" if they don't vote for him in November.

"I will never forgive the people of Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio," he added, "but I love them anyway."