Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

'A sword hanging over our heads': Trump discovers new weapon against media
The Politico ^ | November 16, 2018 | Jason Schwartz and Gabby Orr

Posted on 11/16/2018 11:08:59 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

The administration is drawing up rules for White House reporters' behavior, and the president said if journalists don't follow them, 'we'll end up back in court, and we'll win.'

CNN and Jim Acosta may have won their battle with the White House in court on Friday, but President Donald Trump has found a new weapon in his long war against the media.

After a judge ruled that the White House violated the CNN correspondent’s right to due process by stripping him of his press badge, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared that the administration was drawing up new rules to govern reporters’ behavior — and a process for booting them if those rules are broken.

“We have to create rules and regulations for conduct,” Trump told Chris Wallace in a Fox News Sunday interview, echoing Sanders’ announcement. “It's not a big deal. If he misbehaves, we'll throw him out or we’ll stop the news conference.”

"If they don't listen to the rules and regulations," he told reporters at a separate event at the White House, "we'll end up back in court, and we'll win."

To reporters, the threatened new rules — which one person close to the White House said were in the works before the court ruling Friday — represent another obstacle to covering Trump, who views his battle with the media as an unambiguous positive with his conservative base. It was Trump and Sanders, after all, who escalated the Acosta situation after a dispute at a news conference by yanking his press pass and, to justify it, pointing to an apparently altered video of his interaction with a White House aide. Now, future legal encounters appear certain, as journalists deemed to have broken the rules are also likely to take the administration to court.

The situation is akin to having a “sword hanging over our heads,” said New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker. “It leaves this idea that they are going to be the judge of who gets to cover them based on some probably arbitrary criteria that they will be the only ones to determine.”

He added, “The idea that suddenly you’re going to try to determine who is polite enough to ask the president questions is just kind of ridiculous.”

White House Correspondents’ Association president Olivier Knox said Friday afternoon that the White House had not reached out to him for input on any new rules for reporter behavior.

“As the organization that defends the interest of a free and independent news media at the White House, we have our role to play, but what that role will be, I don’t know yet,” he said.

The White House might see political victory in battling the media, but the court ruling Friday was a legal win for CNN, long a favorite target of Trump's. Federal Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, ruled that the administration had denied Acosta due process in revoking his security pass, citing shifting White House explanations, no clear process, no advance notification to Acosta and no chance for him to rebut the allegations. Kelly ordered the White House to return Acosta’s credential on a temporary basis, while the rest of the case moves forward.

The White House did not reply to questions Friday about whether it would continue fighting Acosta and CNN in court. But Trump has kept up a confrontational stance with reporters in the past two weeks.

He berated CNN's Abby Phillip for asking a “stupid question,” after she asked whether he wanted acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to rein in the Russia investigation. And at the same news conference in which he tussled with Acosta, Trump accused Yamiche Alcindor of "PBS NewsHour" of asking a “racist question” when she brought up his use of the phrase “nationalist” and its links to white nationalism.

“Acosta is one thing, but I think they tip their hand by going after people like Abby Phillip and going after Yamiche Alcindor, who have done nothing but show how professional they are,” Baker said. “This is meant to intimidate.”

Trump's frustration with relatively straightforward questions such as those will almost certainly lead reporters to wonder whether they are being targeted for their coverage, not their behavior.

CNN has argued that was the case with Acosta, alleging that the White House yanked his hard pass — which allows reporters to freely enter and exit the grounds — because it was attempting to stifle coverage it disliked, in violation of the First Amendment. But Kelly did not address that in his ruling, saying only that Acosta's due process rights were clearly violated.

Now, the administration says it's creating a process for banning reporters who do not show “decorum” at events.

In excerpts of the Fox News interview — which will air in full Sunday — Wallace asked Trump what the rules for reporters should be. "You can't keep asking questions," the president replied. "We had a lot of reporters in that room, many, many reporters in that room, and they were unable to ask questions because this guy gets up and starts ... just shouting out questions. And making statements, too."

Trump added, “But I will say this: Nobody believes in the First Amendment more than I do. And if I think somebody is acting out of sorts, I will leave and say, 'Thank you very much. Thanks for coming.' And I'll leave. Those reporters will not be too friendly to whoever it is that's acting up.”

The White House will have broad discretion in formulating rules for reporters’ behavior, so long as none of them discriminate against anyone based on their views or coverage, said Katie Fallow, a senior attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

“The fight will likely be over how they’re applied,” she said.

Once the new rules are established, the White House likely would not be able to kick out Acosta, or anyone else, for past offenses, said Nathan Siegel, a First Amendment lawyer with Davis Wright Tremaine who previously served as in-house counsel for ABC.

“Probably the biggest question is whether it will use those rules to try to eject reporters, whether it’s Acosta or others, in the future,” Siegel said.

He said any reporter ejected from the White House under the new rules and procedures would be able to challenge them in court. The result could be an ongoing carousel of legal fights between Trump and the press — something the president seems to relish.

In the case of Acosta, Baker said the White House has an easy solution before it.

“If they really think that Jim Acosta is too rude, don’t call on him,” he said. “They want what’s happening right now. They want to be in a war with us.”


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Government; Politics; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 2018election; 2020election; clintonnonnews; cnn; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2018; election2020; media; mediawingofthednc; msm; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; sanders; smearmachine; television; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-105 next last
To: 2ndDivisionVet

If press person gets out of line, freeze him/her out. Don’t call on them. Move their seat to the back of the room.


21 posted on 11/17/2018 1:13:04 AM PST by hattend
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Our world is totally and completely upside down.

You can quote me on that......


22 posted on 11/17/2018 1:31:30 AM PST by JParris
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Look for time and question limits as well as microphone rules. Simple.

If the press wants to flout them, the White House will leave them dangling to stew in their own juices.

23 posted on 11/17/2018 2:08:18 AM PST by CptnObvious (Question her now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
"They want to be in a war with us.”

The Press has been at war with him from day one; who are they kidding?

24 posted on 11/17/2018 2:11:48 AM PST by CptnObvious (Question her now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Simplest solution is always the best: No more press conferences or daily updates. Twitter gives President Trump and Sarah Saunders ample opportunity to communicate with the people.


25 posted on 11/17/2018 2:16:53 AM PST by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners. And to the NSA trolls, FU)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: radu
“apparently altered video of his interaction with a White House aide”

This article lost all credibility with that statement.

Immediately after the event, I posted NBC video of the assault as well as the ABC video of the same event, which had edited out the assault.

26 posted on 11/17/2018 2:17:38 AM PST by UnwashedPeasant (Trump is fixing the world's problems just to distract us from Russia.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
"the administration was drawing up new rules to govern reporters’ behavior — and a process for booting them if those rules are broken."


27 posted on 11/17/2018 2:41:21 AM PST by clearcarbon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RFEngineer
Once you’ve reched capacity, stop letting people in.

Ya know, exactly like a HRC "conference"!

28 posted on 11/17/2018 2:46:34 AM PST by rawcatslyentist ("All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears

Rules for nihilist reporters are like the leash put around Gollum’s neck by Samwise, causing Gollum to scream: IT HURTS!!! IT HURTS!!!


29 posted on 11/17/2018 3:05:34 AM PST by spirited irish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Secret Agent Man

Noooo! We don’t want to miss a precious moment of Sarah Sanders.

Sarah Sanders 2024!


30 posted on 11/17/2018 3:07:09 AM PST by jazminerose (Adorable Deplorable)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: jazminerose

Have reporters send questions to Sarah via email. She can post video with her answers.

Reporters could even send video snippets of themselves asking the questions, which Sarah could insert before her answer in the final video.


31 posted on 11/17/2018 3:17:17 AM PST by SauronOfMordor (Socialists want YOUR wealth redistributed, never THEIRS!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

These are adult men and women who need to have rules of behavior taught to them? How much farther down into ignorance can these rude adults go?


32 posted on 11/17/2018 3:20:08 AM PST by abclily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m still mad at Steve Bannon, but he was right:

The real opposition party is the MEDIA.


33 posted on 11/17/2018 3:31:28 AM PST by gaijin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: hattend

Get rid of the microphone altogether. Have an overhead boom installed that can be switched off at the discretion of the person at the podium. With all of the technology out there I am sure something can be devised.


34 posted on 11/17/2018 3:36:24 AM PST by heylady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Moonman62

Or just prohibit TV cameras.

I’d like to see the enemedia argue THAT one at SCOTUS.


35 posted on 11/17/2018 3:46:58 AM PST by mewzilla (Is Central America emptying its prisons?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

The bias in this article is simply astounding.

Read it with a barf bag at the ready.


36 posted on 11/17/2018 3:49:56 AM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion. Mr Trump, we've got your six.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
The situation is akin to having a “sword hanging over our heads,” said New York Times chief White House correspondent Peter Baker. “It leaves this idea that they are going to be the judge of who gets to cover them based on some probably arbitrary criteria that they will be the only ones to determine.” He added, “The idea that suddenly you’re going to try to determine who is polite enough to ask the president questions is just kind of ridiculous

Well, Mr Baker, if reporters didn't act like children, there wouldn't be rules to be put in place.

I want to know why reporters didn't sue Obama who NEVER had press conferences. Kinda defeats their lame whining about access.

37 posted on 11/17/2018 3:51:14 AM PST by VeniVidiVici (Democrats AND FLAKE AND CORKER Hate America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wastedyears
"Apparently altered video"

Exactly what is the evidence of altering?

I watched the video with the blow-up superimposed. The timing was identical.

If you want an example of "doctored," just look at that so-called "birth certificate" of Obummer's!

38 posted on 11/17/2018 4:01:09 AM PST by FroggyTheGremlim ( The following statement is false. The previous statement is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: JudgemAll

Good point, didn’t they already catch one person with media credentials trying to bring a handgun to an event?
The President’s safety is the only issue that matters. Ban all devices and supply a feed of audio/video directly to the people. Let the networks have the same access as the rest of the people.


39 posted on 11/17/2018 4:09:28 AM PST by BOBWADE (RINOs suck)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
The solution is no more press conference. Or put another way President Trump should inform the world he will have as many as his predecessor.

These "presshole" conferences are joke and nothing comes of them but a trash Trump mini rallys.

40 posted on 11/17/2018 4:14:10 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-105 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson