Posted on 01/08/2017 7:53:57 AM PST by Kaslin
What should reporters ask President-elect Donald Trump at his first post-election press conference scheduled for Jan. 11? The answer isn't as simple as it may seem. Trump has not held a formal news conference for six months. He postponed until January the news conference promised for December. He refers to the press on Twitter as "the dishonest media." Trump seems to enjoy sparring with the media more than responding to the media.
Richard Grenell, who served as U.S. spokesman at the United Nations in the George W. Bush administration, believes the press shoulders its own special burden -- having to "get their credibility back." He sees the 2016 vote as a repudiation of "the D.C. media circuit," which generally opposed Trump.
Former CNN correspondent Frank Sesno, author of the book, "Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change," agrees the public has come to see journalists "as partisans, as opposed to the chroniclers" of events. "There's a different kind of audience out there now," Sesno said, adding that reporters must be mindful of it.
Sesno advised journalists "to take the adjectives out of their questions." At news conferences, reporters shouldn't look like they're trying to make points, he said. That's no easy feat, as reporters also want to find answers to "some of these huge questions that go beyond the daily headline."
"I'm a big advocate that the press should focus on policy and not try to report on personality or let their agendas seep into their coverage," Grenell said. He favors reporters being very specific and avoiding a generic question.
I think a good question for Trump is: Is Russian President Vladimir Putin an ally? (It's not a gotcha question, but an honest attempt to decipher Trump's opinion of the Russian leader, apart from the hacking scandal.) Bad idea, Grenell responds. That question "can be interpreted to go 10,000 ways." For Trump, such queries can turn into a game, and Trump is "a master at messaging."
Bill Harlow, a former CIA spokesman and 15-seconds.com blogger, thinks it does not matter what reporters ask the president-elect. "He has mastered the art of answering what he wants to with little or no reference to the question," Harlow said.
Harlow also recommends asking very specific questions, like, "You said 'X' in 2010 and now you say 'Y' -- why did you change?"
Some former White House staffers offered these questions on the condition they not be named. I throw them out because they are the sort of questions reporters easily could ask. None is neutral.
--Do you trust the U.S. Secret Service? --Do you not trust the U.S. intelligence community? If you don't, who there is the problem?
--When was the last time you read the U.S. Constitution?
--Did any Russians provide you debt relief during your bankruptcies? If so, what were their names?
--What is the start and end construction date for the wall?
--Are you going to fly Air Force One?
Even if you find all of those questions sufficiently specific and lacking in attitude -- for the record, I don't -- there's another hurdle. As Sesno noted, it's tough. "You only get one question," he said.
Questions for a candidate perhaps— from the most hostile of inquisitors.
But none suited for PEOTUS
” Frank Sesno, author of the book, “Ask More: The Power of Questions to Open Doors, Uncover Solutions, and Spark Change,””
Look at the LAST TWO WORDS (above) and that’s all you need to know regarding media bias. It doesn’t prove the media is left-wing, there’s plenty of other evidence for that, but it does prove that the people in media DO NOT see their job as simply ‘reporting news’, they see it as some kind of unelected, unaccountable, shadow government.
Obviously Trump realizes the same, so it’s GAME OVER for them, at least while Trump is in charge.
I can tell you that the only stupid questions are the ones that are never asked.
That act alone is serious and an easily prosecuted felony. Even Marsha Clark could get Hillary convicted and jail time.
Former White House staffers giving suggested Trump gotcha questions to the media? And they wonder why conservatives don't trust the media.
It’s pretty obvious from the tone of the media since November 6th, that they are not going to respect him. I don’t know (nor do I care) how the citizens of this country will react if Trump simply bans them from the press room and only speaks to those that have shown deference to his office.
That might mean that only about three outlets will be there - and he will be accused of ‘preaching to the choir’ . . . so be it. Something needs to be done to reign in the purveyors of fake news.
Sure, just like they asked these questions when B0Stevedunhambarrysoetorobathhousebarryhusseinsoebarkah was “president”:
“You said you opposed gay marriage in 2010 — why did you change?”
— Is Brennan a Moehammedan? How did Huma Abedin receive top secret clearance? Do you not trust the U.S. intelligence community after WMD’s in Iraq? If you don’t, who there is the problem?
—When was the last time you read the U.S. Constitution to find a way around it?
—Did any Saudis provide you debt relief during your student years? If so, what were their names?
— Are you planning to infest all of middle America with Moehammedan and drug gang invaders? Who pays for this? How much more will it cost than construction for a wall?
—Are your non-elected family and staff going to fly Air Force One for lavish vacations?
You promised to bring back jobs yet there are still over 94 million Americans out of the work force and homelessness is on the rise since your inauguration. What do you think has been your biggest failure so far?
>>>I can tell you that the only stupid questions are the ones that are never asked.<<<
That once may have been true. It is generally addressed to those that have a real need to understand something but are timid to ask for fear that they will seem inept.
Stupid questions designed to topple a presidency are more than simply stupid - and should never be asked.
“Have you stopped being a racist?”
“Have you stopped hating women?”
“Have you stopped being a paid Russian agent?”
I disagree. I have heard countless stupid questions in my lifetime.
You've never taught a fire academy, have you?
I think a good question for Trump is: “Is Russian President Vladimir Putin an ally?”
Good question, and the answer should be that Putin is a patriot who loves Russia, while President Trump is a patriot who loves America. Since our two countries have many interests in common, particularly crushing terrorism worldwide, we should be able to work together positively in the areas where our goals match.
So, “boxers vs. briefs” was a good question...by your definition...because it was asked.
Are these the kind of asinine questions that make you distrust the media and consider them partisan idiots?
How else can you learn anything by asking questions?
Of course, ‘too’ = ‘to’. Duh.
The media and left has been in attack mode, why should he answer a damn thing until he is inaugerated.
FWIW, Debra J. Saunders, the author of the OP, is an honest, middle of the road journalist who just does her job.
She’s written extensively about San Francisco’s housing and homeless crisis and the urine and feces on the streets; she points to the idiotic liberal policies in SF City Hall as the cause.
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