CNN media critic attacks White House ground rules for press conferences

American Thinker ^ | November 20, 2018 | Thomas Lifson

[jazusamo]

CNN seems to have forgotten the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for." After filing suit over the revocation of Jim Acosta's hard pass to the White House and winning, that network's media beat reporter is upset. Speaking on CNN's Newsroom, Brian Stelter seems certain that danger lurks in the new open and transparent rules provided by the White House in response to the judge's demand for due process on decisions over revocation of access to press conferences or the White House.

Joe DePaolo of Mediaite writes:

Brian Stelter stated his belief that nothing has been resolved, and the White House will use their battle with Acosta as something of a message to other reporters.

"I think that the White House wants to string this along, wants to make this a threat that looms over the entire White House press corps," Stelter said.

The Reliable Sources host referred to a letter the White House sent Acosta informing him of ground rules for behavior at future press conferences.

Here are the rules that Stelter finds worrisome:

Screen grab via Grabien.

Per White House letter to Acosta on Nov. 19, here are the new rules for press conferences at the White House. pic.twitter.com/a6C2pmLv2K — ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) November 19, 2018

The rules are absolutely commonsensical, and they work to allow more correspondents access to questioning the president or other official speaking that day. If a follow-up question is necessary and not permitted, then other correspondents can step up and push for answers. If no one does so, then maybe the question was not that compelling in the first place.

[moovova]

Where’s the “We don’t need no stinkin’ rules” guy when you need him?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Methinks this is a Pyrrhic victory for them.

[KyCats]

You’re way behind on this story.

Subsequent to what you describe, the White House permanently reinstated Acosta’s pass and abandoned efforts to revoke it based on the 7 November presser. As a result, CNN announced that it intends to drop the lawsuit. The WH then published the new Acosta Rules.

[loveliberty2]

After 8 years of performing as habitual spokespersons for Progressives, both in and out of government, the mainstream press knows no role but to continue performing in that manner. That press, whose mindset and commitment is to Progressive ideology, Progressive goals, Progressive policies and Progressive outcomes seems to fit Thomas Jefferson's description, as follows:

"[A despotic] government always [keeps] a kind of standing army of newswriters who, without any regard to truth or to what should be like truth, [invent] and put into the papers whatever might serve the ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people who have no means of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper." --Thomas Jefferson to G. K. van Hogendorp, Oct. 13, 1785. (*) ME 5:181, Papers 8:632

Jefferson, that great defender of the Bill of Rights, with its "freedom of the press" concept, also may be quoted, as follows:

"I am... for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents." --Thomas Jefferson to Elbridge Gerry, 1799. ME 10:78

"No experiment can be more interesting than that we are now trying, and which we trust will end in establishing the fact, that man may be governed by reason and truth. Our first object should therefore be, to leave open to him all the avenues to truth. The most effectual hitherto found, is the freedom of the press. It is, therefore, the first shut up by those who fear the investigation of their actions." --Thomas Jefferson to John Tyler, 1804. ME 11:33

"[I have seen] repeated instances of the publication of what has not been intended for the public eye, and the malignity with which political enemies torture every sentence from me into meanings imagined by their own wickedness only... Not fearing these political bull-dogs, I yet avoid putting myself in the way of being baited by them, and do not wish to volunteer away that portion of tranquillity, which a firm execution of my duties will permit me to enjoy." --Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell, 1807. ME 11:226

"Conscious that there was not a truth on earth which I feared should be known, I have lent myself willingly as the subject of a great experiment, which was to prove that an administration, conducting itself with integrity and common understanding, cannot be battered down even by the falsehoods of a licentious press, and consequently still less by the press as restrained within the legal and wholesome limits of truth. This experiment was wanting for the world to demonstrate the falsehood of the pretext that freedom of the press is incompatible with orderly government. I have never, therefore, even contradicted the thousands of calumnies so industriously propagated against myself. But the fact being once established, that the press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood, I leave to others to restore it to its strength by recalling it within the pale of truth. Within that, it is a noble institution, equally the friend of science and of civil liberty." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Seymour, 1807. ME 11:155

[jazusamo]

Well said...Jerks like Acosta only say they represent the people.

[RegulatorCountry]

The White House press corpse is upset? Oh what will we ever do now?

[Buckeye McFrog]

Evidently, most of the media has not read the transcript of the court ruling from last Friday and are relying on CNN’s interpretation.

Which is not a shock as they are all basically lazy as hell.

[onona]

Just end them all

[shelterguy]

You don’t know who Brian is? He used to play that George Costanza guy on Seinfeld.

[greenishness]

There was never a need for rules because the press has never acted this way towards a President.

[MNJohnnie]

GREAT idea

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[ActresponsiblyinVA]

CNN believes they have a right to be crude and uncivil. Hope their children and grandchildren are watching to see what kind of conduct is condoned by their parents or grandparents.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

This is exactly why some of us were saying that the judge's order for a TRO on Acosta wasn't a win for the media. By focusing on process rather than on the First Amendment, this became inevitable.

All the pressniks who stood up for Acosta screwed themselves. And based on the Judge's order, there really isn't a damn thing they can do about those rules.

[jazusamo]

You’re dead on the mark.

The incivility of not only Acosta but others shows their lack of integrity and common decency.

[jazusamo]

Bump!

[Toughluck_freeper]

For the first few Press conferences,

Sarah Sanders should introduce a Kindergarten teacher, and using the same colored cards they use to illustrate concepts to children, explain the three rules prior to starting the conference.

Also have numerous copies of the rules posted on the walls, all written and colored by Kindergarten or elementary students.

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