I'm willing to give the press a pass

[cyclonefence]

on their behavior at that first "press conference" because they were apparently not expecting Trump's behavior, but if those reporters have any integrity at all, they will leave en masse the next time Trump refuses to allow one of their colleagues to ask a question, and then boycott his "press conferences" until he apologizes for his treatment of the press.

They/we cannot allow this guy to abuse our free press. Plus I think they should boycott his press conferences anyway because he does not really answer any questions. Let him continue to preach to Breitbart and America One or whatever the hell the name of that thing is, and let the legitimate press go ahead and do their jobs without having to pay any attention to his fucking lies.

[dalton99a]

1. Corporate bosses demand their attendance - even confined like cattle in a pen

[cyclonefence]

3. I disagree

and even if you are correct, I can't imagine that a good reporter couldn't make his bosses understand what an impossible situation Trump has put the press in. I suspect orders might even come from above that--and especially CNN--no reporters from that network will attend further press conferences until Trump apologizes.

[dalton99a]

6. Most reporters in the WH are not freelancers and work for corporate media

Their job is to maintain access, and Trump knows it. He abused them day after day during the campaign, and he saw how they repeatedly showed up for the rallies and stayed in the pen like obedient little animals.

[cyclonefence]

8. I doubt that any freelancers are allowed into Presidential press conferences

but how on earth can the owners of CNN stand by and let their brand be treated this way? I truly believe that in the case of CNN orders are going to come from above, maybe even from John K. Martin himself, that their news division will not be abused by PEOTUS. Trump's treatment of CNN is intolerable, and I'm not talking about the reporter asking the questions.

[dalton99a]

12. Well, from WP:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/theres-the-major-media-and-then-theres-the-other-white-house-press-corps/2016/02/21/f69c5f92-c460-11e5-8965-0607e0e265ce_story.html

People such as Gavin, who says that all he needs to do to get a day pass into the briefings is submit his date of birth and Social Security number and say that he makes videos for YouTube. (Access to the executive mansion is via either a coveted “hard pass” — a renewable two-year permit — or a day pass, which must be applied for each time you want in.)

[cyclonefence]

13. Thanks for the information

I guess that explains the presence of Jeff Gamage years ago.

[Act_of_Reparation]

7. lol, ok

I can see it now:

"I know I just lost this network access to the White House, but hear me out, Bob. He called us a bunch of nasty names and then refused to take a question from CNN's Larry McReporterguy."

"No problem, Jim. Like all enormous corporations, we put a high premium on the safety and well-being of our employees. We'll just have to busy ourselves with real journalism until that turkey-necked, cheeto-dusted peckerhead apologizes."

[cyclonefence]

9. The problem with your argument

is that they don't have access to the WH now, and the press is not likely to gain access during the next four years. "Called us a bunch of nasty names" has nothing to do with what I'm proposing.

I'm suggesting that the press resist, for their own (corporate) good, this ongoing attack on the basis of journalism in the US: the First Amendment.

[Act_of_Reparation]

16. The problem with my argument is it's realistic.

You're assuming average people would be willing to put their careers in the line of fire by crossing swords with the President of the United States. You're assuming their bosses would back them up. You're assuming corporations think hard and carefully about the long-term stability of the company.

My only assumption is people are cowards.

Trust you me, I'd rather yours be the better argument of the two.

[cyclonefence]

19. I literally grew up in the newsroom

and have perhaps an unusual perspective on journalists and their owners.

[Act_of_Reparation]

20. Literally?

I think you mean figuratively.

I hope you mean figuratively.

[cyclonefence]

21. No, I'm an English major, and I say what I mean

My mother didn't like me much, so as soon as I was able to toilet myself, I went with my father to his job as city editor of a big paper in a small state. When I started school, I took the city bus every day after school--starting in first grade--to the newspaper. As I got old enough, I helped out; while I was too young, I stayed out of the way and watched, and read. As a kid, I wrote obits and cut lines; I ran copy up to the typesetters and watched the old cylindrical press rolls print out the news. I did my homework at an empty desk, and I accompanied the police reporter on his rounds to the courthouse and to crime scenes. I watched photographs being transferred to metal plates via acid etching. It was a wonderful childhood.

[Act_of_Reparation]

22. You had a mother?

Lucky.

All I had was a deadbeat dad and a cardboard cutout of Goldie Hawn as Private Benjamin. Whenever I'd ask him why all the other kids had moms and I didn't, he'd tell me it was probably because the other kids "don't ask so many fucking questions".

[cyclonefence]

23. Jesus, I'm sorry

But then again, when I was at home, I got beaten every goddam day. Maybe any attention is better than no attention. I'd hate to have to choose.

[Squinch]

2. He's not going to ever apologize, and they should not demand it. They are not

beholden to him, they do not need to have a "good" relationship with him. They need to report on what he is doing.

Real news never comes out of the White House press corp. What has come out of them for years is sound bites doled out by the governing administration.

Boycotting his press conferences seems to me like a good idea because real news will NEVER be made in them. Walking out of his press conferences too, to show that the press is actually an independent group.

He should "abuse" them all he wants. The way for them to get back at him is to actually REPORT what is going on.

Right now we have Israel and Britain and Germany planning to stop sharing intelligence information with the US because of Trump. We have Putin's hackers deep inside the NSA. Reporters don't need to be spatting with Twitler because he is mean to them. They need to be reporting on what he does and the effect he is having on our safety and our world position.

[cyclonefence]

4. You're right,

he'll never apologize. I was just trying to think of the carrot--we boycott companies until they do whatever, but how can the press boycott Trump until he has more respect for the press? Not going to happen.

And there's no news coming out of the Trump press conferences, and there never will be. I want to see him standing there onstage with his claque facing a press corps of two--Breitbart and that other one.

The press really fucked up early on in the election by feeling compelled to treat Trump like a normal person. That attitude helped him spread his message, and now they need to do what they can to redeem themselves.

The good thing that might come out of this is a renewed interest among college students in a career in investigative journalism.

[Squinch]

10. I am hoping that the good thing that comes out of this is that those who are already

in the press become deeply, deeply ashamed of themselves and start doing their jobs.

It's crazy what they are doing. Or rather not doing.

[skylucy]

11. +1000 I wholehearted agree! Well said!

[HoneyBadger]

5. CNN should boycott Trump for 4 years

If they do not like each other, stay away from each other.

[Sherman A1]

14. I believe they should simply

not attend anything remotely associated with the soon to be Trump White House. Staff should be moved to the Congressional, Executive Departments and to the Courts. If Trump wants to say something, he has Twitter.

[cyclonefence]

15. Yep. n/t

[a kennedy]

17. Ha ha ha ha ha......another press conference??? NOT going to happen

tRump is done having press conferences....hell he's done everything that is not acceptable so why should he have any press conferences???

[NRaleighLiberal]

18. I'm not - they had the entire run up to the election to see what was coming. they are as complicit

as those who voted Trump in - they enabled it.

[Iggo]

24. How were they not expecting that?

No pass.