NYT's Bumiller's press conf. question submitted in advance?

[DeepModem Mom]

With thanks to MSgt213, who posted about this issue under a different subject line --


FROM ATRIOS:


They Get Letters


I'm actually having a hard time comprehending this. From reader t to the NYT Public Editor, an exchange:

t to the PE:

(Links USC Daily Trojan article: http://www.dailytrojan.com/main.cfm?include=detail&storyid=656561)

"For each press conference, the White House press secretary asks the reporters for their questions, selects six or seven of the questions to answer and those reporters are the only ones called upon to ask their questions during the press conference."

Can you confirm or deny this practice? If it is true, do you feel that the press should inform the public that the press conferences are scripted? This would appear to be a betrayal of the public's trust.


PE's response:


I'm fairly certain that two reporters at the press conference asked unscripted questions

Sincerely,
Arthur Bovino
Office of the Public Edtior



t writes back:


Thank you for your quick reply. Only two? Was the NYT reporter's question scripted?


From the PE:



I am uncertain if Ms. Bumiller's question was submitted to the president before-hand. Perhaps you might write to the president if you are unhappy with this system.

Sincerely,
Arthur Bovino
Office of the Public Editor


http://www.atrios.blogspot.com/



NOTE: Couldn't the Public Editor have easily asked Ms. Bumiller if her question was submitted in advance? Would she be reluctant to admit submitting the question, assuming that she would not be among the chosen questioners at another press conference?

A recent Times article, written by Ms. Bumiller, reported: "Reporters do not submit questions to the White House beforehand, but administration officials have a good idea of what's coming from the questions reporters ask at the daily press briefings. 'For the most part, we got all the subject matter,' (White House Communications director Dan) Bartlett said."

"Paying in Dread for a Date with the People"
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/19/politics/campaign/19LETT.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1082536215-VRYvUZpfresjXojmXRLY9A

Did the WH have questions from reporters in advance of the recent Bush press conference or not? Must news outlets submit to this practice if they are to have access to WH sources, and be among those chosen to ask questions at any future press conferences? Are news organizations hiding their cooperation in this practice? Did the NPR reporter, who rattled W, unexpectedly not play along, and ask an unscripted question, or was calling on him a snafu?



ON EDIT: Josh Marshall weighs in --

(April 20, 2004 -- 10:02 PM EDT // link // print)
Another follow-up on the White House press conference question.

As I said before, for the reasons I noted below, I'm sure
the Presidential press conferences don't work from presubmitted questions.However, as I noted a couple days ago, that doesn't mean the president's aides, don't give him "must-calls" -- a list of ringer journalists who they know will toss the president a lifeline with some gimme question.

Bill Sammon of the Washington Times was one of the 'must-calls' from last week.

He served up this ridiculous question: "You have been accused of letting the 9-11 threat mature too far, but not letting the Iraq threat mature far enough. First, could you respond to that general criticism?"

For all I know, maybe Sammon gave Scott or Bartlett at look at his question in advance. Who knows? But I really doubt it. After all, they could be pretty confident it would either be something like this or maybe: "Mr. President, many commentators claim John Kerry is a ridiculous liberal who can't stand up to the bad guys. Can you comment?" You get the idea.

In any case, this strikes me as a separate point. I remain quite sure the journalists from the straight-up publications (real newspapers and TV nets) don't submit their questions in advance.

-- Josh Marshall
(April 20, 2004 -- 08:27 PM EDT // link // print)
There's been quite a lot of chatter in the last couple days about an article in the Daily Trojan (no snickers, please), the USC student newspaper, which reports the following about what author Ron Suskind allegedly said at at a public forum on campus ...

One of Suskind's most severe critiques of Bush was not only Bush's lack of press conferences but also his management of those conferences.

For each press conference, the White House press secretary asks the reporters for their questions, selects six or seven of the questions to answer and those reporters are the only ones called upon to ask their questions during the press conference, Suskind said.

I'd never heard of such a thing and couldn't believe it was true. But Suskind's a serious person and a first-rate journalist. And a bunch of readers asked if I knew anything about it. And, frankly, I've gotten burned a few times underestimating the degree of skullduggery this White House is capable of. So, with some trepidation, I emailed two friends from the White House press corps just to make sure.

I know and trust both of them and both assured me, categorically, that this is not what happens.

In the words of one of them: "It's complete ---------. As in 'I can't believe that he was quoted accurately' ---------. Occasionally, before background briefings, White House aides will canvass reporters to ask what we're interested in on that day (but "the Middle East" is plenty answer for them). But I have never, ever heard of submitting questions in writing, orally, by email, or any other way before a presidential press conference. Not under Ari, not under Scott."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[aquart]

1. Well, it's what we suspected. Good lord. How utterly pitiful.

Think we'll ever find out who wrote George's papers and took his tests in college?

[DeepModem Mom]

2. I've wondered if Bush is embarrassed...

by the special arrangements that have to be made for him (this, and Cheney's testifying with him before the 9/11 Commission, for example), and it has struck me that maybe it is a life-long pattern that he sees as his own brand of being smarter than others -- being able to get by and even succeed, with little work, or the work of others. And I've wondered if the pattern started in school.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. NYT reader advocate "uncertain" if Bumiller's question...

was submitted in advance. Why can't we learn the truth, at least, about Bush's rare press conferences?

[John_H]

4. PERHAPS YOU MIGHT RIGHT TO THE PRESIDENT???????

How about if the NYT does a story on it while Bumiller and the other media whores refuse to submit their questions in advance?

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Exactly -- Bush treats the press with open contempt,

and not only do they give him soft coverage, they, possibly, go along with the outrage of having to submit questions in advance for a staged press conference. I'm not usually hyperbolic, but if these "press conferences" are staged to this extent, we are in the territory of regimes outside the parameters of our system.

[John_H]

6. NYT Public Editor Responds to my e-mail

Dear Mr. H____

Thank you for your message.

I spoke with an editor in the Washington Bureau who said the administration may plan beforehand which reporters or organizations will be called on to ask questions but that Times reporters do not submit their questions in advance. The editor said he would be surprised if any news organization submitted questions in advance.

Thank you for writing.

Yours sincerely,
Daniel Okrent
Public Editor

At 09:52 AM 4/21/2004, you wrote:

I was amused to learn of your suggestion to another reader that he "write the president" to complain about the President's "press conference" sham.

Wouldn't it be more effective if the Times did a piece explaining to the American people that their president's press conferences are scripted dog and pony shows? Or better yet, why don't Bumiller and the other sycophants pretending to be White House reporters simply refuse to be willing accomplices?

Best,

John H______

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Thank you, John_H!

[NicoleM]

8. Update from Atrios

Dear Atrios,

I recently learned that some readers wrote to this office concerning the protocols of White House press conferences. I cannot speak for other news organizations, but I can assure you categorically that the New York Times does not -- ever -- submit press conference questions in advance.

Yours sincerely,
Daniel Okrent
Public Editor