Headline of the Day

He White House Press Corps Needs to Prove Its Value If It Wants People to Care About Its Fate

—Dan Froomkin on Press Watch on the general uselessness of the White House Press Corps(e)

I will note that Stephen Colbert put noted this in a much funnier way at the 2006 White House Correspondents dinner, when he said, "But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The President makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home."

Froomkin's essay is a good read, because it explicitly states what Colbert alludes to:

The White House press corps is justifiably outraged by Donald Trump’s decision to start picking which reporters are allowed to follow him around and ask him questions.

In a free country, presidents should not get to choose who covers them.

But if members of the traditional, independent White House press corps want the public to share their outrage, they need to do a much better job of proving their value.

And in this administration, the value of an independent press corps to the public is simple: Journalists are the only people with access to Trump who can conceivably confront him about his lies.

Also, instead of going for the lulz, Froomkin explains why this matter:

………

Rather than succumb to the threats, members of the press corps should take them as a dare. They should redevote themselves to their mission. And that mission is, in part, to disrupt Trump’s bubble.

All presidents operate in a bubble, but none as much as Trump. In his second term, he is entirely surrounded by sycophants and lickspittles, with no pushback of any kind no matter how unhinged he gets.

The only exception to that rule is the press pool.

………

So far, its members have largely failed to do that. Listen to Trump’s press availabilities and most of the questions the press corps asks are invitations for him to free-associate, without any follow-up when he lies.

But when someone lies all the time, like Trump does, there is no value in asking him questions that simply encourage him to lie more.

So the press corps needs to rise to the occasion and confront his lies with the truth.

I understand Froomkin's complaint, and I agree that his prescription would improve the situation, but the reporters will never do this.

They are too interested in maintaining access, because otherwise they would have to work for a living.