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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe White House makes room for Breitbart by kicking out the New York Times,CNN
On Friday afternoon, Press Secretary Sean Spicer held a press briefing with a handpicked group of reporters. All three major networks NBC, ABC, and CBS, which was serving as the pool outlet for the day were invited, along with Fox News. But several major news outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, Politico, and Buzzfeed, were kept out. Right-wing publications like the Washington Times and conspiracy sites like Breitbart were included. The Associated Press and Time Magazine reportedly boycotted the gaggle in response.
Link to tweet
The White House hasnt been shy about their disdain for the press. Trump himself continues to attack the media for exposing the disfunction, ineptitude, and criminality of his administration, labeling well-sourced and thoroughly reported stories as fake news. Instead of answering questions, he and Press Secretary Sean Spicer have sought refuge in the warm embrace of sites like Breitbart, the online clearinghouse for conservative conspiracy theories and Donald Trump fanfiction.
Less than two miles away, as Spicer was barring the press from covering a press event, Breitbart co-founder and CEO Larry Solov was appearing before the standing committee of the U.S. Senate Press Gallery to try and secure Congressional press credentials for his website. As part of the hearing, the committee asked Solov about the sites ownership, and after initially resisting their request for disclosure, revealed that in addition to himself and Susie Bean Breitbart the widow of site co-founder and namesake Andrew Breitbart the Mercer family are co-owners of the site.
https://thinkprogress.org/the-white-house-makes-room-for-breitbart-by-kicking-out-the-new-york-times-cnn-a5b37e0b4611#.wsvf5dksp
Warpy
(111,365 posts)refused to attend until they were all reinstated. It's not like all this "access" to the briefings is going to generate anything but more smoke and mirrors, no light and nothing of substance.
Charles Bukowski
(1,132 posts)and if this madness continues to happen, we're likely to see a mass walkout in the future. Kudos to Time and thr AP.
Like you said, nothing is learned from these farcical press conferences anyway, might as well teach these fascist wannabes a lesson.
Doodley
(9,142 posts)Warpy
(111,365 posts)they will have to do something. The press conferences are worthless. And talking only to the extreme right wing propaganda outlets is not going to work for him.
bdamomma
(63,923 posts)televise the SOTU, fuck them, that will be a disgrace. I miss hearing an intellectual President Obama give a speech, there will never be another like him.