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Free press isn't free under White House's onerous rules (Editorial)
Muzzling the press is chapter one in the authoritarian ruler's playbook. By the Founders' design, the president of the United States is not a king or dictator. He doesn't control the media, or get to decide which reporters are assigned to cover him.
A free press isn't free if the government imposes rules on what reporters can ask and how they must ask it. That violates the First Amendment. Period.
Banning reporters from asking follow-up questions or challenging the president's statements, under threat of taking away their access to the White House, hobbles the watchdog function of the media. White House reporters will be looking over their shoulders, calibrating the consequences, every time they ask tough questions. Meanwhile, the president will be able to dodge accountability and lie to the American people with even more impunity.
(Score: 2) by Username on Saturday November 24 2018, @07:22AM (1 child)
How was accoster's freedoms infringed on? He can print, say whatever he wants, before and after he got kicked out. Why does he need to be in the white house to journalize?
They should hire huge male bodybuilders to be in charge of the microphones. accoster wouldn't be pushing them around like that one girl. He was completely dismissive and demeaning towards her. That should be enough grounds to kick anyone out.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @04:54PM
Let me ask you one simple question (not that I expect an honest answer anyway):
If it had been Barack Obama that would have acted the same way towards a Fox News journalist, would you be equally apologetic of him ?