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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: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday November 24 2018, @02:05PM
i suppose the idea is that "the people" voted for him, thus he can act on their behalf or rephrased: do what he wants.
thus the press briefs are more of "i confirm that my beliefs are the same as the beliefs of the people
that voted me to be pres and here is more of the same".
it's like a TV screen that is being mis-used as a light bulb by showing a white picture all the time and nothing else.
also, the press seems lazy. the hard research and reporting cannot be shown because "hand-that-feeds" so the reporting leaves
little wiggle room and only bone and no meat.
tip: see all those proud signatures? report about those?