Twitter is buzzing this morning over an Arizona CBS reporter’s recent “off-the-record” interview with Jay Carney. Specifically, Catherine Anaya’s claim that Carney told her that that “a lot of times,” he gets the White House press corps’ questions in advance of the daily briefing:
https://twitter.com/PlatosTeacher/status/446647534224564224
https://twitter.com/bvervelde/status/446651319302901760
Professional wrestling only wishes it were this staged http://t.co/P69g97NSf8
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 20, 2014
STAGED: Jay Carney gets reporters' questions before press briefing; reporters ALREADY have answers in hand. http://t.co/96Spr0CiNc
— Vicki McKenna (@VickiMcKenna) March 20, 2014
"Jay Carney, receives questions from the press in advance of his daily press briefing." #Journalism is dead.http://t.co/ARUtuknO6d
— Jamie Robertson (@24Robertson) March 20, 2014
most transparent admin has WH press corps provide ? to Carney b4 press conference. http://t.co/USlbDzdzDX
— BHall (@consunite) March 20, 2014
Wait, Carney knows what they're gonna ask in advance and he STILL lies unconvincingly? That's JV. http://t.co/zF2cIa3t58 #tcot
— Mattphilbin (@Mattphilbin) March 20, 2014
https://twitter.com/ruffansore/status/446654539492376576
Inquisitive tweeters turned to former ABC White House correspondent Jake Tapper for insight:
https://twitter.com/TheRealOxlong/status/446646985844867072
@jaketapper Is this true? WH spokesman has most Q's from journos submitted in advance? http://t.co/ftJEjf0Xaw
— Wade Daugherty (@waderic4) March 20, 2014
Tapper went on the record about his own experience:
@TheRealOxlong not in my experience. I suspect someone misunderstood
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 20, 2014
https://twitter.com/TheRealOxlong/status/446650578014584832
@TheRealOxlong so you think I submitted questions to Jay Carney ahead of time? And then he gave those answers memorably captured on YouTube?
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 20, 2014
https://twitter.com/TheRealOxlong/status/446651523234562049
@waderic4 not from me, this rings false. this sounds like a misunderstanding
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 20, 2014
@zenpundit nope never
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) March 20, 2014
***
Update:
Fox News chief White House correspondent Ed Henry echoes Tapper:
@GCGATOR24 sorry but I do not submit questions before the press briefing
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@RalstonReports never here. i'd be careful jumping to conclusions
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@FloraDuh1 story wrong for me. NEVER script questions
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@MACHTink NO the reporter is completely wrong. needs to be corrected
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@TPLRRT1 @guypbenson absurd — i don't submit Q's to @PressSec b4 briefing & not aware of anyone doing that. Local anchor needs to correct
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
story dead wrong RT @danielhalper Reporter: WH Press Secretary Gets Questions from Reporters Before Press Briefinghttp://t.co/1OUfNTy6RI
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@danielhalper Arizona reporter has no idea what she is talking about — bizarre claim
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
@trscoop this reporter does NOT
— Ed Henry (@edhenry) March 20, 2014
***
Update:
According to the Daily Mail, Anaya has apologized for her earlier report, saying that she was asked to submit a question for Carney ahead of time:
“As a local journalist I had no issue providing my proposed question in advance,’ she told MailOnline, ‘because I wanted to make sure it was an appropriate q[uestion] for a national briefing and I wanted to make sure it was appropriate for Mr. Carney.”
“[B]ut in discussing it with a staff member the night before, we decided I would save it for the president. I was attempting to not waste national time on a local question, but in my attempt at explaining that I unintentionally made it sound like that experience applied to everyone.”
“That is my mistake,’ Anaya added, ‘and I own up to it.”
In another twist, the Daily Mail reports that Anaya’s network, KPHO-TV, posted a statement on the matter — and pulled it shortly thereafter:
https://twitter.com/EditMeDavid/status/446730069638381568
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