Like CNN, the New York Times is not happy with getting excluded from today’s press gaggle and responded with this statement from executive editor Dean Baquet saying “nothing like this has ever happened at the White House”:
NYT Exec. Editor Dean Baquet on media exclusion: “Nothing like this has ever happened at the White House is our long history” via @NYTeileen pic.twitter.com/Gmzdp5knKU
— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) February 24, 2017
Oh, really? Here’s former GWB press secretary Ari Fleischer with the fact-check:
Please. Pres O met w groups of hand selected columnists. Tell me WH staff didn't have meetings w chosen reporters. Stop hyperventilating. https://t.co/y4bAHExbFT
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) February 24, 2017
Keep in mind, Fleischer isn’t happy with what happened today, but he just wants everyone to take a chill pill:
To repeat – press sec SHOULD gaggle w all. But when I see a NYT editor say no WH ever did this, I will push back.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) February 24, 2017
And:
and btw, top aides have done small briefings for hand selected reporters forever.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) February 24, 2017
Fleischer went on to note that the only difference with today was because it was the press secretary who did it:
Yes because it was the press sec. But that's all. Selective briefings by others are as old as the hills.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) February 24, 2017
Many others pointed out additional examples of Hillary Clinton and President Obama doing basically the same thing. For example, when Clinton prevented pool reporters from using the bathroom:
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/835209120747749377
And kicking conservative reporters off of Air Force One:
Obama Boots Reporters From Conservative Papers https://t.co/2zVCzC5Xd8
— John Cardillo (@johncardillo) February 24, 2017
Or when President Obama booted Fox News:
Said it in 2009 & again today: Inappropriate for any White House to decide which news outlets are acceptable. https://t.co/uSq99T5XmG
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) February 24, 2017
More from Sirius radio’s Julie Mason:
Yeah the Obama WH used to selectively invite reporters to gaggles, too. It was wrong then, wrong now
— Julie Mason (@juliemason) February 24, 2017
And from Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examiner:
This is inaccurate. Obama held exclusives with the liberal media. https://t.co/3pEqaYKA1q
— Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) February 24, 2017
Shutting out certain news orgs from gaggles happens regularly on Capitol Hill. Difference is WaPo etc., get access, so they don't complain https://t.co/NeP98mxwoO
— Susan Ferrechio (@susanferrechio) February 24, 2017
Bloomberg’s Jennifer Jacobs gave a much more sober description of what went down this afternoon:
Sean Spicer's press briefing at 1:15p today will be just a press gaggle — a less formal gathering because Trump is on the air at 10a.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 24, 2017
Instead of usual televised press briefing, Trump admin called in a small group — the regular "pool" plus some cherry-picked outlets. https://t.co/OpqCqr7uUU
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 24, 2017
Spicer wanted to keep TV spotlight on his boss, who was on air at CPAC earlier, but press upset because outlets excluded: NYT, CNN, BBC, etc
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 24, 2017
Bloomberg was included because we're in regular "pool."
AP invited too, but declined due to others' exclusion.
Bloomberg shared its audio.— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 24, 2017
So, what’s the big deal?
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