Politico reporter: ‘Comfy’ media should make Holder an off-the-record sammich; Ace, Fournier school

Reporters and editors and bureau chiefs attend off-the-record meetings *all the time.* They also talk to people off-record *all the time*

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 30, 2013

@DylanByers Can you please explain why you aren't?

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 30, 2013

.@DylanByers on assignment. Can a WH reporter address the premise of the question for Dylan. "Comfy" — really? Assumption on frequency …

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) May 30, 2013

.@ron_fournier How many off-the-record meetings did you attend as Washington bureau chief of the Associated Press?

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 30, 2013

.@DylanByers After DOJ seized AP records and labeled journalism a conspiracy? None. Link here does not rule out OTR: http://t.co/eoL7gikEBo

— Ron Fournier (@ron_fournier) May 30, 2013

@DylanByers @ron_fournier You seemed to have a different attitude towards this BEFORE Politico decided to go.

— Melanie (@mrussRSF) May 30, 2013

@mrussRSF @ron_fournier wrong. i was and remain conflicted.

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) May 30, 2013

.@DylanByers can I ask what the purpose of the meeting might be if you are forbidden to report what Holder tells you?

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

.@DylanByers Holder may charm you and induce people to give him a pass… But this serves the public or newsgathering of the media how?

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

OTR turns this explicitly into merely a political/politicking effort. @DylanByers

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

one other thing: usually OTR is done so you can get an understanding of a situation without the ability to publish, right? @DylanByers

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

what exactly would your goal be here? So you can gain an understanding of why Holder seems to have misbehaved? @DylanByers

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

without the ability to report his claims, what is the goal? Just to be informed of a more sympathetic side of Holder? @DylanByers

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

honestly that's what it seems like. A stroke session. @anthmichcara @DylanByers

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

If Eric Holder throws underlings under the bus, is the media going to start doing stories on those underlings w/o reporting Holder's "tip"?

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

If Holder makes promises that this won't happen again, and then later, it does, what does the media do? The promise was OTR.

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

I don't exactly understand the purpose of a guy making promises in a situation where he's explicitly announced "You can't hold me to this."

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

Why must The Truth (which Holder will ostensibly be offering) be kept as secrets?

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

People usually don't insist on privacy and secrecy when they're giving you the truth.

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

In addition: Holder is not a "leaker" or "whistlblower" who may fear retaliation. He's head of the DOJ, and he'll be speaking about himself

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

Why would he want or need secrecy about his statements *about himself?*

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

Let me tell you in complete candor: I'm innocent and I did nothing wrong. But please — keep it low. I don't want this to get out.

— TheClassyLife (@AceofSpadesHQ) May 30, 2013

@AceofSpadesHQ The idea that only the media is entitled to hear his explanations of misconduct is quite elitist.

— John Ekdahl (@JohnEkdahl) May 30, 2013

@JohnEkdahl @AceofSpadesHQ He's basically asking for a JournOList huddle to put the best spin on this & hope they run with it.

— Dread Pirate Cates (@drawandstrike) May 30, 2013

@AceofSpadesHQ If you actually had to explain it to @DylanByers , what is he doing working for Politico?

— Iacobus (@WarUnicorn) May 30, 2013