Trump Wages War on the Press, but Was Obama Much Better to Reporters?
Nov 19, 2018 12:41:26 #
https://variety.com/2018/politics/news/trump-press-war-obama-administration-reporters-1202782264/
President Trump hasn’t called a formal news conference in more than a year, a scheduling lapse that ordinarily would inflame the White House press corps.
Trump’s blustery war on journalism has at times featured streaming insults and threats to punish unfriendly outlets. He calls reporters “nasty” and endangers their safety while maligning their work.
“So much F**e News about what is going on in the White House,” he complained recently on Twitter.
President Obama, by contrast, gave a valedictory address on his way out of Washington praising White House reporters.
“America needs you and our democracy needs you,” Obama said. “Having you in this building has made this place work better. It keeps us honest, it makes us work harder.”
Worthy sentiments, but also dishonest given Obama’s dismal record on press freedom and access.
Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter James Risen wrote in The New York Times that if Trump wants to jail a whistle-blower or use the FBI to spy on journalists, he got the playbook from his predecessor.
Obama, who campaigned on a promise to protect government whistle-blowers, made greater use of the Espionage Act to prosecute leakers and menace journalists than all other presidents combined.
Obama’s Justice Department accessed the personal email of a Fox News reporter and surveilled the reporter’s parents and colleagues. They seized the home, work and mobile phone records of journalists at the Associated Press.
Risen, who fought the administration to protect his sources, got so deep in his own legal battle with Obama that he selected a reading list for prison before the government finally backed off.
White House officials subverted the press in a number of ways while touting themselves as the most t***sparent in history.
Obama routinely banned news photographers from official events. He went months between press conferences and used social media to circumvent reporters.
First lady Michelle Obama took policy trips overseas with no press on her airplane. The White House scrubbed public visitor logs of names it didn’t want in the news.
The Obama administration posted the worst record in history for fulfilling requests for public records under the Freedom of Information Act.
In a bleak episode of unintended irony, an open-government group gave Obama an award for t***sparency in an Oval Office ceremony closed to the press.
Trump may well end up being worse on press issues than Obama, and today’s White House reporters could be picking out their prison reading lists eventually.
But for now, those on duty there are guardedly hopeful.
Trump has proved more accessible than Obama and has not moved on threats against the industry. He has yet to discover the many uses of the Espionage Act, but he still needs to make time for a news conference.
President Trump hasn’t called a formal news conference in more than a year, a scheduling lapse that ordinarily would inflame the White House press corps.
Trump’s blustery war on journalism has at times featured streaming insults and threats to punish unfriendly outlets. He calls reporters “nasty” and endangers their safety while maligning their work.
“So much F**e News about what is going on in the White House,” he complained recently on Twitter.
President Obama, by contrast, gave a valedictory address on his way out of Washington praising White House reporters.
“America needs you and our democracy needs you,” Obama said. “Having you in this building has made this place work better. It keeps us honest, it makes us work harder.”
Worthy sentiments, but also dishonest given Obama’s dismal record on press freedom and access.
Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter James Risen wrote in The New York Times that if Trump wants to jail a whistle-blower or use the FBI to spy on journalists, he got the playbook from his predecessor.
Obama, who campaigned on a promise to protect government whistle-blowers, made greater use of the Espionage Act to prosecute leakers and menace journalists than all other presidents combined.
Obama’s Justice Department accessed the personal email of a Fox News reporter and surveilled the reporter’s parents and colleagues. They seized the home, work and mobile phone records of journalists at the Associated Press.
Risen, who fought the administration to protect his sources, got so deep in his own legal battle with Obama that he selected a reading list for prison before the government finally backed off.
White House officials subverted the press in a number of ways while touting themselves as the most t***sparent in history.
Obama routinely banned news photographers from official events. He went months between press conferences and used social media to circumvent reporters.
First lady Michelle Obama took policy trips overseas with no press on her airplane. The White House scrubbed public visitor logs of names it didn’t want in the news.
The Obama administration posted the worst record in history for fulfilling requests for public records under the Freedom of Information Act.
In a bleak episode of unintended irony, an open-government group gave Obama an award for t***sparency in an Oval Office ceremony closed to the press.
Trump may well end up being worse on press issues than Obama, and today’s White House reporters could be picking out their prison reading lists eventually.
But for now, those on duty there are guardedly hopeful.
Trump has proved more accessible than Obama and has not moved on threats against the industry. He has yet to discover the many uses of the Espionage Act, but he still needs to make time for a news conference.
Nov 19, 2018 12:44:11 #
"but Was Obama Much Better to Reporters?"
To even ask such a question is to have put yourself firmly in your own fantasy world. Good luck finding your way back to reality.
To even ask such a question is to have put yourself firmly in your own fantasy world. Good luck finding your way back to reality.
Nov 19, 2018 15:28:07 #
Yes, Obama was much better, much smarter, better educated, didn't c***t on his wife, didn't use cocaine, didn't dodge the draft, didn't have children who are dishonest. The list can go on but I'll stop now with this, Yes Obama was much better not only to reporters but to our country.
Nov 19, 2018 16:38:46 #
Frank T wrote:
Yes, Obama was much better, much smarter, better educated, didn't c***t on his wife, didn't use cocaine, didn't dodge the draft, didn't have children who are dishonest. The list can go on but I'll stop now with this, Yes Obama was much better not only to reporters but to our country.
LOL Please do not give up your day job. As a standup comic, you're a failure!
Nov 19, 2018 16:52:36 #
Nov 19, 2018 16:59:15 #
All President have some conflict with the press. But I never heard Obama stand up at a large rally and call them names.and call them enemies of the people and worse.
Nov 19, 2018 17:11:29 #
steve03 wrote:
All President have some conflict with the press. But I never heard Obama stand up at a large rally and call them names.and call them enemies of the people and worse.
... and just flat out refuse to answer legit questions from the legit media.
"Don't YOU ever ask ME about the caravan invasion again! F**e News!"
Nov 19, 2018 17:14:09 #
steve03 wrote:
All President have some conflict with the press. But I never heard Obama stand up at a large rally and call them names.and call them enemies of the people and worse.
Thats because the f**e news put their full support behind Obama.
Nov 19, 2018 17:16:45 #
EyeSawYou wrote:
Thats because the f**e news put their full support behind Obama.
Did you type that one-handed while sucking your thumb?
Nov 20, 2018 07:28:51 #
Elaine2025
Loc: Seattle, Wa
Frank T wrote:
Yes, Obama was much better, much smarter, better educated, didn't c***t on his wife, didn't use cocaine, didn't dodge the draft, didn't have children who are dishonest. The list can go on but I'll stop now with this, Yes Obama was much better not only to reporters but to our country.
Little Frankie, sounds like you don't care for President Trump. It's going to be a long 6 years for you.
Nov 20, 2018 09:21:26 #
Elaine2025 wrote:
Well little girl maybe you need to check on that before opening the big pie hole. You would find yourself wrong. Read your post, you are a D**K.......especially for a little girl so young.
watch it...you will offend the little guy & he will turn you in to admin like he did to me...
Nov 20, 2018 09:37:51 #
Keenan wrote:
"but Was Obama Much Better to Reporters?"
To even ask such a question is to have put yourself firmly in your own fantasy world. Good luck finding your way back to reality.
To even ask such a question is to have put yourself firmly in your own fantasy world. Good luck finding your way back to reality.
Sadly for you he’s just using facts to offset your opinionated emotional swill,
Nov 20, 2018 09:38:26 #
hasslichhog wrote:
LOL Please do not give up your day job. As a standup comic, you're a failure!
Let’s just leave it at he’s a failure!
Nov 20, 2018 09:38:52 #
steve03 wrote:
All President have some conflict with the press. But I never heard Obama stand up at a large rally and call them names.and call them enemies of the people and worse.
No, Obama preferred to sneak around spying on them!
Nov 20, 2018 09:41:30 #
wilpharm wrote:
watch it...you will offend the little guy & he will turn you in to admin like he did to me...
....and me
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